Jerrid Kinslarn's page

Entry 1 - Janna is leading us (Astor, Damien, Jerrid, Kevezyat, Samduc and Vhillish) from Reme to Bards Gate. It turns into a wet and muddy trudge broken up by cold camps and dreary waystations. Then a local Sheriff rides up fast with two knight’s, Gerard (honourable) and Brodrick (rude) heading for an important meet at the next stockade. They have left 8 footmen behind in melee with an unusually determined and cunning band of gnolls such is the importance of their mission – they do mention a valuable item as the reason for their leaving men behind.
We decide to wait for the infantry and camp for a few hours. Woken by shouts we too are attacked by a few gnolls. I kill one with acid and he falls off the cliff. Finding 3 bound footmen still alive our relief is short lived as the gnoll leader (a shaman and his owl) tries to ambush us. He dies in the mist although Kevezyat does fall. The name of Gerard should get us entry into the next waystation...
There we meet up with a healer of Thyr, Leveon, and he joins our band by reviving Kevezyat. So the sheriff thanks us by giving Vhillish a letter. A letter!
Entry 2 - we found a magical pearl inside a hollow rock. That rock was part of a grinning skull rock formation, one of its teeth. They are going to work out what it does soon.
Entry 3 - wolfspider in the night! It attacked from the trees, its fangs poisoning Leoven. Janna helped him quickly while Damien raised the alarm. Then everyone sprang into action, as it skulked back up into the trees. Hit and hit again the monstrous brute changed tack and leapt down only to be hammered and sliced by the combined attacks of the soldier bard, the drow holy warrior and my friend Astor.
Entry 4 - that night Janna explained about a mage Eralion who wished to become an undead monster, a liche. He found the story in a library but another ambitious wizard called Vortigern was also after that knowledge. Janna has an amulet for the home of Eralion and so has come to take Eralion's staff and texts into care before someone more corrupted like Vortigern does the same.
Entry 5 - as we approached Fairhill there was a farm. With the family scattered and cut down, slaughtered young and old. Then just as we started to investigate the woods came alive with orcblood archers and Vortigern made the dead rise up against us. His familiar, Talon turned into a flying devil and tried to take Eralion's amulet from Janna's body while the rest of us fought hard. Kevezyat also fell and things looked bleak when Astor came into his own. The soldier bard and his sergeant claimed several victims and Leoven used divine power to harm the skeletons and zombies. Unbeknownst to anyone, Samduc the halfling boy foiled Talon the imp and saved the amulet while Vortigern and his familiar made their escape. We rested in the farm overnight while people had a chance to heal their wounds.
Entry 6 – We buried the family this morning with prayers from our paladin. Healed and rested after fighting Vortigern yesterday, we head on towards Fairhill. It should be about 6 miles since the farm is 4 from the Tradeway. Somewhere out there is a mage and his imp desperate to get us.
In the farmhouse I find my pet, Medus the viper, Vhillish gets a riding dog, Topper, and Damien has a cat. Janna and Samduc had duped the wizard giving him a useless amulet and scroll. So Janna shows us a letter that Eralion sent a friend detailing his pan to transform into a lich, unguents and a phylactery are mentioned. Sourced in Bards Gate. Where?
