Gawain Caelson's page

"Let's go back to her house before trying to contact her. It would be embarrassing, to say the least, if some acolyte stumbled across us speaking to the dead in a churchyard." Gawain says, with a furtive glance around.

I have it in my head that we have something else needing identifying, but looking back through the last few pages, I can't figure out what. Does anyone else remember, or is it just Monday morning getting to me again?

Gawain gets up and stretches, yawning. "Yes, it can't hurt to talk to the priest again, though I think perhaps we might avoid mentioning a haunted Harrow deck. It occurs to me that some of the things we, uh, found yesterday might have owners; maybe the priests will have some idea about how we might find them."

"If they still live," he adds a moment later, in a low voice.

"Shelyn's naggers!" Gawain exclaims. "My card is gone, too. How strange... I wonder if perhaps the spirit who inhabits the deck has reclaimed them somehow. Are they in the deck?"

"Ho, Simn," Gawain calls quietly when the gnome arrives. "You look like you've hardly slept. Everything all right at home?"

If there was a spoiler for me, I missed it.

Gawain arrives early at the Pantheon, and sits on the steps quietly playing his mandolin, waiting for the others.

Seeing the others content to split up and meet again as fate directs, Gawain will return to his father's smithy.

"It would be nice to see these children settled," Gawain agrees. "But on the other hand, we may have need ourselves. If Zellara is right and our efforts will be needed to keep Korvosa safe, it would be good to be as well prepared as possible. Perhaps we could sell the items and inquire with the Temple about the cost of the children's upkeep?"

"As for lodgings, perhaps we should just agree on a place to meet in the morning? I mean no disrespect to your family, Fraz, but I would rather meet them when I'm awake enough to remember their names," Gawain continues with a rueful smile.

"While I have no deep allegiance to the crown, I suspect that this turn will have dire consequences, as we have begun to see, for the folk of Korvosa."

"Where do our loyalties now lie?" the elf asks

"That is the key question, isn't it," agrees Gawain, covering a yawn with his hand. The day's excitement has left him feeling a bit more confident and surer in Shelyn's grace, but also very tired. "If Eodred is dead, then Ileosa reigns, doesn't she? Unless there is truth to these rumors of regicide, then I think it seems right to give her a chance. I wonder who opposes her. At any rate, I fear there is little we can do without some rest. Does anyone know of a place where we might stay together? Safety in numbers and all that? I would invite you all to my father's smithy, but..." He shrugs. "We don't really have any spare beds."

"Could we perhaps take him with us?" Gawain asks in a low voice. "I hate to leave him in such a state, but the sooner we get the you-know-what dealt with properly, the easier I'll breathe. Maybe the children we rescued will help him recall his duty?" he finishes, with perhaps more hope than logic.

That list was "in addition to what Simn found while at the fishery June 11", which I quote here:

Simn unwraps:

- A circular gold brooch with a broken clasp. It depicts a pseudodragon and an imp coiled around each other; the pseudodragon's eye is an amethyst, while the imp's is an emerald.
- A Harrow deck, decorated with hand-painted images, the frames gilt in silver so that under lighting they sparkle and flash. Despite the worn condition of the card backs, the images on the faces are so vibrant they seem to move when viewed out of the corner of the eye.
[ooc]- A a highly realistic and highly scandalous ivory figurine of two entwined succubi.

That post also had an sblock for a kn(nobility) check.

Gawain is wearing chainmail over a plain but serviceable traveler's outfit -- boots, wool breeches, belt, linen shirt and leather vest. D&D rules don't mention it, but usually someone wearing chainmail wears some kind of padded garment underneath; you don't want that stuff against your bare skin. Gawain also has a visible holy symbol of Shelyn, and, of course, weapons. And no ranks in kn(nobility) here either.

"Yes, let's check on the kids," Gawain agrees. "And, though she didn't seem concerned, I think it would still be right to give her h--, ah, her remains an appropriate burial." His eyes stray to the shell-carved holy symbol, and he picks it up and absently fingers its smooth surface. "I wonder if there is anything we can do to bring peace to the city's streets tonight. The city officials must surely be overwhelmed. Still, it can wait until we see to the children."

Simn picked up another wand off of Yargin in post 245 or so, too, which we shouldn't forget.

Gawain's eyes go wide, and he clutches his holy symbol for reassurance as he listens to the ghostly woman's story. "What can people like us do for Korvosa? We're not Sable marines or anything. I mean, I'd like to help if I can, but how?"

"The furniture is destroyed... Why would someone do that?" Gawain wonders. "Do you think they were looking for something? Maybe there was a fight..."

Gawain's eyes follow the griffon and its rider on the doomed arc of their flight, heart aching. Shelyn, Korvosa needs you tonight... "We'd best keep moving, and stay together. A night like this is no time to dawdle, or to wander alone."

Gawain nods, but adds, "Simn is right that the cathedral should be our next stop. Those kids will need someone to speak for them."

"Does someone want to run up and see what that ruckus is? Maybe someone who isn't carrying a severed head?" Gawain suggests.

I can't seem to find the post with the disturbance from earlier. Zellara's house is to the south of this fishery...

"Simn is right, let's get out of here," Gawain continues. "Fraz, can you bring the valuables? Leliestraat... would you like me to take the head, or are you okay with it?"

