About LanatirBackground:
Lanatir was born in Kyonin in 4697 AR, a century and a half ago. His mother Cairel was a brilliant swordswoman and former adventurer who came out of retirement to fight in the Radiant Crusade while Lanatir was still a young child. His father Glorion was a jeweler, who took care of him for the years his mother was away. Lanatir was fascinated by the stories of his mother’s skill and worked hard to master her weapon.
Cairel returned triumphant, and Lanatir’s fascination with the sword was only strengthened. He trained for many years with the curve blade, his skill growing. Unlike most other elves, he had little interest in diversifying his skills. He never pursued studies of magic. The sword was what called to him. Indeed, while Lanatir favored a traditional Elven weapon, his single-minded obsession was rather at odds with the polymath approach so common among his fellows. Outside, the world began to change, and Lanatir resented it. He believed there was no value in these new weapons or machines; they required no skill to use, and without excellence of skill, what was the purpose of existence? Would the machines not despoil all of nature? In Kyonin he was fairly sheltered from this influence, but it still gnawed at him. His parents began nudging him to explore other disciplines, or at least see more of the world. So, in 4815 AR, Lanatir set out. He traveled far and wide, working as a sell-sword to better his skills, and finding swordmasters where he could. He was more directly confronted with the changes in the world, and it made him abrasive and reactionary. He began to despair. Perhaps the only skill that mattered now was the crafting of machines. Yet, underneath that resentment, he had a pervasive feeling that he had some task to do. In 4827, he found that calling. Lanatir was camping in the Fangwood when he was awakened by the faint sound of clashing steel. Specifically, the sound of an elven curve blade. He awoke, and the Mist Door stood before him – the fabled gate to the realm of Magdh. Lanatir knew not why the Mist Door had appeared to him, but he knew it was an invitation. He passed through to the Forest Pools. The sound of clashing steel faded away. A Faerie Dragon alighted on his shoulder. Was this all a dream? ”An Ending comes, and then twice more,” whispered the dragon. The dragon flew off, and Lanatir followed. The dragon led him to a Norn, taller than a giant. The towering Fey woman looked down at him. ”The first Ending is your ignorance,” she thundered.
Again, he wondered it if was a dream, but as the days went by, he accepted his new reality. The next twenty years of Lanatir’s life were spent in the First World. He trained with a Elven swordmaster from the Age of Legend, who had entered the service of Shyka the Many and so escaped both Earthfall and the ravages of time. He dwelt in the sprawling city of Anophaeus at the feet of Imbrex, where on the tenth day of every month he dreamed of the end of something. He flew off the Dreaming Cliffs with the power of his mind. And, most enlightening, he ventured to the city of Emergence. An entire city of machine-men, there in the midst of the First World! It was here that he found the first Ending, that of his ignorance. Living in Emergence was an android warrior named Rybonek. Rybonek carried an Elven Curve Blade, and Lanatir took the android’s use of the weapon as a personal insult. He issued a challenge, and the android accepted. A crowd of machine-men gathered round to watch, as the two swordsmen parried and slashed. Lanatir found a pattern in the android’s movements, anticipated it, and landed a glancing blow. It was not deep, but Rybonek immediately yielded. ”Why do you not fight on?” asked Lanatir. ”Because I do not wish to die,” said Rybonek, ”Yes, I can die. And you would fight to the death, and I do not wish to kill you. The world would be less for losing your skill.” Lanatir lowered his sword. This machine regarded his skill with respect. He hadn’t expected that. Over time, the two swordsmen developed a friendship. Lanatir resolved to learn about machines with genuine curiosity, rather than seeing them as a threat. This was only a part of Lanatir's education; throughout his time in the First World he learned theories of magic in the Traveling Academy of Cobyslarni. He learned of the planes, understanding the Breaches and the relationship between the realms. He heard whispers of gods nearly forgotten in the streets of Palenhyr. Perhaps this broadening of his knowledge was part of Magdh's plan. The sword still called to him, but his friendship with Rybonek had alleviated some of his single-minded fixation. Lanatir even found that latent elven magical abilities had surfaced. In some ironic way, spending so much time away from Kyonin had brought him closer to the ethos of most of his kin, learning a bit about many things. Lanatir’s second Ending occurred recently. In his home in Anophaeus, he dreamed of the Manifold Door, the metal archway humming with electricity in the basement beneath the Palace of Seasons. He set out for the Palace. The journey took a year, the Thoraso Desert offering just enough food and water to keep Lanatir alive. The door was open for him. He ventured inside, and thought he caught a glimpse of a cloaked figure that could only have been Ng the Hooded. He walked past incomprehensible wonders, arriving at last at the fabled portal. But the Manifold Door was not quite functional. The machinery was jammed – clearly not an accident, but a fairly simple test for him. Lanatir put his knowledge of machines to use, restoring the Manifold Door. A plane of green light shone in the archway, and Lanatir stepped through. Concept:
The setting book The First World, Realm of the Fey has a fair bit of technology, between the city of Emergence, the Manifold Door (and perhaps Ng itself), the Moon Ladder, and other features. You also see some of this overlap in Hellboy II: The Golden Army. So I thought I’d explore that direction. Lanatir no longer sees technology as the enemy, but rather a challenge. Exceptional skill can still – for now – compete with technology. So Lanatir will develop that exceptional skill. He’ll be able to cut bullets out of the air next level.