Astor gets a bow and fine shortsword, and I salvage some other gear. They are dead so it’s fair game.
Near Fairhill we met a young huntress, Estle7r, with a hare. She tells us that Stoneheart Forest is called the Stirge Woods locally.
Fairhill is in farming country with about 400 people living well. Honest sort of place with a magistrate, Arlen, and a shrine to Freya, priestess Shandril. When we get there it’s all open and not easy to hide. There were an elf, Lauriel, and her guard, Baran. He was missing one hand, a left, and a bastard sword. The drow paladin and our employer do the talking and soon we are accepted and led to Shandril and her shrine.
There she is performing a ritual over a silver bowl and her hand enters a hot brazier with no pain. The altar has a carving of a stag and it transpires that the valuable bowl is called Freya’s Crucible and it can make the village womenfolk more fertile. And no lock. No door!! These people are touched. Now Kevezyat shows her mettle and faith burying her own hand in the brazier too, without any harm.
So that display brings on an argument on faith and Damien is no supporter. Vhillish and the drow try to change his mind. What a pointless chat. Faith ha! Either you have it or not. No discussion.
Shandril remembers Eralion (the necromancer) as a good wizard but that was 20 years ago. She also met a wizard who disappeared into the Woods with a female warrior, shifty man in leathers or chain and a dwarf follower of Dwerfater. Shandril had a vision that they would die killed by spiders but chose not to tell them their fate.
After we headed for the Drunken Cockatrice Inn. Glarian the half-elf’s famous shrine to meals and rest and it did live up to its reputation. Meals 2 sp, Rooms 2 gp There we met Lannet, a Halfling who was possibly last to see the wizard’s party and he sold them a refracting gem. Lannet had stolen that crystal from a passing merchant. This all is discussed while I clean and freshen up, and I do get the pleasure of seeing Astor’s Stare cowering the little tyke. He has a way with beggars and thieves! So Lannet becomes our guide and we agree to cover him against the newly arrived gang sent to recover the crystal and punish the Lightfingered Lannet. They are 2 halforcs, an armoured dwarf and a man in light armour.
After a good meal, Damien and I head for Voril’s Armoury. We discuss the gnolls sickle, it’s magical and able to fit my hand. Voril talks about it being duergar crafted and from the Under Realms. I like that. Afterwards the blacksmith offers us a suit of mail to find his daughter, Arialle. She left recently with another youth, Nathiel, a woodsman.
**
Entry 7 "So I am sat on a rock waiting for the others. There is still morning mist and dew on the grass but that is where the best of mother Freya lies. Not in that shrine and nor within our band. My mistake was in trying to help Shandril. Her shrine, her rules and on my oath I shall never step in there again. I cost a mother a baby so that is small punishment for my error. The Crucible was part 8of a nine day fertility ritual. Then Samduc and Lannet appeared so now Lauriel has the prismatic gem thief in gaol while she builds a case against him. He went like a meek lamb. Now people are fetching our leader, Janna, and tents (to protect from the inhabitants of Stirge Woods). Also Shandril spoke of a flower to make a tisane so that the aroma comes out in our sweat to ward us from stirges, yellow thimbleweed."