Gawain catches sight of the hatbox's contents. He stared wide-eyed for a second, then turns and vomits noisily into the water below. Wiping his mouth, he steels himself and studies the head more closely. "That's... not fresh," he says. "It must have been here for a while. Weeks, maybe."

heal check 1d20+4=11

Finally tearing his eyes away from Lamm's corpse as Cole dumps it, Gawain comes over to look over Simn's shoulder. "Strange to find such beauty in such a place," he muses. "Shelyn's eyes are on us. But Cole is right. I don't trust that gnome any farther than I can throw him." He flexes his arms unconsciously, as if wondering just how far that might be.

Updated

"Did someone say 'shark'?" Gawain quickly clambers back up out of the water. Walking to stand over Gaedren's unmoving body, gazes at it, face still. "Not by my hands, but by my will, at least. Rest well, Arwen."

"Fraz, what are you... Ah, dammit, I'm coming!" With that, Gawain jumps into the water as well and makes his best speed after the gator, hoping for an opportunity to attack.

Double move; I think that gets me to M14 if I understand right, which threatens the gator on the current map. AoO if needed: 1d20+3=4; 1d10+5=9 Natural 1, lovely.

Cole gets a turn in there somewhere, yes? I think he's after Lamm and before Fraz if I interpret right...

Gawain watches his companions, waiting to see what they do. "If Simn and Cole both move aside, I can charge Lamm," he thinks. "Otherwise, I'll help with that alligator."

Attack 1d20+3=16, damage 1d10+4=9. If charging, add +2 to the attack. If attacking the alligator... +1 for higher ground, maybe? :) The charge, if possible, would end up in M13, and the alligator attack in R14.

Could Cole not make it to L13? Gawain would very much like to double move to M13 so as to be threatening Gaedren with his glaive, but Cole is currently standing there on the map. If unable to get to M13... R15 would be good too, but also occupied. I guess Gawain's next option is to move to P13 (if diagonal move through the door is allowed, R13 if it's not) and cast Divine Favor again.

With all the pushing and jostling on the narrow walkway, Gawain is grimly silent, concentrating on not bathing with the shark. When the door is opened, he will try to arrange to be second or third through, so as to take advantage of his reach to protect whoever goes first.

Gawain, moving carefully, follows the Simn down to the walkway as soon as it is clear.

Take 10 on balance for a total of 6.

Gawain listens to the interrogation, happy for the moment that the gnome seems to be cooperating. He stirs for a moment when Simn offers to let the gnome go, but thinks better of it and keeps his mouth shut.

Gawain clenches his jaw and swings again, but his inexperience is showing, and his swing is poorly controlled.

We have bless up? Sigh... I always forget bless. Not that it helps with this kind of rolling... Attack the half orc again, rolls 1d20+4=8 to hit, 1d10+4=7 damage. If the half orc is already down, Gawain will ready an attack against any enemy that comes into range, using a 5' step if necessary.

Aha, I think I'm finally starting to understand the map. In that case, attacking from P12 would be Gawain's first choice. As for contingencies... Gawain's intention is to attack the half orc if he's still a threat, or another enemy if the HO is no longer around, or to patch up his allies if no enemies are available.

Gawain will heal himself as before, but he will nod to Fraz rather than speaking.

Gawain will move to R11 if possible, and cast Divine Favor.

From the door, Gawain is only half listening to the whispered conversation. His fingers are white from gripping his glaive as he straints to detect any trace of movement in the rest of the building.

I hadn't realized we all went inside. I thought I was waiting on the dock still. :)

"We can worry about that after we've got them away from Lamm," Gawain responds. "For now, I'm more worried by the possibility that some of them may be cooperating actively with Lamm, and will raise an alarm when they see us."

Initiative rolls, 5x 1d20+1: 15, 7, 4, 11, 7.

If I understand correctly, Gawain, Leliestraat and Avalon are somewhere around G17 or so?

"Let's wait a minute longer before breaking down the door," Gawain suggests. "We want to let our comrades get to a good position inside first."

"I'm very sorry about your son," Gawain says softly. "I, too, have lost a loved one by Lamm's hand, and I would give all I have and more to see him get what he deserves. May I ask, how long ago did you lose your son?"

"My card was The Theater. It looks just like that sign out front," Gawain says, producing the card. "But I, too, begin to wonder where our host is."

Gawain paces the room, examining the artwork on the walls closely. Some of it is strangely moving.

My, Lamm certainly has a lot of people out for his blood, doesn't he?"

"Yes, it seems the wheel is about to turn for him. Downward." Gawain says with a cold smile. "And if this is a trap, I don't think Lamm is behind it. A dagger in the back is more his style than this kind of elaborate setup. Anyway, I'll take the risk if it means getting a shot at Lamm."

Gawain walks up to the small knot of people gathered in the street. With a friendly smile, he asks, "Excuse me, could any of you tell me which of these houses is number 3?"

Gawain strides through the streets with purpose, not hurrying, but for the first time in months feeling eager.

for DM:

Ok, I think I got all the mechanics bits. The background got away from me a bit there; I usually write much shorter backgrounds. :)

I haven't yet looked at other backgrounds to see where mine could be hooked in, but I'm happy to change as needed to know the others.