As to what the Third Ending is, that he is supposed to witness at its appointed hour, it could be anything. That’s for the GM to decide (or Lanatir could have some other opaque quest from Magdh). He is pretty Lawful in his personality, which puts him at odds with other elves (reflected in his single-mindedness and previously reactionary attitudes), but also makes him a suitable follower of Magdh. Personality:
Lanatir is an elf at peace. He now accepts the changes in the world, without feeling threatened by them. His skill with the sword is not yet that of his mother, and his skill at jewelry-making is not yet that of his father, but he continues to improve.
He is confident in his skill, although he knows he has much to learn. Lanatir regards firearms as useful for those who lack his Elven grace and patience but is certain that, for one with his gifts, the Elven Curve Blade will prove ultimately superior. He is fairly content to be a sellsword again, to earn coin and improve his skill. He is uncertain of what Magdh ultimately wants of him, but the Eldest are obscure as a whole, and Magdh even moreso than the others. Lanatir is relatively untroubled by ethical or moral dilemmas; his LN alignment primarily reflects his discipline and preference for doing things in an orderly manner, rather than an overwhelming concern with local laws. Character Sheet:
Lanatir Elf Ftr5 (Lore Warden) LN Medium Humanoid Init +10; Perception +8 ----------------- DEFENSE ----------------- AC 20, touch 15, flatfooted 16 (+5 Armor, +4 Dex, +1 Deflection) HP 39 (5d10+5) Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3; +2 Racial vs. Enchantment, +2 Trait vs. Charm/Compulsion ----------------- OFFENSE ----------------- Speed 30 ft. Melee +1 Adamantine Elven Curve Blade +12 (1d10+5/18-20) or +10 (1d10+11/18-20) Ranged MW Composite Longbow (+2 Str) +10 (1d8+2/x3) ----------------- STATISTICS ----------------- Str 14, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 13 BAB +5; CMB +9 (+13 w/sword); CMD 24 (30 vs Disarm, Sunder) Feats 1: Weapon Focus, Weapon Finesse 2: Power Attack, Combat Expertise 3: Combat Reflexes 4: Improved Initiative 5: Deific Obedience (Magdh), Cut from the Air Traits Warrior of Old, Fencer, Focused Disciple Drawback Meticulous (-2 on untrained skill checks) FCB +5 CMD vs Disarm, Sunder Skills (6 per level) Acrobatics 5 +9 Perception 5 +8 Climb 2 +7 Swim 2 +7 Survival 3 +7 Sense Motive 1 +2 Stealth 1 +5 Bluff 1 +2 Knowledge (Arcana) 1 +10 Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 1 +10 Knowledge (Local) 1 +10 Knowledge (Nature) 1 +10 Knowledge (Planes) 1 +10 Knowledge (Religion) 3 +12 Spellcraft 1 +10 Appraise 1 +10 Background Skills Knowledge (Engineering) 5 +14 Craft (Jewelry) 1 +12 Knowledge (Geography) 1 +10 Knowledge (Nobility) 1 +10 Knowledge (History) 1 +10 Linguistics 1 +10 Special Elven Immunities, Keen Senses, Envoy (Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Detect Poison, and Read Magic 1/day each), Weapon Familiarity, Low-Light Vision, Weapon Training. Languages Common, Elven, Sylvan, Gnome, Aklo Equipment (3,000 GP)
MW Backpack (50)
Remaining gold: 398.4
Possible Future Feats:
6: Advanced Weapon Training (Warrior Spirit) 7: Weapon Specialization 8: Greater Weapon Focus 9: Smash from the Air, Advanced Weapon Training (Defensive Weapon Training) 10: Advanced Weapon Training (Trained Grace) |