Greedy and independent, Jerrid understands the values of good friends, trust and honesty, but he isn't sure whether that isn't just a bit naive and he could earn more without them in the way. He pays Freya lip service and doesn't quite believe yet.

Taken and enslaved by kobolds and goblins when his cavern settlement was destroyed, Jerrid endured a nasty and savage childhood. He learnt to keep his mouth closed and eyes down. Years went by and the tough kid saw many of the other prisoners killed by starvation or wicked pranks. But he never gave in, he was a survivor and eventually he somehow managed to escape.
*
Alone, wandering the bleak Underwild he didn't have much hope of surviving when luck took a hand and a patrol of Clanhammer dwarves found him. Mistaking them for duergar, Jerrid almost gave up hope. They took him in and tried to repair the damage that his incarceration had done. The Clan also showed him the right way to behave, the rules of clan, family and personal honor but the deep gnome had a survivors nature now and couldn't quite relinquish it. After several thefts, the wise thane, Glokus Tremorkar ordered him handed over to a travelling healer of Freya. The last words of Glokus were that Jerrid find some trust, find a job and stop treating people like strangers, more like friends and eventually family.
*
Jerrid travelled with Olamin Grennosdottir slowly vale by vale and the careful gnome opened up a little to this gregarious teacher, managed to keep his fingers to himself and they entered Bards Gate to look for work. Jerrid managed to get an apprenticeship with a hedge wizard/apothecary called Sir Velenden, thanks to a letter from the thane. However Jerrid had to agree to spend time at the local church of Freya and alongside Olamin in its infirmary. The potion work and healing helped him realise that there is a right way to do live.
*
Two years on he is still attending the Church thanks to the interesting nature sermons of its leading priests. They call to his long forgotten childhood. For a time Sir Velenen had a talkative apprenice called Corian, a young man who didn't have any patience and constantly bombarded the deep gnome about his homeland and nature. Insensitive and determined, Corian even tried to trigger knowledge out of Jerrid using the taste and smells of fungi from the Underwild. Finally Corian left under a cloud ironically when something went missing from Sir Velenden's vault.
*
Through all the ups and downs of his childhood, Jerrid had never had time for himself. Everything he had done was either forced on him or ordered by another, gradually the security of Bard's Gate is making him restless and unhappy. He doesn't know what to do until the day his mentor Olamin collapses. The old man has been hit by a strange withering of his side, he needs a special elixir of regeneration. Sir Velenden can provide many of the ingredients but not the right fungi, Trollsmaw Breath and unfortunately the only man who may know is that Corian. Now Jerrid must find him and find him soon.
*
Jerrid and Astor travelled to Reme together and began their search for the apprentice. Unfortunately he couldn't be found. Frustrated, desperate and penniless the pair eventually agreed to find a way back to Bard's Gate. Then they happened upon Janna's notice of adventure. Happy at the prospect of some action they both signed on without question.

Rog1/Wiz1
Rog2/Wiz1 Dodge, Mobility, disable device (2 rank), escape artist (2 rank), know (arcana) (2 rank), stealth (3 ranks)
Rog3/Wiz1 sneak attack +2d6, perform (dance) (1 rank), disable device (3 rank), escape artist (3 rank), know (arcana) (3 rank), stealth (4 ranks)
Rog3/Wiz2 Combat Reflexes, perform (dance) (2 ranks), know (arcana) (4 rank), stealth (5 ranks)
Rog3/Wiz2/ShD1 disable device (4 ranks), escape artist (4 ranks)
Rog3/Wiz3/ ShD1 2nd level spells, feat
Rog3/Wiz3/ShD1/AT1

Forewarned (Su): You can always act in the surprise round even if you fail to make a Perception roll to notice a foe, but you are still considered flat-footed until you take an action. In addition, you receive a bonus on initiative checks equal to 1/2 your wizard level (minimum +1).
Prescience (Su): At the beginning of your turn, you may, as a free action, roll a single d20. At any point before your next turn, you may use the result of this roll as the result of any d20 roll you are required to make. If you do not use the d20 result before your next turn, it is lost. You can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Intelligence modifier.
Times/Day 4,

–2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma: Svirfneblin are fast and observant but relatively weak and emotionally distant.

Gnome: Svirfneblin are humanoids with the gnome subtype.

Small: Svirfneblin are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their CMB and CMD, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Defensive Training: Svirfneblin gain a +2 dodge bonus to Armor Class.

Senses: Svirfneblin have darkvision 120 ft. and low-light vision.

Fortunate: Svirfneblin gain a +2 racial bonus on all saving throws.

Skilled: Svirfneblin gain a +2 racial bonus on Stealth checks; this improves to a +4 bonus underground. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks and Perception checks.

Hatred: Svirfneblin receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the reptilian and dwarven subtypes due to training against these hated foes.

Stonecunning: Deep gnomes gain a +2 bonus on Perception checks to notice unusual stonework, such as traps and hidden doors located in stone walls or floors. They receive a check to notice such features whenever they pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not they are actively looking.

Spell Resistance: Svirfneblin have SR equal to 11 + their class levels.

Svirfneblin Magic: Svirfneblin add +1 to the DC of any illusion spells they cast. Svirfneblin also gain the following spell-like abilities: Constant—nondetection; 1/day—blindness/deafness, blur, disguise self; caster level equals the svirfneblin's class levels.

Languages: Svirfneblin begin play speaking Gnome and Undercommon. Those with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aklo, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, Orc, and Terran.