https://oakthorne.net/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&user=Josh&feedformat=atomOakthorneWiki - User contributions [en]2024-03-29T10:26:21ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.33.1https://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle%27s_XP_Log&diff=65088Nyle's XP Log2022-04-05T04:12:41Z<p>Josh: /* Earned */</p>
<hr />
<div>Total XP: 50 <br><br />
Spent XP: 30<br />
<br />
==Expenditures==<br />
*Animal Handling 3 (30 pts)<br />
<br />
==Earned==<br />
11/29 - 30 pts <br><br />
4/4 - 20 pts</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle%27s_XP_Log&diff=65086Nyle's XP Log2022-04-05T04:12:13Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>Total XP: 50 <br><br />
Spent XP: 30<br />
<br />
==Expenditures==<br />
*Animal Handling 3 (30 pts)<br />
<br />
==Earned==<br />
11/29 - 30 pts<br />
4/4 - 20 pts</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Emre_zho%27Mavahad&diff=64844Emre zho'Mavahad2022-03-22T02:40:44Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Emre zho'Mavahad<br />
|Title=Trader of Fleet Mavahad<br />
|Image=[[Image:Emre.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=24<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3<br />
|AnimalHandling=2<br />
|Athletics=3 (Swim 1B)<br />
|Awareness=3 (Empathy 2B)<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=4 (Bluff 1B)<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Fencing 2B)<br />
|Healing=2<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=2<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=4 (Bargain !B, Charm 1B)<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=3<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=2<br />
|Warfare=1<br />
|Will=4<br />
|IntrigueDefense=<br />
|Composure=12<br />
|CombatDefense=9<br />
|Health=9<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=10<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Charismatic (Charm), Duelist I, Evaluation, Fencer I, Magnetic (Charm), Treacherous, Wealthy, Worldly<br />
|Flaws=Warfare<br />
|Drawbacks=Flaw (Warfare), Nemesis, Taboo<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Emre:<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
<br />
[[Emre's XP Log]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Emre_zho%27Mavahad&diff=64843Emre zho'Mavahad2022-03-22T02:36:31Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Emre zho'Mavahad<br />
|Title=Trader of Fleet Mavahad<br />
|Image=[[Image:Emre.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=24<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3<br />
|AnimalHandling=2<br />
|Athletics=3 (Swim 1B)<br />
|Awareness=3 (Empathy 2B)<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=4 (Bluff 1B)<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Fencing 2B)<br />
|Healing=2<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=2<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=4 (Bargain !B, Charm 1B)<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=3<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=2<br />
|Warfare=1<br />
|Will=4<br />
|IntrigueDefense=<br />
|Composure=<br />
|CombatDefense=<br />
|Health=<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=<br />
|Benefits=Charismatic (Charm), Duelist I, Evaluation, Fencer I, Magnetic (Charm), Treacherous, Wealthy, Worldly<br />
|Flaws=Warfare<br />
|Drawbacks=Flaw (Warfare), Nemesis, Taboo<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Emre:<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
<br />
[[Emre's XP Log]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Emre_zho%27Mavahad&diff=64724Emre zho'Mavahad2022-02-22T01:09:59Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Emre zho'Mavahad<br />
|Title=Trader of Fleet Mavahad<br />
|Image=[[Image:Emre.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=24<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3<br />
|AnimalHandling=2<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=3<br />
|Cunning=4<br />
|Deception=4<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=3<br />
|Healing=2<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=2<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=4<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=3<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=3<br />
|Warfare=1<br />
|Will=4<br />
|IntrigueDefense=<br />
|Composure=<br />
|CombatDefense=<br />
|Health=<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=<br />
|Benefits=<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Emre:<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
<br />
[[Emre's XP Log]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=File:Emre.jpg&diff=64723File:Emre.jpg2022-02-22T01:09:09Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Emre_zho%27Mavahad&diff=64722Emre zho'Mavahad2022-02-22T00:16:21Z<p>Josh: Created page with "__NOTOC__ {{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet |CharacterName=Emre zho'Mavahad |Title=Trader of Fleet 'Mavahad' |Image=300px |Age=24 |Virtue= |Vice= |Goals= |A..."</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Emre zho'Mavahad<br />
|Title=Trader of Fleet 'Mavahad'<br />
|Image=[[Image:.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=24<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3<br />
|AnimalHandling=2<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=3<br />
|Cunning=4<br />
|Deception=4<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=3<br />
|Healing=2<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=2<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=4<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=3<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=3<br />
|Warfare=1<br />
|Will=4<br />
|IntrigueDefense=<br />
|Composure=<br />
|CombatDefense=<br />
|Health=<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=<br />
|Benefits=<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Emre:<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
<br />
[[Emre's XP Log]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Vigilance_Honor_Truth&diff=64721Vigilance Honor Truth2022-02-22T00:10:38Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
[[Image:VHT-title.jpg|center|600px]]<br />
Founded in the foiling of a murderous usurpation, House Durwald earned their hound heraldry by guarding even against those they might be expected to be loyal to. But honor trumped loyalty, and this small Three-Rivers house was awarded their domain by a grateful Warden of Three-Rivers.<br />
<br />
Now, generations later, they are the masters of Houndsreach, and the military academy that has grown up in their midst has seen to their prosperity. With rolling vineyards that produce a fine vintage of wine, these nobles seek to uphold the legacy of their forebears by achieving renown and glory in the eyes of the Crowndom.<br />
<br />
These are the chronicles of House Durwald, of Three-Rivers.<br />
<br />
<div style="float: right; width: 350px; border: 1px black solid; background: white; margin: 10px; padding: 10px;"><br />
==The Crowndom of [[Ilbarych]]==<br />
[[Image:Ilbarych-1.jpg|center|345px]]<br />
[[Calendar of Ilbarych|Calendar]] • [[Heraldry of Ilbarych|Heraldry]] • [[History of Ilbarych|History]] • [[Languages of Ilbarych|Languages]] • [[Noble House Roles]] • [[Unctae of Ilbarych|''Unctæ'']]<br><br />
'''Folk:''' [[Wrightfolk]] • [[Wealdfolk]] • [[Habersi]]<br><br />
'''Roles:''' [[Devoted of Ilbarych|Devoted]] • [[Guilds of Ilbarych|Guilds]] • [[Heralds of Ilbarych|Heralds]] • [[Knights of Ilbarych|Knights]] • [[Ilbarych Noble Houses|Nobles]] • [[Sorcerers of Ilbarych|Sorcerers]]<br><br />
'''Infrastructure:''' [[Ilbarych Rural Buildings|Rural Buildings]] • [[Ilbarych Stone Water Works|Stone-and-Water Works]]<br />
===[[Three-Rivers]]===<br />
* [[Southern Peakesriver]]<br />
</div><br />
<br />
==Player Characters==<br />
'''[[House Durwald]]'''<br />
* '''A.J.:''' Lady [[Gemma Durwald]]<br />
* '''Josh:''' Worthy Sir [[Nyle Caeden]] • [[Emre zho'Mavahad]]<br />
* '''Jeff:''' [[Rowena Livett]]<br />
* '''[[User:AdamRoberts|Adam]]:''' [[Kalin Cliburn]] • [[Brenner Smith]]<br />
* '''Chuk:''' Holy Sir [[Vericus Valentus]] • [[Yaren Elthir]]<br />
<br />
==Campaign Resources==<br />
* [[VHT-Experience|Campaign Rewards]]<br />
* [[VHT-Timeline|Campaign Timeline]]<br />
* [[VHT-Correspondence|Campaign Correspondence]]<br />
* [[VHT-Maps|Campaign Maps]]<br />
<br />
==NPCs==<br />
<br />
===Campaign Events===<br />
* '''Winter 519 CR:''' [[Indiyas Entourage]] • [[Winter Hunt Guests 519 CR]] • [[Feast of Light Guests 519 CR]]<br />
<br />
===Noble Houses===<br />
[[Ilbarych Noble Houses|Noble Houses]]<br />
====Three-Rivers Houses====<br />
* '''[[House Kylervus]]''' (Warden • Status 7)<br />
** ''Vassals:'' House Asterum (Status 4), House Atembus (Status 4), [[House Durwald]] (Status 4), [[House Filendus]] (Status 5; Landed Vassal: [[House Ameth]]), [[House Segmundus]] (Status 5), [[House Stannum]] (Status 5), [[House Thielbus]] (Status 4)<br />
* '''House Arilyndus''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''House Bandergaul''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''House Elmorei''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''House Gorinmet''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''House Maruthos''' (Status 6)<br />
** ''Vassals:'' [[House Endicastre]] (Status 4)<br />
* '''House Mervandil''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''[[House Raugynn]]''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''House Sacundi''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''House Tanthelver''' (Status 6)<br />
* '''House Ylarantis''' (Status 6)<br />
<br />
====Other Houses====<br />
* '''[[House Caeden]]''' (Status 6; Steelvale)<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* [[Sword Chronicle Character Template]] • [[Sword Chronicle House Template]]<br />
* [[Qualities of Ilbarych]]<br />
* [[Ilbarych House Holdings]] • [[Sword Chronicle House Actions|House Actions]]<br />
* [[Sword Chronicle Character Mortality|Character Mortality]] • [[Sword Chronicle Healing Infection|Healing & Infection]]<br />
* [[Heraldry of Ilbarych]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=64249Nyle Caeden2021-12-14T03:25:53Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=3 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=9<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature), Miracle Worker, Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
Nyle soon discovered that, as is often the case in House Caeden's affairs, there had been another motive behind his placement with House Kylervus. Nyle had settled in well with the House, and his position as page allowed him to observe its inner workings unguarded. On his second attendance at Summer Court with the House, he noticed an uncommon closeness between Lady Kylervus and Crown Persym Ylrath. As had become customary, Nyle's parents questioned him closely about his experiences while visiting with him, and, even though he knew his observations were valuable, Nyle shared them without appreciating the ill to which they could be used.<br />
<br />
Before that Summer Court had ended, House Caeden had used their knowledge of the intimacy between Lady Kylervus and the current Crown to secure a new and valuable domain for themselves. Nyle returned to Three-Rivers with House Kylervus and saw the pall that had settled over the family in the wake of being blackmailed. If the lady or any of her children ever knew of Nyle's role, they never acknowledged it to him, but he felt it keenly. House Kylervus had been kind to him, and Nyle returned their kindness by giving advantage to his own family. The incident hardened Nyle's distaste toward his family's beloved intrigues, and he determined never to engage in them himself.<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
*'''Blood of the Bear''' - You show blood of the Lands of the Bear, from the old Empire. Those of those lands tended to be tall and wide-shouldered, with strong frames. They were light to olive complected, with hair in blondes and reds, and eyes in hazels, greens, and blues. They were known for their tremendous resilience and health. Increase your Health by +2. Whenever you test Endurance, add +2 to the result.<br />
*'''Expertise (Long Blades)''' - Choose one specialty in which you have bonus dice. You gain +1D on all tests related to the selected specialty.<br />
*'''Gifted Teacher''' - You gain a new use for Persuasion:<br />
**Instruction: Spend at least one hour instructing another character. A successful Persuasion test lets you to grant that character bonus dice on Knowledge tests related to your instruction. Thus, if you succeeded on Persuasion test to instruct another character about architecture, that character would gain bonus dice on his own Knowledge test related to architecture. You may not instruct characters who have more bonus dice than you have in a particular specialty. The Difficulty of the test depends on the size of the bonus you wish to confer. A failed test indicates the subject matter was too lofty for the student to absorb.<br />
*'''Knight-Sophiste''' - You have been anointed a Worthy Knight of Distinction, acknowledged not simply for your skill at arms, but also for your education and artistic acumen.<br />
**You gain a +2 to Status tests in situations where your Distinction is known.<br />
**When making a Fighting Test, you may re-roll a number of 1s equal to your Cunning or Knowledge (whichever is used to fulfill the requirement for this benefit).<br />
**You also likely belong to a Knightly Order, one focused around a specific art form or educational focus.<br />
*'''Knowledge Focus (Nature)''' - Choose one area of expertise from the following: alchemy, architecture, astronomy, geography, heraldry, history and legends, magic, nature, religion, or the underworld. You treat any bonus dice assigned to the specialty as test dice.<br />
*'''Long Blade Fighter I''' - The weight of your blade make your attacks harder to parry. Whenever you make a Fighting test to attack using a long blade weapon, you can sacrifice all your bonus dice before the test to gain one extra degree of success on a hit. You also add 1 to your Fighting test results when using a long blade to attack an enemy that does not possess a shield.<br />
*'''Miracle Worker''' - You know a variety of techniques and remedies to aid your patients. Add a number to all Healing test results you make equal to the number of bonus dice you assigned to Education. Whenever you successfully use Healing to diagnose your patient, you gain +2B plus +1B for each degree of success on your next Healing test to treat the patient. You may swap two bonus dice gained from this benefit into one extra test die.<br />
*'''Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)''' - Choose a weapon you have mastered. Increase the weapon’s base damage by 1.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
<br />
[[Nyle's XP Log]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle%27s_XP_Log&diff=64248Nyle's XP Log2021-12-14T03:25:26Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>Total XP: 30 <br><br />
Spent XP: 30<br />
<br />
==Expenditures==<br />
*Animal Handling 3 (30 pts)<br />
<br />
==Earned==<br />
11/29 - 30 pts</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle%27s_XP_Log&diff=64247Nyle's XP Log2021-12-14T03:25:08Z<p>Josh: Created page with "Total XP: 30 Spent XP: 30 ==Expenditures== *Animal Handling 3 (30 pts) ==Earned== 11/29 - 30 pts"</p>
<hr />
<div>Total XP: 30<br />
Spent XP: 30<br />
<br />
==Expenditures==<br />
*Animal Handling 3 (30 pts)<br />
<br />
==Earned==<br />
11/29 - 30 pts</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=64245Nyle Caeden2021-12-14T03:16:32Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=9<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature), Miracle Worker, Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
Nyle soon discovered that, as is often the case in House Caeden's affairs, there had been another motive behind his placement with House Kylervus. Nyle had settled in well with the House, and his position as page allowed him to observe its inner workings unguarded. On his second attendance at Summer Court with the House, he noticed an uncommon closeness between Lady Kylervus and Crown Persym Ylrath. As had become customary, Nyle's parents questioned him closely about his experiences while visiting with him, and, even though he knew his observations were valuable, Nyle shared them without appreciating the ill to which they could be used.<br />
<br />
Before that Summer Court had ended, House Caeden had used their knowledge of the intimacy between Lady Kylervus and the current Crown to secure a new and valuable domain for themselves. Nyle returned to Three-Rivers with House Kylervus and saw the pall that had settled over the family in the wake of being blackmailed. If the lady or any of her children ever knew of Nyle's role, they never acknowledged it to him, but he felt it keenly. House Kylervus had been kind to him, and Nyle returned their kindness by giving advantage to his own family. The incident hardened Nyle's distaste toward his family's beloved intrigues, and he determined never to engage in them himself.<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
*'''Blood of the Bear''' - You show blood of the Lands of the Bear, from the old Empire. Those of those lands tended to be tall and wide-shouldered, with strong frames. They were light to olive complected, with hair in blondes and reds, and eyes in hazels, greens, and blues. They were known for their tremendous resilience and health. Increase your Health by +2. Whenever you test Endurance, add +2 to the result.<br />
*'''Expertise (Long Blades)''' - Choose one specialty in which you have bonus dice. You gain +1D on all tests related to the selected specialty.<br />
*'''Gifted Teacher''' - You gain a new use for Persuasion:<br />
**Instruction: Spend at least one hour instructing another character. A successful Persuasion test lets you to grant that character bonus dice on Knowledge tests related to your instruction. Thus, if you succeeded on Persuasion test to instruct another character about architecture, that character would gain bonus dice on his own Knowledge test related to architecture. You may not instruct characters who have more bonus dice than you have in a particular specialty. The Difficulty of the test depends on the size of the bonus you wish to confer. A failed test indicates the subject matter was too lofty for the student to absorb.<br />
*'''Knight-Sophiste''' - You have been anointed a Worthy Knight of Distinction, acknowledged not simply for your skill at arms, but also for your education and artistic acumen.<br />
**You gain a +2 to Status tests in situations where your Distinction is known.<br />
**When making a Fighting Test, you may re-roll a number of 1s equal to your Cunning or Knowledge (whichever is used to fulfill the requirement for this benefit).<br />
**You also likely belong to a Knightly Order, one focused around a specific art form or educational focus.<br />
*'''Knowledge Focus (Nature)''' - Choose one area of expertise from the following: alchemy, architecture, astronomy, geography, heraldry, history and legends, magic, nature, religion, or the underworld. You treat any bonus dice assigned to the specialty as test dice.<br />
*'''Long Blade Fighter I''' - The weight of your blade make your attacks harder to parry. Whenever you make a Fighting test to attack using a long blade weapon, you can sacrifice all your bonus dice before the test to gain one extra degree of success on a hit. You also add 1 to your Fighting test results when using a long blade to attack an enemy that does not possess a shield.<br />
*'''Miracle Worker''' - You know a variety of techniques and remedies to aid your patients. Add a number to all Healing test results you make equal to the number of bonus dice you assigned to Education. Whenever you successfully use Healing to diagnose your patient, you gain +2B plus +1B for each degree of success on your next Healing test to treat the patient. You may swap two bonus dice gained from this benefit into one extra test die.<br />
*'''Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)''' - Choose a weapon you have mastered. Increase the weapon’s base damage by 1.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
<br />
[[Nyle's XP Log]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=64197Nyle Caeden2021-11-30T04:48:46Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=9<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature), Miracle Worker, Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
Nyle soon discovered that, as is often the case in House Caeden's affairs, there had been another motive behind his placement with House Kylervus. Nyle had settled in well with the House, and his position as page allowed him to observe its inner workings unguarded. On his second attendance at Summer Court with the House, he noticed an uncommon closeness between Lady Kylervus and Crown Persym Ylrath. As had become customary, Nyle's parents questioned him closely about his experiences while visiting with him, and, even though he knew his observations were valuable, Nyle shared them without appreciating the ill to which they could be used.<br />
<br />
Before that Summer Court had ended, House Caeden had used their knowledge of the intimacy between Lady Kylervus and the current Crown to secure a new and valuable domain for themselves. Nyle returned to Three-Rivers with House Kylervus and saw the pall that had settled over the family in the wake of being blackmailed. If the lady or any of her children ever knew of Nyle's role, they never acknowledged it to him, but he felt it keenly. House Kylervus had been kind to him, and Nyle returned their kindness by giving advantage to his own family. The incident hardened Nyle's distaste toward his family's beloved intrigues, and he determined never to engage in them himself.<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
*'''Blood of the Bear''' - You show blood of the Lands of the Bear, from the old Empire. Those of those lands tended to be tall and wide-shouldered, with strong frames. They were light to olive complected, with hair in blondes and reds, and eyes in hazels, greens, and blues. They were known for their tremendous resilience and health. Increase your Health by +2. Whenever you test Endurance, add +2 to the result.<br />
*'''Expertise (Long Blades)''' - Choose one specialty in which you have bonus dice. You gain +1D on all tests related to the selected specialty.<br />
*'''Gifted Teacher''' - You gain a new use for Persuasion:<br />
**Instruction: Spend at least one hour instructing another character. A successful Persuasion test lets you to grant that character bonus dice on Knowledge tests related to your instruction. Thus, if you succeeded on Persuasion test to instruct another character about architecture, that character would gain bonus dice on his own Knowledge test related to architecture. You may not instruct characters who have more bonus dice than you have in a particular specialty. The Difficulty of the test depends on the size of the bonus you wish to confer. A failed test indicates the subject matter was too lofty for the student to absorb.<br />
*'''Knight-Sophiste''' - You have been anointed a Worthy Knight of Distinction, acknowledged not simply for your skill at arms, but also for your education and artistic acumen.<br />
**You gain a +2 to Status tests in situations where your Distinction is known.<br />
**When making a Fighting Test, you may re-roll a number of 1s equal to your Cunning or Knowledge (whichever is used to fulfill the requirement for this benefit).<br />
**You also likely belong to a Knightly Order, one focused around a specific art form or educational focus.<br />
*'''Knowledge Focus (Nature)''' - Choose one area of expertise from the following: alchemy, architecture, astronomy, geography, heraldry, history and legends, magic, nature, religion, or the underworld. You treat any bonus dice assigned to the specialty as test dice.<br />
*'''Long Blade Fighter I''' - The weight of your blade make your attacks harder to parry. Whenever you make a Fighting test to attack using a long blade weapon, you can sacrifice all your bonus dice before the test to gain one extra degree of success on a hit. You also add 1 to your Fighting test results when using a long blade to attack an enemy that does not possess a shield.<br />
*'''Miracle Worker''' - You know a variety of techniques and remedies to aid your patients. Add a number to all Healing test results you make equal to the number of bonus dice you assigned to Education. Whenever you successfully use Healing to diagnose your patient, you gain +2B plus +1B for each degree of success on your next Healing test to treat the patient. You may swap two bonus dice gained from this benefit into one extra test die.<br />
*'''Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)''' - Choose a weapon you have mastered. Increase the weapon’s base damage by 1.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=64169Nyle Caeden2021-11-16T04:15:46Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature), Miracle Worker, Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
Nyle soon discovered that, as is often the case in House Caeden's affairs, there had been another motive behind his placement with House Kylervus. Nyle had settled in well with the House, and his position as page allowed him to observe its inner workings unguarded. On his second attendance at Summer Court with the House, he noticed an uncommon closeness between Lady Kylervus and Crown Persym Ylrath. As had become customary, Nyle's parents questioned him closely about his experiences while visiting with him, and, even though he knew his observations were valuable, Nyle shared them without appreciating the ill to which they could be used.<br />
<br />
Before that Summer Court had ended, House Caeden had used their knowledge of the intimacy between Lady Kylervus and the current Crown to secure a new and valuable domain for themselves. Nyle returned to Three-Rivers with House Kylervus and saw the pall that had settled over the family in the wake of being blackmailed. If the lady or any of her children ever knew of Nyle's role, they never acknowledged it to him, but he felt it keenly. House Kylervus had been kind to him, and Nyle returned their kindness by giving advantage to his own family. The incident hardened Nyle's distaste toward his family's beloved intrigues, and he determined never to engage in them himself.<br />
<br />
==Benefits==<br />
*'''Blood of the Bear''' - You show blood of the Lands of the Bear, from the old Empire. Those of those lands tended to be tall and wide-shouldered, with strong frames. They were light to olive complected, with hair in blondes and reds, and eyes in hazels, greens, and blues. They were known for their tremendous resilience and health. Increase your Health by +2. Whenever you test Endurance, add +2 to the result.<br />
*'''Expertise (Long Blades)''' - Choose one specialty in which you have bonus dice. You gain +1D on all tests related to the selected specialty.<br />
*'''Gifted Teacher''' - You gain a new use for Persuasion:<br />
**Instruction: Spend at least one hour instructing another character. A successful Persuasion test lets you to grant that character bonus dice on Knowledge tests related to your instruction. Thus, if you succeeded on Persuasion test to instruct another character about architecture, that character would gain bonus dice on his own Knowledge test related to architecture. You may not instruct characters who have more bonus dice than you have in a particular specialty. The Difficulty of the test depends on the size of the bonus you wish to confer. A failed test indicates the subject matter was too lofty for the student to absorb.<br />
*'''Knight-Sophiste''' - You have been anointed a Worthy Knight of Distinction, acknowledged not simply for your skill at arms, but also for your education and artistic acumen.<br />
**You gain a +2 to Status tests in situations where your Distinction is known.<br />
**When making a Fighting Test, you may re-roll a number of 1s equal to your Cunning or Knowledge (whichever is used to fulfill the requirement for this benefit).<br />
**You also likely belong to a Knightly Order, one focused around a specific art form or educational focus.<br />
*'''Knowledge Focus (Nature)''' - Choose one area of expertise from the following: alchemy, architecture, astronomy, geography, heraldry, history and legends, magic, nature, religion, or the underworld. You treat any bonus dice assigned to the specialty as test dice.<br />
*'''Long Blade Fighter I''' - The weight of your blade make your attacks harder to parry. Whenever you make a Fighting test to attack using a long blade weapon, you can sacrifice all your bonus dice before the test to gain one extra degree of success on a hit. You also add 1 to your Fighting test results when using a long blade to attack an enemy that does not possess a shield.<br />
*'''Miracle Worker''' - You know a variety of techniques and remedies to aid your patients. Add a number to all Healing test results you make equal to the number of bonus dice you assigned to Education. Whenever you successfully use Healing to diagnose your patient, you gain +2B plus +1B for each degree of success on your next Healing test to treat the patient. You may swap two bonus dice gained from this benefit into one extra test die.<br />
*'''Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)''' - Choose a weapon you have mastered. Increase the weapon’s base damage by 1.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=64168Nyle Caeden2021-11-16T03:20:59Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature), Miracle Worker, Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
Nyle soon discovered that, as is often the case in House Caeden's affairs, there had been another motive behind his placement with House Kylervus. Nyle had settled in well with the House, and his position as page allowed him to observe its inner workings unguarded. On his second attendance at Summer Court with the House, he noticed an uncommon closeness between Lady Kylervus and Crown Persym Ylrath. As had become customary, Nyle's parents questioned him closely about his experiences while visiting with him, and, even though he knew his observations were valuable, Nyle shared them without appreciating the ill to which they could be used.<br />
<br />
Before that Summer Court had ended, House Caeden had used their knowledge of the intimacy between Lady Kylervus and the current Crown to secure a new and valuable domain for themselves. Nyle returned to Three-Rivers with House Kylervus and saw the pall that had settled over the family in the wake of being blackmailed. If the lady or any of her children ever knew of Nyle's role, they never acknowledged it to him, but he felt it keenly. House Kylervus had been kind to him, and Nyle returned their kindness by giving advantage to his own family. The incident hardened Nyle's distaste toward his family's beloved intrigues, and he determined never to engage in them himself.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=64167Nyle Caeden2021-11-16T03:16:56Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature), Weapon Mastery (Long Blades)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
Nyle soon discovered that, as is often the case in House Caeden's affairs, there had been another motive behind his placement with House Kylervus. Nyle had settled in well with the House, and his position as page allowed him to observe its inner workings unguarded. On his second attendance at Summer Court with the House, he noticed an uncommon closeness between Lady Kylervus and Crown Persym Ylrath. As had become customary, Nyle's parents questioned him closely about his experiences while visiting with him, and, even though he knew his observations were valuable, Nyle shared them without appreciating the ill to which they could be used.<br />
<br />
Before that Summer Court had ended, House Caeden had used their knowledge of the intimacy between Lady Kylervus and the current Crown to secure a new and valuable domain for themselves. Nyle returned to Three-Rivers with House Kylervus and saw the pall that had settled over the family in the wake of being blackmailed. If the lady or any of her children ever knew of Nyle's role, they never acknowledged it to him, but he felt it keenly. House Kylervus had been kind to him, and Nyle returned their kindness by giving advantage to his own family. The incident hardened Nyle's distaste toward his family's beloved intrigues, and he determined never to engage in them himself.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Quel_Melarn&diff=64111Quel Melarn2021-09-19T23:16:06Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{DND5CharacterSheet<br />
|Image=[[Image:Quel_Melarn.jpg|center|350 px]]<br />
|CharacterName=Quel Melarn<br />
|Race=Half-elf (Drow)<br />
|Class=Bard 7 (College of Swords)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)<br />
|Background=Entertainer<br />
|Alignment=Chaotic Neutral<br />
|Patron Deity=Eilistraee<br />
|Factions=[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]] 6<br />
|Ability Scores=Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2);<br> Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 18 (+4)<br />
|Bonus=+3<br />
|Saving Throws=Dexterity & Charisma<br />
|Skills=Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Performance, Persuasion*, Sleight of Hand, Stealth* <br />
|Tools=Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp<br />
|Languages=Common, Deep Drow, Espruar<br />
|Armor=Light, Medium, Shield<br />
|Weapons=Simple, Martial<br />
|Traits=TRAITS<br />
|Attacks=• ''xxx:'' +x, xdx+x, TRAITS<br />
|Armor Class=18<br />
|Initiative=+3<br />
|Speed=30 ft<br />
|Feats=None<br />
|Hit Points=68<br />
|Hit Dice=7d8<br />
|Personality=PERSONALITY<br />
|Ideals=IDEALS<br />
|Bonds=BONDS<br />
|Flaws=FLAWS<br />
}}<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
''words'' -Attribution<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
Quel remembers two things about the pirate ship he was born on: they sailed so close to the stars that they could touch them, and his father kept a blade hidden away that whispered to Quel to play. His mother Ilya was always busy captaining the ship, and his father Leuk, her first mate, was lax in keeping the children in order. Quel, in fact, had many moments to devote to his sword friend. His grandmother Amalya was a drow who had left the Underdark to seek the truth of the moon herself, and she held the women in her line to a high standard. The men, of course, couldn't be expected to achieve much of anything worthwhile, so while Quel's mother focused on Quel's two sisters, Quel himself was left to whatever his father deemed important to a young child, which was very little apart from basic ship work.<br />
<br />
The secret blade's whispers had a fascinating cadence, one that sometimes blended with the shanties the pirates sang while Quel worked among them, but only Quel seemed to hear it. Still, it was always there, a song and rhythm hidden in the daily life of the ship. Whenever he could, Quel stole away to play with the sword, and in truth, his father was bemused to find Quel shirking his duties for swordplay.<br />
<br />
The ship would sometimes dock in the port of Waterdeep, in part because Amalya had emerged from the Underdark there, and Ilya had an older sister and brother who still lived in the city. Pirates often leave their young children at port until they're old enough to properly join a crew, and Quel's parents were no different. Once they were old enough, Quel and his sisters were left in Waterdeep with their groundling relatives for an upbringing more diverse than life aboard ship could offer. Although Quel was aggrieved to leave his friend behind, Leuk softened the blow by giving Quel a near perfect replica of the blade, and Quel was delighted to find he could still feel the blade's rhythm distantly through its duplicate.<br />
<br />
Even in Waterdeep, Quel's grandmother's values still ruled the family, so while his sisters were kept close to learn an adapted version of a drow matriarch's education, Quel and his male cousins were left to discover whatever small interests they might find in the city at large, often falling in with its seedier elements. Quel himself found that lurking in the city was other music that sometimes reminded him of the secret blade song but other times was quite unlike it but rang with a power of its own. He felt its rhythm echoed in clashing blades and skirmishes that broke out in the streets.<br />
<br />
Once Quel was old enough to truly work with a blade, he took up formal training through his family while wandering the dock ward's seedier establishments for those who would teach him the dirtier and flashier elements of swordplay. He also picked up the bits of song here and there that contained real power. Here, he met Lord Drylund, a visitor from up north who saw great potential in the young man and offered to apprentice him on his riverboat out of Yartar, the ''Grande Dame''. Intrigued, Quel left Waterdeep to see what Lord Drylund could offer.<br />
<br />
To Quel's delight, Lord Drylund offered a fuller course than Quel's own family had bothered to. Quel learned true art and extensive blade craft from bards and martial experts that Lord Drylund invited aboard the riverboat for Quel's benefit. Most important to Lord Drylund himself, Quel proved an aptitude at Lord Drylund's own passion: gambling. By the end of his apprenticeship, Quel was a gifted performer, fearsome tough, and sly gambler sometimes able to beat Lord Drylund at his own games.<br />
<br />
It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of one of Lord Drylund's regulars: Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, a mercenary captain out of Triboar. Clint was an alluringly dangerous man who offered to show Quel another outlet for his talents. Over Lord Drylund's objections, Quel signed on for a tour with the Rime Coil. Quel soon learned that the mercenary corps were in the employ of the Zhentarim, and Clint was one of their Vipers. In their easy violence, Quel heard for the first time since his childhood the whispers of the secret blade. And in Clint himself, Quel found another outlet for his passions.<br />
<br />
When Quel returned to the ''Grande Dame'', Lord Drylund scorned the young man's intoxication with Clint and the Zhentarim and demanded that his protege denounce any future allegiance with them. After an impassioned argument, Quel left the ''Grande Dame'' to seek his own fortunes with the Zhentarim.<br />
<br />
However, Lord Drylund's teachings still sat well with Quel, and he decided that rather than sign on with the Rime Coil under Clint, he would operate as his own man. He took up the persona of Quell the Rising Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.<br />
<br />
==Traits==<br />
===Racial Traits===<br />
* '''Darkvision:''' 60 ft.<br />
* '''Fey Ancestry:''' You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep<br />
===Class Traits===<br />
* '''Spellcasting:''' ''DC 15, +7 • 3 Bard/2 Warlock Cantrips • Spells/Day: 4/3/3 • Spells/Rest: 3''<br />
* '''Spells Known:''' 2/8<br />
** ''Cantrips:'' Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation<br />
** ''First Level:'' Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Hex, Shield, Thunderwave<br />
** ''Second Level:'' Detect Thoughts, Shatter, Natural Attunement (free blessing from Gwaeron)<br />
** ''Third Level:'' Dispel Magic, Sending, Tongues<br />
** ''Fourth Level:'' Confusion, Dimension Door<br />
* '''Bardic Inspiration:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 ft who can hear you to gain one Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls but before knowing if the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (4) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.<br />
* '''Song of Rest:''' During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain additional hp when they spend hit dice based on your level (1d8)<br />
* '''Expertise:''' Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with chosen proficiencies (2 at 3rd lvl, 2 more at 10th) 3rd: Stealth & Persuasion<br />
* '''Font of Inspiration:''' You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Countercharm:''' As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet who can hear you have advantage of saving throws against being frightened or charmed. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it.<br />
<br />
===Specialty Traits===<br />
* '''Hexblade's Curse:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:<br />
**You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.<br />
**Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.<br />
**If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (3).<br />
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Hex Warrior:''' Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.<br />
* '''Two-Weapon Fighting:''' When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.<br />
* '''Blade Flourish:''' You perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.<br />
** '''Defensive Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.<br />
** '''Slashing Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.<br />
** '''Mobile Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.<br />
<br />
===Background Traits===<br />
* '''Entertainer Routines:''' Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist<br />
* '''By Popular Demand:''' You can always find a place to perform, an inn, tavern, circus, theater, or even noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food as long as you perform. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in locales you've performed, they generally take a liking to you.<br />
<br />
===Faction Traits: Zhentarim (Rank 2 - Wolf)===<br />
'''Current Renown:''' 4 (Rank 2 @ 3 renown)<br />
'''Prerequisite:''' Rank 1 and Zhentarim renown 3+<br />
* '''Secret Missions:''' You may now occasionally be assigned secret missions that you are required to fulfill. Though you do not have a sponsor any longer, you are part of a pyramid of operatives, and the assignment may come down from any part of that chain above you. Though you may not be required to accept the mission, they are often the most reliable way to continue advancing in the organization.<br />
* '''Flying Snake:''' You are granted a flying snake. During a long rest, it becomes accustomed to you and stays near you at all times. Its only benefit is to deliver written missives or small bags (with single gems or a few coins). During a short rest, you can write a message and release your flying snake, which will fly back to a single central point, usually to the handler where you got the snake from. Flying snakes can fly 72 miles per day. If you will be in the same place, the snake can be sent back to you. Alternately, you can simply pick another one up at a Zhentarim stronghold elsewhere.<br />
* '''Operating Capital Loans:''' By this point, you are expected to manage your finances and accomplish things on behalf of the faction based on your own prosperity. That said, this is not always possible. You have the option of sacrificing a point of your Zhentarim renown to gain funds for a Zhentarim project. This amount is 300gp plus 100gp per your rating in Zhentarim renown before you sacrifice the point. If you pay the loan back, you may recover the point of renown; there is no requirement that you do so, however. You will not be able to use this feature again, in either case, until your renown is at least one point higher than it was before you made the sacrifice.<br />
* '''Lifestyle Increase:''' Money travels up the chain in the Zhentarim, and you are expected to show the coin of your success to your superiors, to help finance their endeavors. Your Lifestyle costs increase by 1gp per tenday (or 3gp per month).<br />
* '''Mercenaries:''' Because Zhentarim plans may require some extra muscle, you have the right to requisition a small group of Zhentarim mercenaries. You may keep them for up to a month, without charge; when you do so, you may receive one '''guard''' for every point of renown you have above 2. You may trade in two of these mercenaries to gain a '''veteran''', though you can only do this once. These mercenaries work for one of your superiors, but are willing to follow you during that time.<br />
* '''Trained in Terror:''' Zhentarim train their agents to invoke fear in others. You become proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this skill, choose another skill from your class list options instead.<br />
* '''Tool Training:''' You may go to the faction for training in useful tools. When you take the ''Training'' downtime action to gain proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit, or thieves' tools, you may do so at half the time and cost.<br />
<br />
==Feats==<br />
None<br />
<br />
Learning Jotun x/100 days<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* '''Coins:''' x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x<br />
* '''Gems:''' x<br />
===Magic Items===<br />
* Voidsong<br />
* Shortsword +1<br />
* Wand of Lightning (Rune-Seeker)<br />
* Bag of Holding<br />
* Arming Ring<br />
* Mac-Fuimidh Cittern<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
===Carried Equipment===<br />
* '''Worn:''' Breastplate, Cloak of Protection, Longbow<br />
* '''Belt:''' Belt Pouch, Black Longsword, Dagger<br />
* '''Backpack:''' 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Mac-Fuimidh Cittern, Trinket from Admirer <br />
* '''Saddle Pack:''' 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Rapier, Hand Crossbow<br />
<br />
===Animals===<br />
* '''Moonglow:''' Dappled Gray Riding Horse<br />
<br />
===Stored Equipment===<br />
* x<br />
===Lifestyle===<br />
* '''xxx:''' ''(x gp/day)''. x<br />
==Faction & Organization Lore==<br />
===[[Shattered_Covenant_Group_Patron#Leadership|Darburl]]===<br />
[[Image:Darburl-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
The following are locations and people you know are associated with the Darburl, and to whom you can go should you be in the area. Other areas may have Darburl representatives, but they are not currently known to you. ('''Mothers & Fathers''' are leaders in the organization; '''Aunts & Uncles''' are lieutenants, each usually with a specialty of some kind.)<br />
* '''The Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Daggerford:'' Mother Arcric, the halfling barkeep at Tyrmora's Cup.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' Uncle Dunlis Arcri, stablemaster at the inn in Nightstone.<br />
* '''The Dessarin Valley:''' ''Westbridge:'' Father Thentilyr, a half-orc who runs a local slaughterhouse<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Aunt Klethja Thentilyr, a gnome farmer at the Goldshine Farm, who specializes in recruitment.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' Uncle Discretion Thentilyr, a tiefling fence and smuggler, who operates a message and package courier service<br />
* '''The Sword Mountains:''' ''Leilon:'' Mother Thentilyr, a dwarf woman who runs an eatery<br />
** ''Waterdeep:'' Aunt Alindue Thentilyr, a festhall opera singer who specializes in contacts<br />
* '''The Silver Marches & Delzoun:''' ''Everlund:'' Mother Dlarhund, a genderfluid half-elf innkeep<br />
** ''Sundabar:'' Uncle Kentar Dlarhund, a dwarven washerman<br />
* '''Neverwinter Wood:''' ''Helm's Hold:'' Father Dlarhund, a rotund human fighter who teaches combat skills<br />
* '''The Frozenfar:''' ''Mirabar:'' Father Arcri, a young human finesmith<br />
<hr /><br />
<br />
===[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]]===<br />
[[Image:Zhentarim-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
[[Shattered Covenant Faction NPCs#The Zhentarim|Zhentarim NPCs]]<br><br />
The following are locations with Zhentarim holdings, including a leader of at least Rank 3 stationed there.<br />
* '''Anaruoch:''' ''The Black Road'', a trade route entirely owned by the Zhentarim, used for trade between the North and other parts of Faerûn without having to pass through the Western Heartlands.<br />
* '''Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Loudwater:'' The current High Lord of the town is a well-paid agent of the Zhentarim who maintains the Network's interests there. The Zhentarim has ample forces in Loudwater, but it keeps them hidden away, both disguised in-town, and in out-of-the-way wilderness outposts.<br />
** ''Daggerford:'' The Snail, found at one of the local taverns, is the main Zhentarim operative in Daggerford.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' The Seven Serpents, a small troop of specialist mercenaries, have been hired to patrol the wilderness around Nightstone.<br />
* '''Dessarin Valley:''' ''Bargewright Inn:'' The closest thing the Zhentarim has to a central headquarters in the North. The inn itself is a Zhentish holding, although that ownership is kept subtle. Show Zhent coins for free room and board.<br />
** ''Rassalantar:'' The innkeep of the Sleeping Dragon inn is a Network agent and provides aid to his fellows.<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Triboar Travelers is operated by a member of the Network, and flies the Zhentarim sigil openly upon its sign.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' The Black Network has a coster-house and barracks here, doing business with merchants. They also have inroads with the local thieves guild, the all-female Hand of Yartar.<br />
* '''The Fallen Lands:''' The villages where the Black Road out of Anauroch enters the North (Parnast, Llorkh, Orlbar) are all Zhentarim-controlled, by and large (though the control is more or less overt, depending on the site).<br />
* '''Silver Marches:''' ''Everlund:'' The northernmost Zhentarim outpost, in the form of a coster-house and mercenary barracks.<br />
* '''Sword Mountains:''' ''Waterdeep:'' Several groups of Zhentarim operate out of Waterdeep. The public face for the Network are the Doom Raiders, a band of adventurers who also act as defacto leadership for the merchant and mercenary bands. There is also a more secretive faction within the Zhentarim who operate on their own, eschewing connections to the Doom Raiders and the rest of the organization.<br />
* '''Western Heartlands:''' ''Baldur's Gate:'' The city contains a major Zhentarim mercenary and coster holding in the city, defensible, with barracks space<br />
** ''Darkhold'', the central operational citadel for the Zhentarim, is in the Far Hills. It is home to many of its leaders and top operatives.<br />
<br />
==Important Individuals==<br />
* x</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Quel_Melarn&diff=64109Quel Melarn2021-09-19T19:53:52Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{DND5CharacterSheet<br />
|Image=[[Image:Quel_Melarn.jpg|center|350 px]]<br />
|CharacterName=Quel Melarn<br />
|Race=Half-elf (Drow)<br />
|Class=Bard 7 (College of Swords)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)<br />
|Background=Entertainer<br />
|Alignment=Chaotic Neutral<br />
|Patron Deity=Eilistraee<br />
|Factions=[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]] 5<br />
|Ability Scores=Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2);<br> Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 18 (+4)<br />
|Bonus=+3<br />
|Saving Throws=Dexterity & Charisma<br />
|Skills=Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Performance, Persuasion*, Sleight of Hand, Stealth* <br />
|Tools=Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp<br />
|Languages=Common, Deep Drow, Espruar<br />
|Armor=Light, Medium, Shield<br />
|Weapons=Simple, Martial<br />
|Traits=TRAITS<br />
|Attacks=• ''xxx:'' +x, xdx+x, TRAITS<br />
|Armor Class=18<br />
|Initiative=+3<br />
|Speed=30 ft<br />
|Feats=None<br />
|Hit Points=68<br />
|Hit Dice=7d8<br />
|Personality=PERSONALITY<br />
|Ideals=IDEALS<br />
|Bonds=BONDS<br />
|Flaws=FLAWS<br />
}}<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
''words'' -Attribution<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
Quel remembers two things about the pirate ship he was born on: they sailed so close to the stars that they could touch them, and his father kept a blade hidden away that whispered to Quel to play. His mother Ilya was always busy captaining the ship, and his father Leuk, her first mate, was lax in keeping the children in order. Quel, in fact, had many moments to devote to his sword friend. His grandmother Amalya was a drow who had left the Underdark to seek the truth of the moon herself, and she held the women in her line to a high standard. The men, of course, couldn't be expected to achieve much of anything worthwhile, so while Quel's mother focused on Quel's two sisters, Quel himself was left to whatever his father deemed important to a young child, which was very little apart from basic ship work.<br />
<br />
The secret blade's whispers had a fascinating cadence, one that sometimes blended with the shanties the pirates sang while Quel worked among them, but only Quel seemed to hear it. Still, it was always there, a song and rhythm hidden in the daily life of the ship. Whenever he could, Quel stole away to play with the sword, and in truth, his father was bemused to find Quel shirking his duties for swordplay.<br />
<br />
The ship would sometimes dock in the port of Waterdeep, in part because Amalya had emerged from the Underdark there, and Ilya had an older sister and brother who still lived in the city. Pirates often leave their young children at port until they're old enough to properly join a crew, and Quel's parents were no different. Once they were old enough, Quel and his sisters were left in Waterdeep with their groundling relatives for an upbringing more diverse than life aboard ship could offer. Although Quel was aggrieved to leave his friend behind, Leuk softened the blow by giving Quel a near perfect replica of the blade, and Quel was delighted to find he could still feel the blade's rhythm distantly through its duplicate.<br />
<br />
Even in Waterdeep, Quel's grandmother's values still ruled the family, so while his sisters were kept close to learn an adapted version of a drow matriarch's education, Quel and his male cousins were left to discover whatever small interests they might find in the city at large, often falling in with its seedier elements. Quel himself found that lurking in the city was other music that sometimes reminded him of the secret blade song but other times was quite unlike it but rang with a power of its own. He felt its rhythm echoed in clashing blades and skirmishes that broke out in the streets.<br />
<br />
Once Quel was old enough to truly work with a blade, he took up formal training through his family while wandering the dock ward's seedier establishments for those who would teach him the dirtier and flashier elements of swordplay. He also picked up the bits of song here and there that contained real power. Here, he met Lord Drylund, a visitor from up north who saw great potential in the young man and offered to apprentice him on his riverboat out of Yartar, the ''Grande Dame''. Intrigued, Quel left Waterdeep to see what Lord Drylund could offer.<br />
<br />
To Quel's delight, Lord Drylund offered a fuller course than Quel's own family had bothered to. Quel learned true art and extensive blade craft from bards and martial experts that Lord Drylund invited aboard the riverboat for Quel's benefit. Most important to Lord Drylund himself, Quel proved an aptitude at Lord Drylund's own passion: gambling. By the end of his apprenticeship, Quel was a gifted performer, fearsome tough, and sly gambler sometimes able to beat Lord Drylund at his own games.<br />
<br />
It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of one of Lord Drylund's regulars: Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, a mercenary captain out of Triboar. Clint was an alluringly dangerous man who offered to show Quel another outlet for his talents. Over Lord Drylund's objections, Quel signed on for a tour with the Rime Coil. Quel soon learned that the mercenary corps were in the employ of the Zhentarim, and Clint was one of their Vipers. In their easy violence, Quel heard for the first time since his childhood the whispers of the secret blade. And in Clint himself, Quel found another outlet for his passions.<br />
<br />
When Quel returned to the ''Grande Dame'', Lord Drylund scorned the young man's intoxication with Clint and the Zhentarim and demanded that his protege denounce any future allegiance with them. After an impassioned argument, Quel left the ''Grande Dame'' to seek his own fortunes with the Zhentarim.<br />
<br />
However, Lord Drylund's teachings still sat well with Quel, and he decided that rather than sign on with the Rime Coil under Clint, he would operate as his own man. He took up the persona of Quell the Rising Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.<br />
<br />
==Traits==<br />
===Racial Traits===<br />
* '''Darkvision:''' 60 ft.<br />
* '''Fey Ancestry:''' You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep<br />
===Class Traits===<br />
* '''Spellcasting:''' ''DC 15, +7 • 3 Bard/2 Warlock Cantrips • Spells/Day: 4/3/3 • Spells/Rest: 3''<br />
* '''Spells Known:''' 2/8<br />
** ''Cantrips:'' Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation<br />
** ''First Level:'' Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Hex, Shield, Thunderwave<br />
** ''Second Level:'' Detect Thoughts, Shatter, Natural Attunement (free blessing from Gwaeron)<br />
** ''Third Level:'' Dispel Magic, Sending, Tongues<br />
** ''Fourth Level:'' Confusion, Dimension Door<br />
* '''Bardic Inspiration:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 ft who can hear you to gain one Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls but before knowing if the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (4) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.<br />
* '''Song of Rest:''' During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain additional hp when they spend hit dice based on your level (1d8)<br />
* '''Expertise:''' Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with chosen proficiencies (2 at 3rd lvl, 2 more at 10th) 3rd: Stealth & Persuasion<br />
* '''Font of Inspiration:''' You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Countercharm:''' As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet who can hear you have advantage of saving throws against being frightened or charmed. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it.<br />
<br />
===Specialty Traits===<br />
* '''Hexblade's Curse:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:<br />
**You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.<br />
**Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.<br />
**If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (3).<br />
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Hex Warrior:''' Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.<br />
* '''Two-Weapon Fighting:''' When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.<br />
* '''Blade Flourish:''' You perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.<br />
** '''Defensive Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.<br />
** '''Slashing Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.<br />
** '''Mobile Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.<br />
<br />
===Background Traits===<br />
* '''Entertainer Routines:''' Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist<br />
* '''By Popular Demand:''' You can always find a place to perform, an inn, tavern, circus, theater, or even noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food as long as you perform. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in locales you've performed, they generally take a liking to you.<br />
<br />
===Faction Traits: Zhentarim (Rank 2 - Wolf)===<br />
'''Current Renown:''' 4 (Rank 2 @ 3 renown)<br />
'''Prerequisite:''' Rank 1 and Zhentarim renown 3+<br />
* '''Secret Missions:''' You may now occasionally be assigned secret missions that you are required to fulfill. Though you do not have a sponsor any longer, you are part of a pyramid of operatives, and the assignment may come down from any part of that chain above you. Though you may not be required to accept the mission, they are often the most reliable way to continue advancing in the organization.<br />
* '''Flying Snake:''' You are granted a flying snake. During a long rest, it becomes accustomed to you and stays near you at all times. Its only benefit is to deliver written missives or small bags (with single gems or a few coins). During a short rest, you can write a message and release your flying snake, which will fly back to a single central point, usually to the handler where you got the snake from. Flying snakes can fly 72 miles per day. If you will be in the same place, the snake can be sent back to you. Alternately, you can simply pick another one up at a Zhentarim stronghold elsewhere.<br />
* '''Operating Capital Loans:''' By this point, you are expected to manage your finances and accomplish things on behalf of the faction based on your own prosperity. That said, this is not always possible. You have the option of sacrificing a point of your Zhentarim renown to gain funds for a Zhentarim project. This amount is 300gp plus 100gp per your rating in Zhentarim renown before you sacrifice the point. If you pay the loan back, you may recover the point of renown; there is no requirement that you do so, however. You will not be able to use this feature again, in either case, until your renown is at least one point higher than it was before you made the sacrifice.<br />
* '''Lifestyle Increase:''' Money travels up the chain in the Zhentarim, and you are expected to show the coin of your success to your superiors, to help finance their endeavors. Your Lifestyle costs increase by 1gp per tenday (or 3gp per month).<br />
* '''Mercenaries:''' Because Zhentarim plans may require some extra muscle, you have the right to requisition a small group of Zhentarim mercenaries. You may keep them for up to a month, without charge; when you do so, you may receive one '''guard''' for every point of renown you have above 2. You may trade in two of these mercenaries to gain a '''veteran''', though you can only do this once. These mercenaries work for one of your superiors, but are willing to follow you during that time.<br />
* '''Trained in Terror:''' Zhentarim train their agents to invoke fear in others. You become proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this skill, choose another skill from your class list options instead.<br />
* '''Tool Training:''' You may go to the faction for training in useful tools. When you take the ''Training'' downtime action to gain proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit, or thieves' tools, you may do so at half the time and cost.<br />
<br />
==Feats==<br />
None<br />
<br />
Learning Jotun x/100 days<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* '''Coins:''' x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x<br />
* '''Gems:''' x<br />
===Magic Items===<br />
* Voidsong<br />
* Shortsword +1<br />
* Wand of Lightning (Rune-Seeker)<br />
* Bag of Holding<br />
* Arming Ring<br />
* Mac-Fuimidh Cittern<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
===Carried Equipment===<br />
* '''Worn:''' Breastplate, Cloak of Protection, Longbow<br />
* '''Belt:''' Belt Pouch, Black Longsword, Dagger<br />
* '''Backpack:''' 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Mac-Fuimidh Cittern, Trinket from Admirer <br />
* '''Saddle Pack:''' 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Rapier, Hand Crossbow<br />
<br />
===Animals===<br />
* '''Moonglow:''' Dappled Gray Riding Horse<br />
<br />
===Stored Equipment===<br />
* x<br />
===Lifestyle===<br />
* '''xxx:''' ''(x gp/day)''. x<br />
==Faction & Organization Lore==<br />
===[[Shattered_Covenant_Group_Patron#Leadership|Darburl]]===<br />
[[Image:Darburl-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
The following are locations and people you know are associated with the Darburl, and to whom you can go should you be in the area. Other areas may have Darburl representatives, but they are not currently known to you. ('''Mothers & Fathers''' are leaders in the organization; '''Aunts & Uncles''' are lieutenants, each usually with a specialty of some kind.)<br />
* '''The Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Daggerford:'' Mother Arcric, the halfling barkeep at Tyrmora's Cup.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' Uncle Dunlis Arcri, stablemaster at the inn in Nightstone.<br />
* '''The Dessarin Valley:''' ''Westbridge:'' Father Thentilyr, a half-orc who runs a local slaughterhouse<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Aunt Klethja Thentilyr, a gnome farmer at the Goldshine Farm, who specializes in recruitment.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' Uncle Discretion Thentilyr, a tiefling fence and smuggler, who operates a message and package courier service<br />
* '''The Sword Mountains:''' ''Leilon:'' Mother Thentilyr, a dwarf woman who runs an eatery<br />
** ''Waterdeep:'' Aunt Alindue Thentilyr, a festhall opera singer who specializes in contacts<br />
* '''The Silver Marches & Delzoun:''' ''Everlund:'' Mother Dlarhund, a genderfluid half-elf innkeep<br />
** ''Sundabar:'' Uncle Kentar Dlarhund, a dwarven washerman<br />
* '''Neverwinter Wood:''' ''Helm's Hold:'' Father Dlarhund, a rotund human fighter who teaches combat skills<br />
* '''The Frozenfar:''' ''Mirabar:'' Father Arcri, a young human finesmith<br />
<hr /><br />
<br />
===[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]]===<br />
[[Image:Zhentarim-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
[[Shattered Covenant Faction NPCs#The Zhentarim|Zhentarim NPCs]]<br><br />
The following are locations with Zhentarim holdings, including a leader of at least Rank 3 stationed there.<br />
* '''Anaruoch:''' ''The Black Road'', a trade route entirely owned by the Zhentarim, used for trade between the North and other parts of Faerûn without having to pass through the Western Heartlands.<br />
* '''Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Loudwater:'' The current High Lord of the town is a well-paid agent of the Zhentarim who maintains the Network's interests there. The Zhentarim has ample forces in Loudwater, but it keeps them hidden away, both disguised in-town, and in out-of-the-way wilderness outposts.<br />
** ''Daggerford:'' The Snail, found at one of the local taverns, is the main Zhentarim operative in Daggerford.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' The Seven Serpents, a small troop of specialist mercenaries, have been hired to patrol the wilderness around Nightstone.<br />
* '''Dessarin Valley:''' ''Bargewright Inn:'' The closest thing the Zhentarim has to a central headquarters in the North. The inn itself is a Zhentish holding, although that ownership is kept subtle. Show Zhent coins for free room and board.<br />
** ''Rassalantar:'' The innkeep of the Sleeping Dragon inn is a Network agent and provides aid to his fellows.<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Triboar Travelers is operated by a member of the Network, and flies the Zhentarim sigil openly upon its sign.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' The Black Network has a coster-house and barracks here, doing business with merchants. They also have inroads with the local thieves guild, the all-female Hand of Yartar.<br />
* '''The Fallen Lands:''' The villages where the Black Road out of Anauroch enters the North (Parnast, Llorkh, Orlbar) are all Zhentarim-controlled, by and large (though the control is more or less overt, depending on the site).<br />
* '''Silver Marches:''' ''Everlund:'' The northernmost Zhentarim outpost, in the form of a coster-house and mercenary barracks.<br />
* '''Sword Mountains:''' ''Waterdeep:'' Several groups of Zhentarim operate out of Waterdeep. The public face for the Network are the Doom Raiders, a band of adventurers who also act as defacto leadership for the merchant and mercenary bands. There is also a more secretive faction within the Zhentarim who operate on their own, eschewing connections to the Doom Raiders and the rest of the organization.<br />
* '''Western Heartlands:''' ''Baldur's Gate:'' The city contains a major Zhentarim mercenary and coster holding in the city, defensible, with barracks space<br />
** ''Darkhold'', the central operational citadel for the Zhentarim, is in the Far Hills. It is home to many of its leaders and top operatives.<br />
<br />
==Important Individuals==<br />
* x</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Quel_Melarn&diff=64108Quel Melarn2021-09-19T19:53:16Z<p>Josh: /* Class Traits */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{DND5CharacterSheet<br />
|Image=[[Image:Quel_Melarn.jpg|center|350 px]]<br />
|CharacterName=Quel Melarn<br />
|Race=Half-elf (Drow)<br />
|Class=Bard 7 (College of Swords)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)<br />
|Background=Entertainer<br />
|Alignment=Chaotic Neutral<br />
|Patron Deity=Eilistraee<br />
|Factions=[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]] 5<br />
|Ability Scores=Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2);<br> Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 18 (+4)<br />
|Bonus=+3<br />
|Saving Throws=Dexterity & Charisma<br />
|Skills=Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Performance, Persuasion*, Sleight of Hand, Stealth* <br />
|Tools=Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp<br />
|Languages=Common, Deep Drow, Espruar<br />
|Armor=Light, Medium, Shield<br />
|Weapons=Simple, Martial<br />
|Traits=TRAITS<br />
|Attacks=• ''xxx:'' +x, xdx+x, TRAITS<br />
|Armor Class=18<br />
|Initiative=+3<br />
|Speed=30 ft<br />
|Feats=None<br />
|Hit Points=60<br />
|Hit Dice=6d8<br />
|Personality=PERSONALITY<br />
|Ideals=IDEALS<br />
|Bonds=BONDS<br />
|Flaws=FLAWS<br />
}}<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
''words'' -Attribution<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
Quel remembers two things about the pirate ship he was born on: they sailed so close to the stars that they could touch them, and his father kept a blade hidden away that whispered to Quel to play. His mother Ilya was always busy captaining the ship, and his father Leuk, her first mate, was lax in keeping the children in order. Quel, in fact, had many moments to devote to his sword friend. His grandmother Amalya was a drow who had left the Underdark to seek the truth of the moon herself, and she held the women in her line to a high standard. The men, of course, couldn't be expected to achieve much of anything worthwhile, so while Quel's mother focused on Quel's two sisters, Quel himself was left to whatever his father deemed important to a young child, which was very little apart from basic ship work.<br />
<br />
The secret blade's whispers had a fascinating cadence, one that sometimes blended with the shanties the pirates sang while Quel worked among them, but only Quel seemed to hear it. Still, it was always there, a song and rhythm hidden in the daily life of the ship. Whenever he could, Quel stole away to play with the sword, and in truth, his father was bemused to find Quel shirking his duties for swordplay.<br />
<br />
The ship would sometimes dock in the port of Waterdeep, in part because Amalya had emerged from the Underdark there, and Ilya had an older sister and brother who still lived in the city. Pirates often leave their young children at port until they're old enough to properly join a crew, and Quel's parents were no different. Once they were old enough, Quel and his sisters were left in Waterdeep with their groundling relatives for an upbringing more diverse than life aboard ship could offer. Although Quel was aggrieved to leave his friend behind, Leuk softened the blow by giving Quel a near perfect replica of the blade, and Quel was delighted to find he could still feel the blade's rhythm distantly through its duplicate.<br />
<br />
Even in Waterdeep, Quel's grandmother's values still ruled the family, so while his sisters were kept close to learn an adapted version of a drow matriarch's education, Quel and his male cousins were left to discover whatever small interests they might find in the city at large, often falling in with its seedier elements. Quel himself found that lurking in the city was other music that sometimes reminded him of the secret blade song but other times was quite unlike it but rang with a power of its own. He felt its rhythm echoed in clashing blades and skirmishes that broke out in the streets.<br />
<br />
Once Quel was old enough to truly work with a blade, he took up formal training through his family while wandering the dock ward's seedier establishments for those who would teach him the dirtier and flashier elements of swordplay. He also picked up the bits of song here and there that contained real power. Here, he met Lord Drylund, a visitor from up north who saw great potential in the young man and offered to apprentice him on his riverboat out of Yartar, the ''Grande Dame''. Intrigued, Quel left Waterdeep to see what Lord Drylund could offer.<br />
<br />
To Quel's delight, Lord Drylund offered a fuller course than Quel's own family had bothered to. Quel learned true art and extensive blade craft from bards and martial experts that Lord Drylund invited aboard the riverboat for Quel's benefit. Most important to Lord Drylund himself, Quel proved an aptitude at Lord Drylund's own passion: gambling. By the end of his apprenticeship, Quel was a gifted performer, fearsome tough, and sly gambler sometimes able to beat Lord Drylund at his own games.<br />
<br />
It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of one of Lord Drylund's regulars: Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, a mercenary captain out of Triboar. Clint was an alluringly dangerous man who offered to show Quel another outlet for his talents. Over Lord Drylund's objections, Quel signed on for a tour with the Rime Coil. Quel soon learned that the mercenary corps were in the employ of the Zhentarim, and Clint was one of their Vipers. In their easy violence, Quel heard for the first time since his childhood the whispers of the secret blade. And in Clint himself, Quel found another outlet for his passions.<br />
<br />
When Quel returned to the ''Grande Dame'', Lord Drylund scorned the young man's intoxication with Clint and the Zhentarim and demanded that his protege denounce any future allegiance with them. After an impassioned argument, Quel left the ''Grande Dame'' to seek his own fortunes with the Zhentarim.<br />
<br />
However, Lord Drylund's teachings still sat well with Quel, and he decided that rather than sign on with the Rime Coil under Clint, he would operate as his own man. He took up the persona of Quell the Rising Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.<br />
<br />
==Traits==<br />
===Racial Traits===<br />
* '''Darkvision:''' 60 ft.<br />
* '''Fey Ancestry:''' You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep<br />
===Class Traits===<br />
* '''Spellcasting:''' ''DC 15, +7 • 3 Bard/2 Warlock Cantrips • Spells/Day: 4/3/3 • Spells/Rest: 3''<br />
* '''Spells Known:''' 2/8<br />
** ''Cantrips:'' Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation<br />
** ''First Level:'' Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Hex, Shield, Thunderwave<br />
** ''Second Level:'' Detect Thoughts, Shatter, Natural Attunement (free blessing from Gwaeron)<br />
** ''Third Level:'' Dispel Magic, Sending, Tongues<br />
** ''Fourth Level:'' Confusion, Dimension Door<br />
* '''Bardic Inspiration:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 ft who can hear you to gain one Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls but before knowing if the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (4) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.<br />
* '''Song of Rest:''' During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain additional hp when they spend hit dice based on your level (1d8)<br />
* '''Expertise:''' Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with chosen proficiencies (2 at 3rd lvl, 2 more at 10th) 3rd: Stealth & Persuasion<br />
* '''Font of Inspiration:''' You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Countercharm:''' As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet who can hear you have advantage of saving throws against being frightened or charmed. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it.<br />
<br />
===Specialty Traits===<br />
* '''Hexblade's Curse:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:<br />
**You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.<br />
**Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.<br />
**If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (3).<br />
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Hex Warrior:''' Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.<br />
* '''Two-Weapon Fighting:''' When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.<br />
* '''Blade Flourish:''' You perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.<br />
** '''Defensive Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.<br />
** '''Slashing Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.<br />
** '''Mobile Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.<br />
<br />
===Background Traits===<br />
* '''Entertainer Routines:''' Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist<br />
* '''By Popular Demand:''' You can always find a place to perform, an inn, tavern, circus, theater, or even noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food as long as you perform. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in locales you've performed, they generally take a liking to you.<br />
<br />
===Faction Traits: Zhentarim (Rank 2 - Wolf)===<br />
'''Current Renown:''' 4 (Rank 2 @ 3 renown)<br />
'''Prerequisite:''' Rank 1 and Zhentarim renown 3+<br />
* '''Secret Missions:''' You may now occasionally be assigned secret missions that you are required to fulfill. Though you do not have a sponsor any longer, you are part of a pyramid of operatives, and the assignment may come down from any part of that chain above you. Though you may not be required to accept the mission, they are often the most reliable way to continue advancing in the organization.<br />
* '''Flying Snake:''' You are granted a flying snake. During a long rest, it becomes accustomed to you and stays near you at all times. Its only benefit is to deliver written missives or small bags (with single gems or a few coins). During a short rest, you can write a message and release your flying snake, which will fly back to a single central point, usually to the handler where you got the snake from. Flying snakes can fly 72 miles per day. If you will be in the same place, the snake can be sent back to you. Alternately, you can simply pick another one up at a Zhentarim stronghold elsewhere.<br />
* '''Operating Capital Loans:''' By this point, you are expected to manage your finances and accomplish things on behalf of the faction based on your own prosperity. That said, this is not always possible. You have the option of sacrificing a point of your Zhentarim renown to gain funds for a Zhentarim project. This amount is 300gp plus 100gp per your rating in Zhentarim renown before you sacrifice the point. If you pay the loan back, you may recover the point of renown; there is no requirement that you do so, however. You will not be able to use this feature again, in either case, until your renown is at least one point higher than it was before you made the sacrifice.<br />
* '''Lifestyle Increase:''' Money travels up the chain in the Zhentarim, and you are expected to show the coin of your success to your superiors, to help finance their endeavors. Your Lifestyle costs increase by 1gp per tenday (or 3gp per month).<br />
* '''Mercenaries:''' Because Zhentarim plans may require some extra muscle, you have the right to requisition a small group of Zhentarim mercenaries. You may keep them for up to a month, without charge; when you do so, you may receive one '''guard''' for every point of renown you have above 2. You may trade in two of these mercenaries to gain a '''veteran''', though you can only do this once. These mercenaries work for one of your superiors, but are willing to follow you during that time.<br />
* '''Trained in Terror:''' Zhentarim train their agents to invoke fear in others. You become proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this skill, choose another skill from your class list options instead.<br />
* '''Tool Training:''' You may go to the faction for training in useful tools. When you take the ''Training'' downtime action to gain proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit, or thieves' tools, you may do so at half the time and cost.<br />
<br />
==Feats==<br />
None<br />
<br />
Learning Jotun x/100 days<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* '''Coins:''' x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x<br />
* '''Gems:''' x<br />
===Magic Items===<br />
* Voidsong<br />
* Shortsword +1<br />
* Wand of Lightning (Rune-Seeker)<br />
* Bag of Holding<br />
* Arming Ring<br />
* Mac-Fuimidh Cittern<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
===Carried Equipment===<br />
* '''Worn:''' Breastplate, Cloak of Protection, Longbow<br />
* '''Belt:''' Belt Pouch, Black Longsword, Dagger<br />
* '''Backpack:''' 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Mac-Fuimidh Cittern, Trinket from Admirer <br />
* '''Saddle Pack:''' 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Rapier, Hand Crossbow<br />
<br />
===Animals===<br />
* '''Moonglow:''' Dappled Gray Riding Horse<br />
<br />
===Stored Equipment===<br />
* x<br />
===Lifestyle===<br />
* '''xxx:''' ''(x gp/day)''. x<br />
==Faction & Organization Lore==<br />
===[[Shattered_Covenant_Group_Patron#Leadership|Darburl]]===<br />
[[Image:Darburl-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
The following are locations and people you know are associated with the Darburl, and to whom you can go should you be in the area. Other areas may have Darburl representatives, but they are not currently known to you. ('''Mothers & Fathers''' are leaders in the organization; '''Aunts & Uncles''' are lieutenants, each usually with a specialty of some kind.)<br />
* '''The Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Daggerford:'' Mother Arcric, the halfling barkeep at Tyrmora's Cup.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' Uncle Dunlis Arcri, stablemaster at the inn in Nightstone.<br />
* '''The Dessarin Valley:''' ''Westbridge:'' Father Thentilyr, a half-orc who runs a local slaughterhouse<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Aunt Klethja Thentilyr, a gnome farmer at the Goldshine Farm, who specializes in recruitment.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' Uncle Discretion Thentilyr, a tiefling fence and smuggler, who operates a message and package courier service<br />
* '''The Sword Mountains:''' ''Leilon:'' Mother Thentilyr, a dwarf woman who runs an eatery<br />
** ''Waterdeep:'' Aunt Alindue Thentilyr, a festhall opera singer who specializes in contacts<br />
* '''The Silver Marches & Delzoun:''' ''Everlund:'' Mother Dlarhund, a genderfluid half-elf innkeep<br />
** ''Sundabar:'' Uncle Kentar Dlarhund, a dwarven washerman<br />
* '''Neverwinter Wood:''' ''Helm's Hold:'' Father Dlarhund, a rotund human fighter who teaches combat skills<br />
* '''The Frozenfar:''' ''Mirabar:'' Father Arcri, a young human finesmith<br />
<hr /><br />
<br />
===[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]]===<br />
[[Image:Zhentarim-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
[[Shattered Covenant Faction NPCs#The Zhentarim|Zhentarim NPCs]]<br><br />
The following are locations with Zhentarim holdings, including a leader of at least Rank 3 stationed there.<br />
* '''Anaruoch:''' ''The Black Road'', a trade route entirely owned by the Zhentarim, used for trade between the North and other parts of Faerûn without having to pass through the Western Heartlands.<br />
* '''Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Loudwater:'' The current High Lord of the town is a well-paid agent of the Zhentarim who maintains the Network's interests there. The Zhentarim has ample forces in Loudwater, but it keeps them hidden away, both disguised in-town, and in out-of-the-way wilderness outposts.<br />
** ''Daggerford:'' The Snail, found at one of the local taverns, is the main Zhentarim operative in Daggerford.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' The Seven Serpents, a small troop of specialist mercenaries, have been hired to patrol the wilderness around Nightstone.<br />
* '''Dessarin Valley:''' ''Bargewright Inn:'' The closest thing the Zhentarim has to a central headquarters in the North. The inn itself is a Zhentish holding, although that ownership is kept subtle. Show Zhent coins for free room and board.<br />
** ''Rassalantar:'' The innkeep of the Sleeping Dragon inn is a Network agent and provides aid to his fellows.<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Triboar Travelers is operated by a member of the Network, and flies the Zhentarim sigil openly upon its sign.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' The Black Network has a coster-house and barracks here, doing business with merchants. They also have inroads with the local thieves guild, the all-female Hand of Yartar.<br />
* '''The Fallen Lands:''' The villages where the Black Road out of Anauroch enters the North (Parnast, Llorkh, Orlbar) are all Zhentarim-controlled, by and large (though the control is more or less overt, depending on the site).<br />
* '''Silver Marches:''' ''Everlund:'' The northernmost Zhentarim outpost, in the form of a coster-house and mercenary barracks.<br />
* '''Sword Mountains:''' ''Waterdeep:'' Several groups of Zhentarim operate out of Waterdeep. The public face for the Network are the Doom Raiders, a band of adventurers who also act as defacto leadership for the merchant and mercenary bands. There is also a more secretive faction within the Zhentarim who operate on their own, eschewing connections to the Doom Raiders and the rest of the organization.<br />
* '''Western Heartlands:''' ''Baldur's Gate:'' The city contains a major Zhentarim mercenary and coster holding in the city, defensible, with barracks space<br />
** ''Darkhold'', the central operational citadel for the Zhentarim, is in the Far Hills. It is home to many of its leaders and top operatives.<br />
<br />
==Important Individuals==<br />
* x</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Quel_Melarn&diff=64107Quel Melarn2021-09-19T19:48:30Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{DND5CharacterSheet<br />
|Image=[[Image:Quel_Melarn.jpg|center|350 px]]<br />
|CharacterName=Quel Melarn<br />
|Race=Half-elf (Drow)<br />
|Class=Bard 7 (College of Swords)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)<br />
|Background=Entertainer<br />
|Alignment=Chaotic Neutral<br />
|Patron Deity=Eilistraee<br />
|Factions=[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]] 5<br />
|Ability Scores=Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2);<br> Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 18 (+4)<br />
|Bonus=+3<br />
|Saving Throws=Dexterity & Charisma<br />
|Skills=Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Performance, Persuasion*, Sleight of Hand, Stealth* <br />
|Tools=Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp<br />
|Languages=Common, Deep Drow, Espruar<br />
|Armor=Light, Medium, Shield<br />
|Weapons=Simple, Martial<br />
|Traits=TRAITS<br />
|Attacks=• ''xxx:'' +x, xdx+x, TRAITS<br />
|Armor Class=18<br />
|Initiative=+3<br />
|Speed=30 ft<br />
|Feats=None<br />
|Hit Points=60<br />
|Hit Dice=6d8<br />
|Personality=PERSONALITY<br />
|Ideals=IDEALS<br />
|Bonds=BONDS<br />
|Flaws=FLAWS<br />
}}<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
''words'' -Attribution<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
Quel remembers two things about the pirate ship he was born on: they sailed so close to the stars that they could touch them, and his father kept a blade hidden away that whispered to Quel to play. His mother Ilya was always busy captaining the ship, and his father Leuk, her first mate, was lax in keeping the children in order. Quel, in fact, had many moments to devote to his sword friend. His grandmother Amalya was a drow who had left the Underdark to seek the truth of the moon herself, and she held the women in her line to a high standard. The men, of course, couldn't be expected to achieve much of anything worthwhile, so while Quel's mother focused on Quel's two sisters, Quel himself was left to whatever his father deemed important to a young child, which was very little apart from basic ship work.<br />
<br />
The secret blade's whispers had a fascinating cadence, one that sometimes blended with the shanties the pirates sang while Quel worked among them, but only Quel seemed to hear it. Still, it was always there, a song and rhythm hidden in the daily life of the ship. Whenever he could, Quel stole away to play with the sword, and in truth, his father was bemused to find Quel shirking his duties for swordplay.<br />
<br />
The ship would sometimes dock in the port of Waterdeep, in part because Amalya had emerged from the Underdark there, and Ilya had an older sister and brother who still lived in the city. Pirates often leave their young children at port until they're old enough to properly join a crew, and Quel's parents were no different. Once they were old enough, Quel and his sisters were left in Waterdeep with their groundling relatives for an upbringing more diverse than life aboard ship could offer. Although Quel was aggrieved to leave his friend behind, Leuk softened the blow by giving Quel a near perfect replica of the blade, and Quel was delighted to find he could still feel the blade's rhythm distantly through its duplicate.<br />
<br />
Even in Waterdeep, Quel's grandmother's values still ruled the family, so while his sisters were kept close to learn an adapted version of a drow matriarch's education, Quel and his male cousins were left to discover whatever small interests they might find in the city at large, often falling in with its seedier elements. Quel himself found that lurking in the city was other music that sometimes reminded him of the secret blade song but other times was quite unlike it but rang with a power of its own. He felt its rhythm echoed in clashing blades and skirmishes that broke out in the streets.<br />
<br />
Once Quel was old enough to truly work with a blade, he took up formal training through his family while wandering the dock ward's seedier establishments for those who would teach him the dirtier and flashier elements of swordplay. He also picked up the bits of song here and there that contained real power. Here, he met Lord Drylund, a visitor from up north who saw great potential in the young man and offered to apprentice him on his riverboat out of Yartar, the ''Grande Dame''. Intrigued, Quel left Waterdeep to see what Lord Drylund could offer.<br />
<br />
To Quel's delight, Lord Drylund offered a fuller course than Quel's own family had bothered to. Quel learned true art and extensive blade craft from bards and martial experts that Lord Drylund invited aboard the riverboat for Quel's benefit. Most important to Lord Drylund himself, Quel proved an aptitude at Lord Drylund's own passion: gambling. By the end of his apprenticeship, Quel was a gifted performer, fearsome tough, and sly gambler sometimes able to beat Lord Drylund at his own games.<br />
<br />
It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of one of Lord Drylund's regulars: Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, a mercenary captain out of Triboar. Clint was an alluringly dangerous man who offered to show Quel another outlet for his talents. Over Lord Drylund's objections, Quel signed on for a tour with the Rime Coil. Quel soon learned that the mercenary corps were in the employ of the Zhentarim, and Clint was one of their Vipers. In their easy violence, Quel heard for the first time since his childhood the whispers of the secret blade. And in Clint himself, Quel found another outlet for his passions.<br />
<br />
When Quel returned to the ''Grande Dame'', Lord Drylund scorned the young man's intoxication with Clint and the Zhentarim and demanded that his protege denounce any future allegiance with them. After an impassioned argument, Quel left the ''Grande Dame'' to seek his own fortunes with the Zhentarim.<br />
<br />
However, Lord Drylund's teachings still sat well with Quel, and he decided that rather than sign on with the Rime Coil under Clint, he would operate as his own man. He took up the persona of Quell the Rising Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.<br />
<br />
==Traits==<br />
===Racial Traits===<br />
* '''Darkvision:''' 60 ft.<br />
* '''Fey Ancestry:''' You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep<br />
===Class Traits===<br />
* '''Spellcasting:''' ''DC 15, +7 • 3 Bard/2 Warlock Cantrips • Spells/Day: 4/3/3 • Spells/Rest: 3''<br />
* '''Spells Known:''' 2/8<br />
** ''Cantrips:'' Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation<br />
** ''First Level:'' Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Hex, Shield, Thunderwave<br />
** ''Second Level:'' Detect Thoughts, Locate Object (Sub Shatter), Natural Attunement (free blessing from Gwaeron)<br />
** ''Third Level:'' Dispel Magic, Sending, Tongues<br />
* '''Bardic Inspiration:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 ft who can hear you to gain one Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls but before knowing if the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (4) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.<br />
* '''Song of Rest:''' During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain additional hp when they spend hit dice based on your level (1d8)<br />
* '''Expertise:''' Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with chosen proficiencies (2 at 3rd lvl, 2 more at 10th) 3rd: Stealth & Persuasion<br />
* '''Font of Inspiration:''' You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Countercharm:''' As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet who can hear you have advantage of saving throws against being frightened or charmed. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it.<br />
<br />
===Specialty Traits===<br />
* '''Hexblade's Curse:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:<br />
**You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.<br />
**Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.<br />
**If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (3).<br />
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Hex Warrior:''' Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.<br />
* '''Two-Weapon Fighting:''' When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.<br />
* '''Blade Flourish:''' You perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.<br />
** '''Defensive Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.<br />
** '''Slashing Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.<br />
** '''Mobile Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.<br />
<br />
===Background Traits===<br />
* '''Entertainer Routines:''' Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist<br />
* '''By Popular Demand:''' You can always find a place to perform, an inn, tavern, circus, theater, or even noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food as long as you perform. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in locales you've performed, they generally take a liking to you.<br />
<br />
===Faction Traits: Zhentarim (Rank 2 - Wolf)===<br />
'''Current Renown:''' 4 (Rank 2 @ 3 renown)<br />
'''Prerequisite:''' Rank 1 and Zhentarim renown 3+<br />
* '''Secret Missions:''' You may now occasionally be assigned secret missions that you are required to fulfill. Though you do not have a sponsor any longer, you are part of a pyramid of operatives, and the assignment may come down from any part of that chain above you. Though you may not be required to accept the mission, they are often the most reliable way to continue advancing in the organization.<br />
* '''Flying Snake:''' You are granted a flying snake. During a long rest, it becomes accustomed to you and stays near you at all times. Its only benefit is to deliver written missives or small bags (with single gems or a few coins). During a short rest, you can write a message and release your flying snake, which will fly back to a single central point, usually to the handler where you got the snake from. Flying snakes can fly 72 miles per day. If you will be in the same place, the snake can be sent back to you. Alternately, you can simply pick another one up at a Zhentarim stronghold elsewhere.<br />
* '''Operating Capital Loans:''' By this point, you are expected to manage your finances and accomplish things on behalf of the faction based on your own prosperity. That said, this is not always possible. You have the option of sacrificing a point of your Zhentarim renown to gain funds for a Zhentarim project. This amount is 300gp plus 100gp per your rating in Zhentarim renown before you sacrifice the point. If you pay the loan back, you may recover the point of renown; there is no requirement that you do so, however. You will not be able to use this feature again, in either case, until your renown is at least one point higher than it was before you made the sacrifice.<br />
* '''Lifestyle Increase:''' Money travels up the chain in the Zhentarim, and you are expected to show the coin of your success to your superiors, to help finance their endeavors. Your Lifestyle costs increase by 1gp per tenday (or 3gp per month).<br />
* '''Mercenaries:''' Because Zhentarim plans may require some extra muscle, you have the right to requisition a small group of Zhentarim mercenaries. You may keep them for up to a month, without charge; when you do so, you may receive one '''guard''' for every point of renown you have above 2. You may trade in two of these mercenaries to gain a '''veteran''', though you can only do this once. These mercenaries work for one of your superiors, but are willing to follow you during that time.<br />
* '''Trained in Terror:''' Zhentarim train their agents to invoke fear in others. You become proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this skill, choose another skill from your class list options instead.<br />
* '''Tool Training:''' You may go to the faction for training in useful tools. When you take the ''Training'' downtime action to gain proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit, or thieves' tools, you may do so at half the time and cost.<br />
<br />
==Feats==<br />
None<br />
<br />
Learning Jotun x/100 days<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* '''Coins:''' x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x<br />
* '''Gems:''' x<br />
===Magic Items===<br />
* Voidsong<br />
* Shortsword +1<br />
* Wand of Lightning (Rune-Seeker)<br />
* Bag of Holding<br />
* Arming Ring<br />
* Mac-Fuimidh Cittern<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
===Carried Equipment===<br />
* '''Worn:''' Breastplate, Cloak of Protection, Longbow<br />
* '''Belt:''' Belt Pouch, Black Longsword, Dagger<br />
* '''Backpack:''' 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Mac-Fuimidh Cittern, Trinket from Admirer <br />
* '''Saddle Pack:''' 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Rapier, Hand Crossbow<br />
<br />
===Animals===<br />
* '''Moonglow:''' Dappled Gray Riding Horse<br />
<br />
===Stored Equipment===<br />
* x<br />
===Lifestyle===<br />
* '''xxx:''' ''(x gp/day)''. x<br />
==Faction & Organization Lore==<br />
===[[Shattered_Covenant_Group_Patron#Leadership|Darburl]]===<br />
[[Image:Darburl-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
The following are locations and people you know are associated with the Darburl, and to whom you can go should you be in the area. Other areas may have Darburl representatives, but they are not currently known to you. ('''Mothers & Fathers''' are leaders in the organization; '''Aunts & Uncles''' are lieutenants, each usually with a specialty of some kind.)<br />
* '''The Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Daggerford:'' Mother Arcric, the halfling barkeep at Tyrmora's Cup.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' Uncle Dunlis Arcri, stablemaster at the inn in Nightstone.<br />
* '''The Dessarin Valley:''' ''Westbridge:'' Father Thentilyr, a half-orc who runs a local slaughterhouse<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Aunt Klethja Thentilyr, a gnome farmer at the Goldshine Farm, who specializes in recruitment.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' Uncle Discretion Thentilyr, a tiefling fence and smuggler, who operates a message and package courier service<br />
* '''The Sword Mountains:''' ''Leilon:'' Mother Thentilyr, a dwarf woman who runs an eatery<br />
** ''Waterdeep:'' Aunt Alindue Thentilyr, a festhall opera singer who specializes in contacts<br />
* '''The Silver Marches & Delzoun:''' ''Everlund:'' Mother Dlarhund, a genderfluid half-elf innkeep<br />
** ''Sundabar:'' Uncle Kentar Dlarhund, a dwarven washerman<br />
* '''Neverwinter Wood:''' ''Helm's Hold:'' Father Dlarhund, a rotund human fighter who teaches combat skills<br />
* '''The Frozenfar:''' ''Mirabar:'' Father Arcri, a young human finesmith<br />
<hr /><br />
<br />
===[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]]===<br />
[[Image:Zhentarim-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
[[Shattered Covenant Faction NPCs#The Zhentarim|Zhentarim NPCs]]<br><br />
The following are locations with Zhentarim holdings, including a leader of at least Rank 3 stationed there.<br />
* '''Anaruoch:''' ''The Black Road'', a trade route entirely owned by the Zhentarim, used for trade between the North and other parts of Faerûn without having to pass through the Western Heartlands.<br />
* '''Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Loudwater:'' The current High Lord of the town is a well-paid agent of the Zhentarim who maintains the Network's interests there. The Zhentarim has ample forces in Loudwater, but it keeps them hidden away, both disguised in-town, and in out-of-the-way wilderness outposts.<br />
** ''Daggerford:'' The Snail, found at one of the local taverns, is the main Zhentarim operative in Daggerford.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' The Seven Serpents, a small troop of specialist mercenaries, have been hired to patrol the wilderness around Nightstone.<br />
* '''Dessarin Valley:''' ''Bargewright Inn:'' The closest thing the Zhentarim has to a central headquarters in the North. The inn itself is a Zhentish holding, although that ownership is kept subtle. Show Zhent coins for free room and board.<br />
** ''Rassalantar:'' The innkeep of the Sleeping Dragon inn is a Network agent and provides aid to his fellows.<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Triboar Travelers is operated by a member of the Network, and flies the Zhentarim sigil openly upon its sign.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' The Black Network has a coster-house and barracks here, doing business with merchants. They also have inroads with the local thieves guild, the all-female Hand of Yartar.<br />
* '''The Fallen Lands:''' The villages where the Black Road out of Anauroch enters the North (Parnast, Llorkh, Orlbar) are all Zhentarim-controlled, by and large (though the control is more or less overt, depending on the site).<br />
* '''Silver Marches:''' ''Everlund:'' The northernmost Zhentarim outpost, in the form of a coster-house and mercenary barracks.<br />
* '''Sword Mountains:''' ''Waterdeep:'' Several groups of Zhentarim operate out of Waterdeep. The public face for the Network are the Doom Raiders, a band of adventurers who also act as defacto leadership for the merchant and mercenary bands. There is also a more secretive faction within the Zhentarim who operate on their own, eschewing connections to the Doom Raiders and the rest of the organization.<br />
* '''Western Heartlands:''' ''Baldur's Gate:'' The city contains a major Zhentarim mercenary and coster holding in the city, defensible, with barracks space<br />
** ''Darkhold'', the central operational citadel for the Zhentarim, is in the Far Hills. It is home to many of its leaders and top operatives.<br />
<br />
==Important Individuals==<br />
* x</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63770Nyle Caeden2021-08-09T23:57:25Z<p>Josh: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
Nyle soon discovered that, as is often the case in House Caeden's affairs, there had been another motive behind his placement with House Kylervus. Nyle had settled in well with the House, and his position as page allowed him to observe its inner workings unguarded. On his second attendance at Summer Court with the House, he noticed an uncommon closeness between Lady Kylervus and Crown Persym Ylrath. As had become customary, Nyle's parents questioned him closely about his experiences while visiting with him, and, even though he knew his observations were valuable, Nyle shared them without appreciating the ill to which they could be used.<br />
<br />
Before that Summer Court had ended, House Caeden had used their knowledge of the intimacy between Lady Kylervus and the current Crown to secure a new and valuable domain for themselves. Nyle returned to Three-Rivers with House Kylervus and saw the pall that had settled over the family in the wake of being blackmailed. If the lady or any of her children ever knew of Nyle's role, they never acknowledged it to him, but he felt it keenly. House Kylervus had been kind to him, and Nyle returned their kindness by giving advantage to his own family. The incident hardened Nyle's distaste toward his family's beloved intrigues, and he determined never to engage in them himself.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63769Nyle Caeden2021-08-09T23:04:31Z<p>Josh: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
As Nyle grew older, his parents began to look for ways to put their son's nature to the House's better use. Nyle was already better read than his siblings, so the path of an academically minded knight-sophiste seemed a natural fit, which Nyle himself already aspired to. They arranged a placement as page to House Kylervus, and Nyle soon found himself enchanted by the lush Three-Rivers lands, where a wealth of new botanical pursuits awaited.<br />
<br />
Here, he also met Vaenda Durwald, who was serving as handmaid to the Lady Kylervus. The two got on well, both sharing a natural intellectual curiosity. Vaenda was also sympathetic to Nyle's complaints about his family's disregard for such matters, especially his elder siblings' dismissals. Nyle, in turn, was enchanted by Vaenda's tales of her family's high regard toward honor and duty, and he came to see House Durwald's history as the perfect example of what a true noble House should aspire to. Lord Durwald's founding of Gatewatch Academy to safeguard the rule of law and virtue signaled to Nyle the House's dedication to its great ideals.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63765Nyle Caeden2021-08-09T21:25:43Z<p>Josh: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
Nyle was born the third child of House Caeden to parents in the prime of their political power. His elder siblings, sister Octanda and brother Clyvus, were raised to wield the house's power through the shrewd use of wealth and prestige in the family's time-honored tradition. Nyle, however, was always more taken with his family's estates, at home in their extensive gardens bejeweled with golden apiaries. He spent many days exploring the flowers and herbs growing on the estates, pestering the attendants to answer his many questions, and reading botanical books he'd begged his parents to acquire on his behalf.<br />
<br />
His parents found Nyle's fascinations almost beneath the attention of their child, but in his youth, they were too engaged in their own maneuverings while properly raising their heir and second child to pay it too much mind. Nyle was regarded as the sweet but perhaps too simple child whose quirks were indulged because his elder siblings showed appropriate promise in the correct pursuits.<br />
<br />
Nyle was not so simple as his parents sometimes imagined, though, and even as a child understood much of the machinations occurring around him as House Caeden worked to advance itself even if he cared little for it himself. Octanda and Clyvus, more favored to the house, often stuck together and scoffed at their younger brother's bookishness, which only encouraged Nyle's disdain toward those things they, and his house as a whole, valued.<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63759Nyle Caeden2021-08-09T20:20:44Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63653Nyle Caeden2021-07-27T09:15:39Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I, Knowledge Focus (Nature)<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63632Nyle Caeden2021-07-27T02:03:01Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=Optimistic<br />
|Vice=Stubborn<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound, Knowledge Focus (Nature)<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63630Nyle Caeden2021-07-27T02:02:17Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 1B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4 (Education 1B)<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound, Knowledge Focus (Nature)<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63629Nyle Caeden2021-07-26T09:51:40Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Nyle_Caeden.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 2B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=File:Nyle_Caeden.jpg&diff=63628File:Nyle Caeden.jpg2021-07-26T09:50:54Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Quel_Melarn&diff=63624Quel Melarn2021-07-26T00:14:04Z<p>Josh: /* Magic Items */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{DND5CharacterSheet<br />
|Image=[[Image:Quel_Melarn.jpg|center|350 px]]<br />
|CharacterName=Quel Melarn<br />
|Race=Half-elf (Drow)<br />
|Class=Bard 6 (College of Swords)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)<br />
|Background=Entertainer<br />
|Alignment=Chaotic Neutral<br />
|Patron Deity=Eilistraee<br />
|Factions=[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]] 5<br />
|Ability Scores=Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2);<br> Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 18 (+4)<br />
|Bonus=+2<br />
|Saving Throws=Dexterity & Charisma<br />
|Skills=Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Performance, Persuasion*, Sleight of Hand, Stealth* <br />
|Tools=Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp<br />
|Languages=Common, Deep Drow, Espruar<br />
|Armor=Light, Medium, Shield<br />
|Weapons=Simple, Martial<br />
|Traits=TRAITS<br />
|Attacks=• ''xxx:'' +x, xdx+x, TRAITS<br />
|Armor Class=18<br />
|Initiative=+3<br />
|Speed=30 ft<br />
|Feats=None<br />
|Hit Points=60<br />
|Hit Dice=6d8<br />
|Personality=PERSONALITY<br />
|Ideals=IDEALS<br />
|Bonds=BONDS<br />
|Flaws=FLAWS<br />
}}<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
''words'' -Attribution<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
Quel remembers two things about the pirate ship he was born on: they sailed so close to the stars that they could touch them, and his father kept a blade hidden away that whispered to Quel to play. His mother Ilya was always busy captaining the ship, and his father Leuk, her first mate, was lax in keeping the children in order. Quel, in fact, had many moments to devote to his sword friend. His grandmother Amalya was a drow who had left the Underdark to seek the truth of the moon herself, and she held the women in her line to a high standard. The men, of course, couldn't be expected to achieve much of anything worthwhile, so while Quel's mother focused on Quel's two sisters, Quel himself was left to whatever his father deemed important to a young child, which was very little apart from basic ship work.<br />
<br />
The secret blade's whispers had a fascinating cadence, one that sometimes blended with the shanties the pirates sang while Quel worked among them, but only Quel seemed to hear it. Still, it was always there, a song and rhythm hidden in the daily life of the ship. Whenever he could, Quel stole away to play with the sword, and in truth, his father was bemused to find Quel shirking his duties for swordplay.<br />
<br />
The ship would sometimes dock in the port of Waterdeep, in part because Amalya had emerged from the Underdark there, and Ilya had an older sister and brother who still lived in the city. Pirates often leave their young children at port until they're old enough to properly join a crew, and Quel's parents were no different. Once they were old enough, Quel and his sisters were left in Waterdeep with their groundling relatives for an upbringing more diverse than life aboard ship could offer. Although Quel was aggrieved to leave his friend behind, Leuk softened the blow by giving Quel a near perfect replica of the blade, and Quel was delighted to find he could still feel the blade's rhythm distantly through its duplicate.<br />
<br />
Even in Waterdeep, Quel's grandmother's values still ruled the family, so while his sisters were kept close to learn an adapted version of a drow matriarch's education, Quel and his male cousins were left to discover whatever small interests they might find in the city at large, often falling in with its seedier elements. Quel himself found that lurking in the city was other music that sometimes reminded him of the secret blade song but other times was quite unlike it but rang with a power of its own. He felt its rhythm echoed in clashing blades and skirmishes that broke out in the streets.<br />
<br />
Once Quel was old enough to truly work with a blade, he took up formal training through his family while wandering the dock ward's seedier establishments for those who would teach him the dirtier and flashier elements of swordplay. He also picked up the bits of song here and there that contained real power. Here, he met Lord Drylund, a visitor from up north who saw great potential in the young man and offered to apprentice him on his riverboat out of Yartar, the ''Grande Dame''. Intrigued, Quel left Waterdeep to see what Lord Drylund could offer.<br />
<br />
To Quel's delight, Lord Drylund offered a fuller course than Quel's own family had bothered to. Quel learned true art and extensive blade craft from bards and martial experts that Lord Drylund invited aboard the riverboat for Quel's benefit. Most important to Lord Drylund himself, Quel proved an aptitude at Lord Drylund's own passion: gambling. By the end of his apprenticeship, Quel was a gifted performer, fearsome tough, and sly gambler sometimes able to beat Lord Drylund at his own games.<br />
<br />
It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of one of Lord Drylund's regulars: Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, a mercenary captain out of Triboar. Clint was an alluringly dangerous man who offered to show Quel another outlet for his talents. Over Lord Drylund's objections, Quel signed on for a tour with the Rime Coil. Quel soon learned that the mercenary corps were in the employ of the Zhentarim, and Clint was one of their Vipers. In their easy violence, Quel heard for the first time since his childhood the whispers of the secret blade. And in Clint himself, Quel found another outlet for his passions.<br />
<br />
When Quel returned to the ''Grande Dame'', Lord Drylund scorned the young man's intoxication with Clint and the Zhentarim and demanded that his protege denounce any future allegiance with them. After an impassioned argument, Quel left the ''Grande Dame'' to seek his own fortunes with the Zhentarim.<br />
<br />
However, Lord Drylund's teachings still sat well with Quel, and he decided that rather than sign on with the Rime Coil under Clint, he would operate as his own man. He took up the persona of Quell the Rising Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.<br />
<br />
==Traits==<br />
===Racial Traits===<br />
* '''Darkvision:''' 60 ft.<br />
* '''Fey Ancestry:''' You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep<br />
===Class Traits===<br />
* '''Spellcasting:''' ''DC 15, +7 • 3 Bard/2 Warlock Cantrips • Spells/Day: 4/3/3 • Spells/Rest: 3''<br />
* '''Spells Known:''' 2/8<br />
** ''Cantrips:'' Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation<br />
** ''First Level:'' Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Hex, Shield, Thunderwave<br />
** ''Second Level:'' Detect Thoughts, Locate Object (Sub Shatter), Natural Attunement (free blessing from Gwaeron)<br />
** ''Third Level:'' Dispel Magic, Sending, Tongues<br />
* '''Bardic Inspiration:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 ft who can hear you to gain one Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls but before knowing if the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (4) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.<br />
* '''Song of Rest:''' During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain additional hp when they spend hit dice based on your level (1d8)<br />
* '''Expertise:''' Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with chosen proficiencies (2 at 3rd lvl, 2 more at 10th) 3rd: Stealth & Persuasion<br />
* '''Font of Inspiration:''' You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Countercharm:''' As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet who can hear you have advantage of saving throws against being frightened or charmed. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it.<br />
<br />
===Specialty Traits===<br />
* '''Hexblade's Curse:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:<br />
**You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.<br />
**Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.<br />
**If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (3).<br />
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Hex Warrior:''' Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.<br />
* '''Two-Weapon Fighting:''' When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.<br />
* '''Blade Flourish:''' You perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.<br />
** '''Defensive Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.<br />
** '''Slashing Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.<br />
** '''Mobile Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.<br />
<br />
===Background Traits===<br />
* '''Entertainer Routines:''' Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist<br />
* '''By Popular Demand:''' You can always find a place to perform, an inn, tavern, circus, theater, or even noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food as long as you perform. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in locales you've performed, they generally take a liking to you.<br />
<br />
===Faction Traits: Zhentarim (Rank 2 - Wolf)===<br />
'''Current Renown:''' 4 (Rank 2 @ 3 renown)<br />
'''Prerequisite:''' Rank 1 and Zhentarim renown 3+<br />
* '''Secret Missions:''' You may now occasionally be assigned secret missions that you are required to fulfill. Though you do not have a sponsor any longer, you are part of a pyramid of operatives, and the assignment may come down from any part of that chain above you. Though you may not be required to accept the mission, they are often the most reliable way to continue advancing in the organization.<br />
* '''Flying Snake:''' You are granted a flying snake. During a long rest, it becomes accustomed to you and stays near you at all times. Its only benefit is to deliver written missives or small bags (with single gems or a few coins). During a short rest, you can write a message and release your flying snake, which will fly back to a single central point, usually to the handler where you got the snake from. Flying snakes can fly 72 miles per day. If you will be in the same place, the snake can be sent back to you. Alternately, you can simply pick another one up at a Zhentarim stronghold elsewhere.<br />
* '''Operating Capital Loans:''' By this point, you are expected to manage your finances and accomplish things on behalf of the faction based on your own prosperity. That said, this is not always possible. You have the option of sacrificing a point of your Zhentarim renown to gain funds for a Zhentarim project. This amount is 300gp plus 100gp per your rating in Zhentarim renown before you sacrifice the point. If you pay the loan back, you may recover the point of renown; there is no requirement that you do so, however. You will not be able to use this feature again, in either case, until your renown is at least one point higher than it was before you made the sacrifice.<br />
* '''Lifestyle Increase:''' Money travels up the chain in the Zhentarim, and you are expected to show the coin of your success to your superiors, to help finance their endeavors. Your Lifestyle costs increase by 1gp per tenday (or 3gp per month).<br />
* '''Mercenaries:''' Because Zhentarim plans may require some extra muscle, you have the right to requisition a small group of Zhentarim mercenaries. You may keep them for up to a month, without charge; when you do so, you may receive one '''guard''' for every point of renown you have above 2. You may trade in two of these mercenaries to gain a '''veteran''', though you can only do this once. These mercenaries work for one of your superiors, but are willing to follow you during that time.<br />
* '''Trained in Terror:''' Zhentarim train their agents to invoke fear in others. You become proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this skill, choose another skill from your class list options instead.<br />
* '''Tool Training:''' You may go to the faction for training in useful tools. When you take the ''Training'' downtime action to gain proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit, or thieves' tools, you may do so at half the time and cost.<br />
<br />
==Feats==<br />
None<br />
<br />
Learning Jotun x/100 days<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* '''Coins:''' x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x<br />
* '''Gems:''' x<br />
===Magic Items===<br />
* Voidsong<br />
* Shortsword +1<br />
* Wand of Lightning (Rune-Seeker)<br />
* Bag of Holding<br />
* Arming Ring<br />
* Mac-Fuimidh Cittern<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
===Carried Equipment===<br />
* '''Worn:''' Breastplate, Cloak of Protection, Longbow<br />
* '''Belt:''' Belt Pouch, Black Longsword, Dagger<br />
* '''Backpack:''' 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Mac-Fuimidh Cittern, Trinket from Admirer <br />
* '''Saddle Pack:''' 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Rapier, Hand Crossbow<br />
<br />
===Animals===<br />
* '''Moonglow:''' Dappled Gray Riding Horse<br />
<br />
===Stored Equipment===<br />
* x<br />
===Lifestyle===<br />
* '''xxx:''' ''(x gp/day)''. x<br />
==Faction & Organization Lore==<br />
===[[Shattered_Covenant_Group_Patron#Leadership|Darburl]]===<br />
[[Image:Darburl-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
The following are locations and people you know are associated with the Darburl, and to whom you can go should you be in the area. Other areas may have Darburl representatives, but they are not currently known to you. ('''Mothers & Fathers''' are leaders in the organization; '''Aunts & Uncles''' are lieutenants, each usually with a specialty of some kind.)<br />
* '''The Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Daggerford:'' Mother Arcric, the halfling barkeep at Tyrmora's Cup.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' Uncle Dunlis Arcri, stablemaster at the inn in Nightstone.<br />
* '''The Dessarin Valley:''' ''Westbridge:'' Father Thentilyr, a half-orc who runs a local slaughterhouse<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Aunt Klethja Thentilyr, a gnome farmer at the Goldshine Farm, who specializes in recruitment.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' Uncle Discretion Thentilyr, a tiefling fence and smuggler, who operates a message and package courier service<br />
* '''The Sword Mountains:''' ''Leilon:'' Mother Thentilyr, a dwarf woman who runs an eatery<br />
** ''Waterdeep:'' Aunt Alindue Thentilyr, a festhall opera singer who specializes in contacts<br />
* '''The Silver Marches & Delzoun:''' ''Everlund:'' Mother Dlarhund, a genderfluid half-elf innkeep<br />
** ''Sundabar:'' Uncle Kentar Dlarhund, a dwarven washerman<br />
* '''Neverwinter Wood:''' ''Helm's Hold:'' Father Dlarhund, a rotund human fighter who teaches combat skills<br />
* '''The Frozenfar:''' ''Mirabar:'' Father Arcri, a young human finesmith<br />
<hr /><br />
<br />
===[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]]===<br />
[[Image:Zhentarim-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
[[Shattered Covenant Faction NPCs#The Zhentarim|Zhentarim NPCs]]<br><br />
The following are locations with Zhentarim holdings, including a leader of at least Rank 3 stationed there.<br />
* '''Anaruoch:''' ''The Black Road'', a trade route entirely owned by the Zhentarim, used for trade between the North and other parts of Faerûn without having to pass through the Western Heartlands.<br />
* '''Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Loudwater:'' The current High Lord of the town is a well-paid agent of the Zhentarim who maintains the Network's interests there. The Zhentarim has ample forces in Loudwater, but it keeps them hidden away, both disguised in-town, and in out-of-the-way wilderness outposts.<br />
** ''Daggerford:'' The Snail, found at one of the local taverns, is the main Zhentarim operative in Daggerford.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' The Seven Serpents, a small troop of specialist mercenaries, have been hired to patrol the wilderness around Nightstone.<br />
* '''Dessarin Valley:''' ''Bargewright Inn:'' The closest thing the Zhentarim has to a central headquarters in the North. The inn itself is a Zhentish holding, although that ownership is kept subtle. Show Zhent coins for free room and board.<br />
** ''Rassalantar:'' The innkeep of the Sleeping Dragon inn is a Network agent and provides aid to his fellows.<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Triboar Travelers is operated by a member of the Network, and flies the Zhentarim sigil openly upon its sign.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' The Black Network has a coster-house and barracks here, doing business with merchants. They also have inroads with the local thieves guild, the all-female Hand of Yartar.<br />
* '''The Fallen Lands:''' The villages where the Black Road out of Anauroch enters the North (Parnast, Llorkh, Orlbar) are all Zhentarim-controlled, by and large (though the control is more or less overt, depending on the site).<br />
* '''Silver Marches:''' ''Everlund:'' The northernmost Zhentarim outpost, in the form of a coster-house and mercenary barracks.<br />
* '''Sword Mountains:''' ''Waterdeep:'' Several groups of Zhentarim operate out of Waterdeep. The public face for the Network are the Doom Raiders, a band of adventurers who also act as defacto leadership for the merchant and mercenary bands. There is also a more secretive faction within the Zhentarim who operate on their own, eschewing connections to the Doom Raiders and the rest of the organization.<br />
* '''Western Heartlands:''' ''Baldur's Gate:'' The city contains a major Zhentarim mercenary and coster holding in the city, defensible, with barracks space<br />
** ''Darkhold'', the central operational citadel for the Zhentarim, is in the Far Hills. It is home to many of its leaders and top operatives.<br />
<br />
==Important Individuals==<br />
* x</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Quel_Melarn&diff=63623Quel Melarn2021-07-26T00:13:39Z<p>Josh: /* Magic Items */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{DND5CharacterSheet<br />
|Image=[[Image:Quel_Melarn.jpg|center|350 px]]<br />
|CharacterName=Quel Melarn<br />
|Race=Half-elf (Drow)<br />
|Class=Bard 6 (College of Swords)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)<br />
|Background=Entertainer<br />
|Alignment=Chaotic Neutral<br />
|Patron Deity=Eilistraee<br />
|Factions=[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]] 5<br />
|Ability Scores=Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2);<br> Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 18 (+4)<br />
|Bonus=+2<br />
|Saving Throws=Dexterity & Charisma<br />
|Skills=Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Performance, Persuasion*, Sleight of Hand, Stealth* <br />
|Tools=Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp<br />
|Languages=Common, Deep Drow, Espruar<br />
|Armor=Light, Medium, Shield<br />
|Weapons=Simple, Martial<br />
|Traits=TRAITS<br />
|Attacks=• ''xxx:'' +x, xdx+x, TRAITS<br />
|Armor Class=18<br />
|Initiative=+3<br />
|Speed=30 ft<br />
|Feats=None<br />
|Hit Points=60<br />
|Hit Dice=6d8<br />
|Personality=PERSONALITY<br />
|Ideals=IDEALS<br />
|Bonds=BONDS<br />
|Flaws=FLAWS<br />
}}<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
''words'' -Attribution<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
Quel remembers two things about the pirate ship he was born on: they sailed so close to the stars that they could touch them, and his father kept a blade hidden away that whispered to Quel to play. His mother Ilya was always busy captaining the ship, and his father Leuk, her first mate, was lax in keeping the children in order. Quel, in fact, had many moments to devote to his sword friend. His grandmother Amalya was a drow who had left the Underdark to seek the truth of the moon herself, and she held the women in her line to a high standard. The men, of course, couldn't be expected to achieve much of anything worthwhile, so while Quel's mother focused on Quel's two sisters, Quel himself was left to whatever his father deemed important to a young child, which was very little apart from basic ship work.<br />
<br />
The secret blade's whispers had a fascinating cadence, one that sometimes blended with the shanties the pirates sang while Quel worked among them, but only Quel seemed to hear it. Still, it was always there, a song and rhythm hidden in the daily life of the ship. Whenever he could, Quel stole away to play with the sword, and in truth, his father was bemused to find Quel shirking his duties for swordplay.<br />
<br />
The ship would sometimes dock in the port of Waterdeep, in part because Amalya had emerged from the Underdark there, and Ilya had an older sister and brother who still lived in the city. Pirates often leave their young children at port until they're old enough to properly join a crew, and Quel's parents were no different. Once they were old enough, Quel and his sisters were left in Waterdeep with their groundling relatives for an upbringing more diverse than life aboard ship could offer. Although Quel was aggrieved to leave his friend behind, Leuk softened the blow by giving Quel a near perfect replica of the blade, and Quel was delighted to find he could still feel the blade's rhythm distantly through its duplicate.<br />
<br />
Even in Waterdeep, Quel's grandmother's values still ruled the family, so while his sisters were kept close to learn an adapted version of a drow matriarch's education, Quel and his male cousins were left to discover whatever small interests they might find in the city at large, often falling in with its seedier elements. Quel himself found that lurking in the city was other music that sometimes reminded him of the secret blade song but other times was quite unlike it but rang with a power of its own. He felt its rhythm echoed in clashing blades and skirmishes that broke out in the streets.<br />
<br />
Once Quel was old enough to truly work with a blade, he took up formal training through his family while wandering the dock ward's seedier establishments for those who would teach him the dirtier and flashier elements of swordplay. He also picked up the bits of song here and there that contained real power. Here, he met Lord Drylund, a visitor from up north who saw great potential in the young man and offered to apprentice him on his riverboat out of Yartar, the ''Grande Dame''. Intrigued, Quel left Waterdeep to see what Lord Drylund could offer.<br />
<br />
To Quel's delight, Lord Drylund offered a fuller course than Quel's own family had bothered to. Quel learned true art and extensive blade craft from bards and martial experts that Lord Drylund invited aboard the riverboat for Quel's benefit. Most important to Lord Drylund himself, Quel proved an aptitude at Lord Drylund's own passion: gambling. By the end of his apprenticeship, Quel was a gifted performer, fearsome tough, and sly gambler sometimes able to beat Lord Drylund at his own games.<br />
<br />
It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of one of Lord Drylund's regulars: Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, a mercenary captain out of Triboar. Clint was an alluringly dangerous man who offered to show Quel another outlet for his talents. Over Lord Drylund's objections, Quel signed on for a tour with the Rime Coil. Quel soon learned that the mercenary corps were in the employ of the Zhentarim, and Clint was one of their Vipers. In their easy violence, Quel heard for the first time since his childhood the whispers of the secret blade. And in Clint himself, Quel found another outlet for his passions.<br />
<br />
When Quel returned to the ''Grande Dame'', Lord Drylund scorned the young man's intoxication with Clint and the Zhentarim and demanded that his protege denounce any future allegiance with them. After an impassioned argument, Quel left the ''Grande Dame'' to seek his own fortunes with the Zhentarim.<br />
<br />
However, Lord Drylund's teachings still sat well with Quel, and he decided that rather than sign on with the Rime Coil under Clint, he would operate as his own man. He took up the persona of Quell the Rising Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.<br />
<br />
==Traits==<br />
===Racial Traits===<br />
* '''Darkvision:''' 60 ft.<br />
* '''Fey Ancestry:''' You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep<br />
===Class Traits===<br />
* '''Spellcasting:''' ''DC 15, +7 • 3 Bard/2 Warlock Cantrips • Spells/Day: 4/3/3 • Spells/Rest: 3''<br />
* '''Spells Known:''' 2/8<br />
** ''Cantrips:'' Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation<br />
** ''First Level:'' Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Hex, Shield, Thunderwave<br />
** ''Second Level:'' Detect Thoughts, Locate Object (Sub Shatter), Natural Attunement (free blessing from Gwaeron)<br />
** ''Third Level:'' Dispel Magic, Sending, Tongues<br />
* '''Bardic Inspiration:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 ft who can hear you to gain one Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls but before knowing if the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (4) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.<br />
* '''Song of Rest:''' During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain additional hp when they spend hit dice based on your level (1d8)<br />
* '''Expertise:''' Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with chosen proficiencies (2 at 3rd lvl, 2 more at 10th) 3rd: Stealth & Persuasion<br />
* '''Font of Inspiration:''' You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Countercharm:''' As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet who can hear you have advantage of saving throws against being frightened or charmed. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it.<br />
<br />
===Specialty Traits===<br />
* '''Hexblade's Curse:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:<br />
**You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.<br />
**Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.<br />
**If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (3).<br />
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Hex Warrior:''' Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.<br />
* '''Two-Weapon Fighting:''' When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.<br />
* '''Blade Flourish:''' You perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.<br />
** '''Defensive Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.<br />
** '''Slashing Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.<br />
** '''Mobile Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.<br />
<br />
===Background Traits===<br />
* '''Entertainer Routines:''' Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist<br />
* '''By Popular Demand:''' You can always find a place to perform, an inn, tavern, circus, theater, or even noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food as long as you perform. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in locales you've performed, they generally take a liking to you.<br />
<br />
===Faction Traits: Zhentarim (Rank 2 - Wolf)===<br />
'''Current Renown:''' 4 (Rank 2 @ 3 renown)<br />
'''Prerequisite:''' Rank 1 and Zhentarim renown 3+<br />
* '''Secret Missions:''' You may now occasionally be assigned secret missions that you are required to fulfill. Though you do not have a sponsor any longer, you are part of a pyramid of operatives, and the assignment may come down from any part of that chain above you. Though you may not be required to accept the mission, they are often the most reliable way to continue advancing in the organization.<br />
* '''Flying Snake:''' You are granted a flying snake. During a long rest, it becomes accustomed to you and stays near you at all times. Its only benefit is to deliver written missives or small bags (with single gems or a few coins). During a short rest, you can write a message and release your flying snake, which will fly back to a single central point, usually to the handler where you got the snake from. Flying snakes can fly 72 miles per day. If you will be in the same place, the snake can be sent back to you. Alternately, you can simply pick another one up at a Zhentarim stronghold elsewhere.<br />
* '''Operating Capital Loans:''' By this point, you are expected to manage your finances and accomplish things on behalf of the faction based on your own prosperity. That said, this is not always possible. You have the option of sacrificing a point of your Zhentarim renown to gain funds for a Zhentarim project. This amount is 300gp plus 100gp per your rating in Zhentarim renown before you sacrifice the point. If you pay the loan back, you may recover the point of renown; there is no requirement that you do so, however. You will not be able to use this feature again, in either case, until your renown is at least one point higher than it was before you made the sacrifice.<br />
* '''Lifestyle Increase:''' Money travels up the chain in the Zhentarim, and you are expected to show the coin of your success to your superiors, to help finance their endeavors. Your Lifestyle costs increase by 1gp per tenday (or 3gp per month).<br />
* '''Mercenaries:''' Because Zhentarim plans may require some extra muscle, you have the right to requisition a small group of Zhentarim mercenaries. You may keep them for up to a month, without charge; when you do so, you may receive one '''guard''' for every point of renown you have above 2. You may trade in two of these mercenaries to gain a '''veteran''', though you can only do this once. These mercenaries work for one of your superiors, but are willing to follow you during that time.<br />
* '''Trained in Terror:''' Zhentarim train their agents to invoke fear in others. You become proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this skill, choose another skill from your class list options instead.<br />
* '''Tool Training:''' You may go to the faction for training in useful tools. When you take the ''Training'' downtime action to gain proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit, or thieves' tools, you may do so at half the time and cost.<br />
<br />
==Feats==<br />
None<br />
<br />
Learning Jotun x/100 days<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* '''Coins:''' x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x<br />
* '''Gems:''' x<br />
===Magic Items===<br />
* Voidsong<br />
* Shortsword +1<br />
* Wand of Lightning (Rune-Seeker)<br />
* Bag of Holding<br />
* Arming Ring<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
===Carried Equipment===<br />
* '''Worn:''' Breastplate, Cloak of Protection, Longbow<br />
* '''Belt:''' Belt Pouch, Black Longsword, Dagger<br />
* '''Backpack:''' 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Mac-Fuimidh Cittern, Trinket from Admirer <br />
* '''Saddle Pack:''' 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Rapier, Hand Crossbow<br />
<br />
===Animals===<br />
* '''Moonglow:''' Dappled Gray Riding Horse<br />
<br />
===Stored Equipment===<br />
* x<br />
===Lifestyle===<br />
* '''xxx:''' ''(x gp/day)''. x<br />
==Faction & Organization Lore==<br />
===[[Shattered_Covenant_Group_Patron#Leadership|Darburl]]===<br />
[[Image:Darburl-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
The following are locations and people you know are associated with the Darburl, and to whom you can go should you be in the area. Other areas may have Darburl representatives, but they are not currently known to you. ('''Mothers & Fathers''' are leaders in the organization; '''Aunts & Uncles''' are lieutenants, each usually with a specialty of some kind.)<br />
* '''The Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Daggerford:'' Mother Arcric, the halfling barkeep at Tyrmora's Cup.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' Uncle Dunlis Arcri, stablemaster at the inn in Nightstone.<br />
* '''The Dessarin Valley:''' ''Westbridge:'' Father Thentilyr, a half-orc who runs a local slaughterhouse<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Aunt Klethja Thentilyr, a gnome farmer at the Goldshine Farm, who specializes in recruitment.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' Uncle Discretion Thentilyr, a tiefling fence and smuggler, who operates a message and package courier service<br />
* '''The Sword Mountains:''' ''Leilon:'' Mother Thentilyr, a dwarf woman who runs an eatery<br />
** ''Waterdeep:'' Aunt Alindue Thentilyr, a festhall opera singer who specializes in contacts<br />
* '''The Silver Marches & Delzoun:''' ''Everlund:'' Mother Dlarhund, a genderfluid half-elf innkeep<br />
** ''Sundabar:'' Uncle Kentar Dlarhund, a dwarven washerman<br />
* '''Neverwinter Wood:''' ''Helm's Hold:'' Father Dlarhund, a rotund human fighter who teaches combat skills<br />
* '''The Frozenfar:''' ''Mirabar:'' Father Arcri, a young human finesmith<br />
<hr /><br />
<br />
===[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]]===<br />
[[Image:Zhentarim-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
[[Shattered Covenant Faction NPCs#The Zhentarim|Zhentarim NPCs]]<br><br />
The following are locations with Zhentarim holdings, including a leader of at least Rank 3 stationed there.<br />
* '''Anaruoch:''' ''The Black Road'', a trade route entirely owned by the Zhentarim, used for trade between the North and other parts of Faerûn without having to pass through the Western Heartlands.<br />
* '''Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Loudwater:'' The current High Lord of the town is a well-paid agent of the Zhentarim who maintains the Network's interests there. The Zhentarim has ample forces in Loudwater, but it keeps them hidden away, both disguised in-town, and in out-of-the-way wilderness outposts.<br />
** ''Daggerford:'' The Snail, found at one of the local taverns, is the main Zhentarim operative in Daggerford.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' The Seven Serpents, a small troop of specialist mercenaries, have been hired to patrol the wilderness around Nightstone.<br />
* '''Dessarin Valley:''' ''Bargewright Inn:'' The closest thing the Zhentarim has to a central headquarters in the North. The inn itself is a Zhentish holding, although that ownership is kept subtle. Show Zhent coins for free room and board.<br />
** ''Rassalantar:'' The innkeep of the Sleeping Dragon inn is a Network agent and provides aid to his fellows.<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Triboar Travelers is operated by a member of the Network, and flies the Zhentarim sigil openly upon its sign.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' The Black Network has a coster-house and barracks here, doing business with merchants. They also have inroads with the local thieves guild, the all-female Hand of Yartar.<br />
* '''The Fallen Lands:''' The villages where the Black Road out of Anauroch enters the North (Parnast, Llorkh, Orlbar) are all Zhentarim-controlled, by and large (though the control is more or less overt, depending on the site).<br />
* '''Silver Marches:''' ''Everlund:'' The northernmost Zhentarim outpost, in the form of a coster-house and mercenary barracks.<br />
* '''Sword Mountains:''' ''Waterdeep:'' Several groups of Zhentarim operate out of Waterdeep. The public face for the Network are the Doom Raiders, a band of adventurers who also act as defacto leadership for the merchant and mercenary bands. There is also a more secretive faction within the Zhentarim who operate on their own, eschewing connections to the Doom Raiders and the rest of the organization.<br />
* '''Western Heartlands:''' ''Baldur's Gate:'' The city contains a major Zhentarim mercenary and coster holding in the city, defensible, with barracks space<br />
** ''Darkhold'', the central operational citadel for the Zhentarim, is in the Far Hills. It is home to many of its leaders and top operatives.<br />
<br />
==Important Individuals==<br />
* x</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63581Nyle Caeden2021-07-23T09:11:05Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Sexy_Nyle.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 2B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Flaw (Thievery), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63580Nyle Caeden2021-07-23T09:09:48Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Sexy_Nyle.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Ride 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 2B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I<br />
|Flaws=Thievery<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63579Nyle Caeden2021-07-23T09:01:40Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Sexy_Nyle.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Rid 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 2B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=11<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I<br />
|Flaws=Thievery<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63578Nyle Caeden2021-07-23T09:00:02Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Sexy_Nyle.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=27<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=3 (Quickness 1B)<br />
|AnimalHandling=2 (Rid 1B)<br />
|Athletics=3<br />
|Awareness=4<br />
|Cunning=3<br />
|Deception=2<br />
|Endurance=3<br />
|Fighting=4 (Long Blades 2B)<br />
|Healing=4 (Diagnose 1B, Treat Ailment 1B, Treat Injury 2B)<br />
|Languages=3<br />
|Knowledge=4<br />
|Marksmanship=3<br />
|Persuasion=3<br />
|Status=3<br />
|Stealth=2<br />
|Survival=2<br />
|Thievery=1<br />
|Warfare=3<br />
|Will=3<br />
|IntrigueDefense=10<br />
|Composure=9<br />
|CombatDefense=10<br />
|Health=9<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=1<br />
|Benefits=Blood of the Bear, Expertise (Long Blades), Gifted Teacher, Knight-Sophiste, Long Blade Fighter I<br />
|Flaws=Thievery<br />
|Drawbacks=Fear (Poison), Honor-Bound<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Quel_Melarn&diff=63265Quel Melarn2021-06-27T20:55:28Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{DND5CharacterSheet<br />
|Image=[[Image:Quel_Melarn.jpg|center|350 px]]<br />
|CharacterName=Quel Melarn<br />
|Race=Half-elf (Drow)<br />
|Class=Bard 6 (College of Swords)/Warlock 1 (Hexblade)<br />
|Background=Entertainer<br />
|Alignment=Chaotic Neutral<br />
|Patron Deity=Eilistraee<br />
|Factions=[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]] 5<br />
|Ability Scores=Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2);<br> Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 18 (+4)<br />
|Bonus=+2<br />
|Saving Throws=Dexterity & Charisma<br />
|Skills=Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Intimidate, Perception, Performance, Persuasion*, Sleight of Hand, Stealth* <br />
|Tools=Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp<br />
|Languages=Common, Deep Drow, Espruar<br />
|Armor=Light, Medium, Shield<br />
|Weapons=Simple, Martial<br />
|Traits=TRAITS<br />
|Attacks=• ''xxx:'' +x, xdx+x, TRAITS<br />
|Armor Class=18<br />
|Initiative=+3<br />
|Speed=30 ft<br />
|Feats=None<br />
|Hit Points=60<br />
|Hit Dice=6d8<br />
|Personality=PERSONALITY<br />
|Ideals=IDEALS<br />
|Bonds=BONDS<br />
|Flaws=FLAWS<br />
}}<br />
__NOTOC__<br />
''words'' -Attribution<br />
<br />
==Origin==<br />
Quel remembers two things about the pirate ship he was born on: they sailed so close to the stars that they could touch them, and his father kept a blade hidden away that whispered to Quel to play. His mother Ilya was always busy captaining the ship, and his father Leuk, her first mate, was lax in keeping the children in order. Quel, in fact, had many moments to devote to his sword friend. His grandmother Amalya was a drow who had left the Underdark to seek the truth of the moon herself, and she held the women in her line to a high standard. The men, of course, couldn't be expected to achieve much of anything worthwhile, so while Quel's mother focused on Quel's two sisters, Quel himself was left to whatever his father deemed important to a young child, which was very little apart from basic ship work.<br />
<br />
The secret blade's whispers had a fascinating cadence, one that sometimes blended with the shanties the pirates sang while Quel worked among them, but only Quel seemed to hear it. Still, it was always there, a song and rhythm hidden in the daily life of the ship. Whenever he could, Quel stole away to play with the sword, and in truth, his father was bemused to find Quel shirking his duties for swordplay.<br />
<br />
The ship would sometimes dock in the port of Waterdeep, in part because Amalya had emerged from the Underdark there, and Ilya had an older sister and brother who still lived in the city. Pirates often leave their young children at port until they're old enough to properly join a crew, and Quel's parents were no different. Once they were old enough, Quel and his sisters were left in Waterdeep with their groundling relatives for an upbringing more diverse than life aboard ship could offer. Although Quel was aggrieved to leave his friend behind, Leuk softened the blow by giving Quel a near perfect replica of the blade, and Quel was delighted to find he could still feel the blade's rhythm distantly through its duplicate.<br />
<br />
Even in Waterdeep, Quel's grandmother's values still ruled the family, so while his sisters were kept close to learn an adapted version of a drow matriarch's education, Quel and his male cousins were left to discover whatever small interests they might find in the city at large, often falling in with its seedier elements. Quel himself found that lurking in the city was other music that sometimes reminded him of the secret blade song but other times was quite unlike it but rang with a power of its own. He felt its rhythm echoed in clashing blades and skirmishes that broke out in the streets.<br />
<br />
Once Quel was old enough to truly work with a blade, he took up formal training through his family while wandering the dock ward's seedier establishments for those who would teach him the dirtier and flashier elements of swordplay. He also picked up the bits of song here and there that contained real power. Here, he met Lord Drylund, a visitor from up north who saw great potential in the young man and offered to apprentice him on his riverboat out of Yartar, the ''Grande Dame''. Intrigued, Quel left Waterdeep to see what Lord Drylund could offer.<br />
<br />
To Quel's delight, Lord Drylund offered a fuller course than Quel's own family had bothered to. Quel learned true art and extensive blade craft from bards and martial experts that Lord Drylund invited aboard the riverboat for Quel's benefit. Most important to Lord Drylund himself, Quel proved an aptitude at Lord Drylund's own passion: gambling. By the end of his apprenticeship, Quel was a gifted performer, fearsome tough, and sly gambler sometimes able to beat Lord Drylund at his own games.<br />
<br />
It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of one of Lord Drylund's regulars: Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, a mercenary captain out of Triboar. Clint was an alluringly dangerous man who offered to show Quel another outlet for his talents. Over Lord Drylund's objections, Quel signed on for a tour with the Rime Coil. Quel soon learned that the mercenary corps were in the employ of the Zhentarim, and Clint was one of their Vipers. In their easy violence, Quel heard for the first time since his childhood the whispers of the secret blade. And in Clint himself, Quel found another outlet for his passions.<br />
<br />
When Quel returned to the ''Grande Dame'', Lord Drylund scorned the young man's intoxication with Clint and the Zhentarim and demanded that his protege denounce any future allegiance with them. After an impassioned argument, Quel left the ''Grande Dame'' to seek his own fortunes with the Zhentarim.<br />
<br />
However, Lord Drylund's teachings still sat well with Quel, and he decided that rather than sign on with the Rime Coil under Clint, he would operate as his own man. He took up the persona of Quell the Rising Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.<br />
<br />
==Traits==<br />
===Racial Traits===<br />
* '''Darkvision:''' 60 ft.<br />
* '''Fey Ancestry:''' You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep<br />
===Class Traits===<br />
* '''Spellcasting:''' ''DC 15, +7 • 3 Bard/2 Warlock Cantrips • Spells/Day: 4/3/3 • Spells/Rest: 3''<br />
* '''Spells Known:''' 2/8<br />
** ''Cantrips:'' Eldritch Blast, Mage Hand, Message, Minor Illusion, Prestidigitation<br />
** ''First Level:'' Comprehend Languages, Cure Wounds, Dissonant Whispers, Hex, Shield, Thunderwave<br />
** ''Second Level:'' Detect Thoughts, Locate Object (Sub Shatter), Natural Attunement (free blessing from Gwaeron)<br />
** ''Third Level:'' Dispel Magic, Sending, Tongues<br />
* '''Bardic Inspiration:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature other than yourself within 60 ft who can hear you to gain one Inspiration die, a d6. Once within the next 10 minutes, that creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls but before knowing if the roll succeeds or fails. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Charisma modifier (4) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.<br />
* '''Song of Rest:''' During a short rest, friendly creatures who can hear your performance regain additional hp when they spend hit dice based on your level (1d8)<br />
* '''Expertise:''' Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make with chosen proficiencies (2 at 3rd lvl, 2 more at 10th) 3rd: Stealth & Persuasion<br />
* '''Font of Inspiration:''' You regain all of your expended uses of Bardic Inspiration when you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Countercharm:''' As an action, you can start a performance that lasts until the end of your next turn. During that time, you and any friendly creatures within 30 feet who can hear you have advantage of saving throws against being frightened or charmed. The performance ends early if you are incapacitated or silenced or if you voluntarily end it.<br />
<br />
===Specialty Traits===<br />
* '''Hexblade's Curse:''' As a bonus action, choose one creature you can see within 30 feet of you. The target is cursed for 1 minute. The curse ends early if the target dies, you die, or you are incapacitated. Until the curse ends, you gain the following benefits:<br />
**You gain a bonus to damage rolls against the cursed target. The bonus equals your proficiency bonus.<br />
**Any attack roll you make against the cursed target is a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.<br />
**If the cursed target dies, you regain hit points equal to your warlock level + your Charisma modifier (3).<br />
You can’t use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.<br />
* '''Hex Warrior:''' