Ellena Garvaneel's page

An explanation and an apology are both needed and overdue.

Recently, I've begun to feel out of phase with all PbP RPGs that I've been playing, either as a GM or a player. If any of you were in my games, you know that I've entered a hiatus of undefined length, thinking it was GM burnout. Apparently, it was not only that. Despite my life stabilizing in a new routine as I started my PhD, something has changed in my mind, and playing has become to feel more and more as a chore and less of a pleasure. It's not the stories, the GMs or the other players, I've been enjoying immensely the games until now: I think I've just saturated myself with PbP, with reading and reacting, and with the engagement every day. I've tried to soldier on, hoping it was just a phase, but in the end I can't force myself to play against my will.

I honestly don't know if and when I'll be coming back. It feels very much a shame, since this game already lost a player and I had been itching for some 5e for a long time, but I don't feel like I can give a meaningful contribution in this state of mind. I leave Ellena to you to do as you please, hoping that she still has songs to write.
If/when I feel more like the player I was, I hope that you'll be here to come back to, but if it doesn't happen I'd like you to know that it's been a pleasure to play with you all.

Merry gaming, may your rolls be high and your loot be plentiful.

Sorry for the silence, I had to oversee some changes in my real life and I didn't have the brainpower to follow the campaigns. I'll try to communicate better if it happens again, and I'll update shortly.

Ellena offers her own farewell to Tania with a bitter smile. For an orphan urchin such as her it's hard to relate with the loss of a parent, but she strums sad chords before wishing her good luck, may her purse be heavy and her beer be heady.

Her mood brightens at the proposal to head to the bathhouse. "Oh yes, yes, yes. And it's appropriate for my song's refrain. Let's-a go."

History (Who is Nara, and why did she get rebuked?): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

"A-hello my elfin friend. Long time no see" cheers Ellena, laying her lute carefully at her side and stamping a kiss on Himo's cheek. On her fingers dances a Knave of Cups card. "Although your arrival throws into disarray the suits scheme I was using to call all of you, I'll have to find an alternative. Now, what's this thing about taverns?"

Her eyes dart over the paper, widening as she goes. A manor, old as it may be, is such a huge step forward from her humble beginnings. "Woah. Woah. We'll have a bedchamber each! And if we can get the tavern running, that'll be one hell of a place to come home to!"

Glad to have escaped the sewer, Ellena takes out her lute and strums a simple, catchy round of chords, improvising some lines about the escapade. Just in case some patrons are in the crowd, her beret lies at her feet.

There is a beholder around Waterdeep
Whose guild skulks around, hoarding secrets to keep,
They wanted a young lord, his knowledge a boon,
But they got the wrong one, a good lad known as Floon!

And a hey, ho, what a story to tell...

Performance: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

To be sung on this melody. The reaction to the deed will be in a later post.

I'll go for average, reliability is nice.

Changelog:
+7 HP
+ 1 spell known (Faerie Fire)
+ 1 level 1 spell per day
+ Jack of All Trades (add half proficiency to skills I'm not proficient in
+ Song of Rest (extra HP on short rest)

Ellena sighs in relief as the way is shown. "Ah, Tymora's smiling on us now. Let's get out of here and to the closest bathtub."

"But we came the other way..." sighs Ellena, shortbow in her hand, keeping a clear line of sight to cover Talliree.

I too wanted to check the way we came from.

"Swords!" Ellena whispers, seeing Talliree delve further in the chambers. "You don't want to meet the illithid and we have a wounded man, let's fall back and get our reward!"

"I'll check if the way is clear." says Ellena, going to check carefully if whatever is confined behind the worrying door is going to make an unwelcome appearance.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19

Hi! Quick note to inform you that I'm abroad without my computer, so I will be AFK until next Tuesday. Bot me as needed!

"We're alive- he wasn't interested in us- heh heh heh..." Ellena breaks in a spot of histerical laughter as her brain tries to process what they just encountered. A bard hears tales, and the illithids feature in the darkest and grimmest of them all. That she was in the same room as one and still has her mind feels nothing short of miraculous.

"I'm, uh, I fear I'm spent for magic" she says finally, addressing the young noble.

As Grum'shar turns to the party, Ellena is ready with a quip on her lips. "Hey, big dark and ugly! You've dropped your brain, not that you use it!"

Vicious Mockery: Wisdom save DC 14 or he suffers 1d4 ⇒ 3 psychic damage and disadvantage on his next attack.

Arcana: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Arcana: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Ellena freezes as she recognizer the Mind Flayer, to breathe in relief when the monster moves to leave. Still, her mind fails to find any insult sharp enough to throw at the intellect devourer, and she's not even sure that the creature has ears to hear her. Instead, she focuses on raring Talliree up, as if she needed it.
"Swords! Teach this thing that decapitation should be final!"

Bardic Inspiration to give Talliree a d4 on one d20 roll of her choice. No movement but I'll try to stop Renaer from moving past me.

Dex: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 19
Str: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Ellena tries to slow down their valuable charge, but curses as she doesn't manage to get a grip on his clothes. Instead, she runs after them, hoping that they are not about to get all killed.

I love 5e paladins.

"Ew. Eew." is Ellena's answer to both the sudden decapitation and the appendage gorging itself on the fallen foe's blood.
"Now, I don't know what that thing is and, truth be told, I don't even want to know. Please, please tell me it's not the way we need to go."

"Eh. I'm with Swords here." says Ellena, frowning. "This one's just going to kill and harm more people if we let him free, and the city wouldn't give him anything better. Coins, in your authority, can you pass judgement? I'm sure he's done enough bad deeds to warrant a headsman."

Ellena looks slightly puzzled as Swords is apparently letting her rat do the talking. She makes a mental note of picking up some voice-throwing spell to mess with her before standing at her side, playing Good Guardsman to her companion's Bad Guardsman.

"I know, right? Trust me, the rat could be the last of your problems if you keep being so uncooperative. Between us, I'm not sure she's all right in the head, you know. I see the Tower and the Chariot in your future, but it depends on you talking to us."

If Talliree is going for Intimidation or Persuasion, I'd like to try to give her advantage.
Persuasion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Rules question: the friends cantrip specifies that it works on someone who is not hostile to me. Does it mean just that it doesn't work in combat and it could be applied here? Or does it extend to a hostile disposition?

Ellena eeps as the duergar grows in size, then breathes in relief once the blades of Swords and Coins cut into its form, leaving it dead as a doornail.

"That's a very good idea, Wands, and on a related note someone should remind me to buy some rope. I'll use a bit of my charms once he wakes up."

Ouch :/
Bye, Queen of Cups, the suits are missing one now.

History: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13

"Grey Dwarf?" giggles Ellena, her voice laced with supernatural malice. "Those unoriginal copycats who pretend to be real Dwarves? I have a better name for your kind, how about Dworm? You know, like worms, in case you are as dumb as you're ugly and didn't catch it."

Vicious Mockery again, for 1d4 ⇒ 4 psychic damage and disadvantage on his next attack roll. And then I'm moving behind the melee ones to stay out of reach.

Ellena points at herself and Hob, then mimicks someone resting on a pillow. On a count of three, she lets off her own sleeping incantation.

Sleep HP: 5d8 ⇒ (4, 8, 7, 1, 1) = 21

"Mark me up for Team Silence" whispers back Ellena, pulling her cloak over her red hair and looking for shadows.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 Using Lucky, 1/3 uses per day
Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19 Much better

"I don't think I can bluff my way past them, if they're awake. Blades or negotiation?" whispers Ellena, pointing her thumb at the door. "Because if we go for the quick and deadly strike, I can try the sleeping trick again, but we'll throw diplomacy out of the way."

Ellena bites her lip, a bit squeamish at the sudden violence.

Ellena sighs in relief as her ruse is accepted, then lets Tania and Talliree take point for the next part.

"Dun' get yer stuff in a bunch, guv." drawls Ellena, fishing in her memory for Waterdevian street talk. "Jus' getting to movin' the shinies from upstairs. We'll be out of yer hair fore yer full awake."

Deception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Sleeping guards would make things rather nicer, without need for spells or bloodshed. Ellena moved slowly behind Talliree, trying to prepare a cover story in case they were suddenly found out.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

The only objection I have about the Rule of Two is that maybe it should be suspended for more important decision, until we all have had time to weigh in: I live in Central European Time and I don't usually check the forums on the weekend, so I can often wake up to made decisions.
In any case, I don't want to be holding up the game, so if the choice is the left or right tunnel and I'm asleep, choose ahead, but if it's more important and plot-relevant I'd appreciate a moment to catch up.

Ellena prods the muck that was a monster with the tip of her rapier. "It looks sort of like the marks, yes? I do hope it doesn't have an angry mother to come after us. That, and what's up with mimicry? First the kenkus, next this thing, everyone is copying voices like it's a fashion."

Ellena flattens against the wall. "Hey ugly!" she shouts. "They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but you just look all-around disgusting!"

Vicious Mockery, the creature has to make a DC 14 Wisdom save or take 1d4 ⇒ 2 psychic damage and have disadvantage on its next attack.

Sorry, I'm having a couple of ultra busy days and the last time I managed to check I was not up. In any case, you are more than welcome to bot me if you need to keep things running.

Also, I don't know if it's your cup of tea, but most games I'm in do group initiative to keep things smooth across multiple timezones.

"Eugh. That's another set of clothes ruined." grimaces Ellena, impregnating one of the cloth pieces with perfume before covering her nose. She considers a moment, then offers the vial to Renaer too.

"It's yellow, and it has a lot of eyes. I guess it's related to Xanathar somehow?"

"Hello, shinies" whispers Ellena as the silver bars are revealed.

She patiently waits for her turn to go down the staircase, grimacing at the stench of sewage. Think of the gold dragons, Hearts. Think what you could do with them.

Ellena gladly passes her lamp to Mitchell, happy to be behind the larger man, and follows him a few steps behind.

"Now, these are more hidden, they may have valuables." she smiles at the sight of the crates, rapping with her fingers against one. "Or maybe contraband. Cups?"

I think Tania has a crowbar if we want to force one open.

Healing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

After cleaning and dressing her wound, Ellena feels spry and active again. She twirls one of the wooden-soled sandals around her index, absent-mindedly. "Good thinking, Talli. Las thing we want is our charge getting stung by a poisoned blade. Hob, we'll need some light, can you get us some? I've a lamp otherwise."

No concerns, it's going very nicely! I Know I haven't been the most active, I'm in the middle of some crazy days. In a couple of weeks the situation should stabilize for a while.

"I think I'd like a moment to take care of my wounds." suggests Ellena, pointing to where her side was pierced by an arrow. "Maybe you unharmed folks can look at the place in the meantime? Though judging from the kenkus' poor equipment, I doubt they were swimming in gold."

"I believe we will go to the sewers and trace the signs, m'lord." answers Ellena, looking around for the suddenly missing Talliree. "It might be an unhealthy environment, so unless you are confident in your pugnacious skills..."

I'd like to take a short rest.

Ellena opens her mouth to speak, but Talliree and Mitchell are quicker than she is. Instead, she just smiles amiably, doing her best to look innocent.

Ellena opens her arms in acceptance. "Coins has a point. Just maybe put in a good word, mention they surrendered. We 've nothing incriminating on us, so we should get off easily. I mean, unless they decide that we are responsible for that pile of corpses. As it stands, I have no strong feelings one way or the other."

She then smiles at Neverember. Now that's something I could have some feelings towards. Greed is a feeling, right?

Ellena's eye twinkle as she hears the prestigious name being dropped.

"I won't go against it if you want to, Coins, but I'm with Swords on that. I don't think the Watch is going to be thrilled at the prospect of interfering with hostilities between the Black Network and the Xanathar Guild. They were just doing what they had to to earn a crust, and those who they attacked were far from innocents. Mostly. Also, these three have flunked a mission, I don't think they'll be too keen on doing illicit business here again. We cut them free, we save the community some prisoner expenses."

"Not at all." Ellena replies cheerfully. "But when you asked, Shorty here said that he sends his regards. If that's not a clue, I'm a wool merchant."

Ellena pockets the pendant. "Ah, this backroom. Makes sense, actually. And it sounds like this pendants are related to the Xanathar guild. This mimickry is far more useful than I gave them credit for."
Seeing Hob go for the backdoor, she moves closer to him and nocks an arrow in her recently acquired shortbow.

How many arrows are there?

Ellena scratches her head while twirling the pendant between her fingers. She's not too keen on checking out the pile of corpses, so she feels slightly relieved as Tania takes over that part.

"Where is also a good question." she says, to nobody in particular, pocketing a bow and a blade.

Ellena is focused on building a card castle, a simple practice in focus and deftness. "I threw away those clothes, no magic would ever get the smell out. A shame, too, I loved that shade of blue."

I can see and edit, no trouble.
Also, I've placed my data in the sheet.

Ah, I was relying on DnD Beyond too, I'll paste them soon. I'm very OK with some extra fun!

Get well soon! A couple of days are not going to destroy us.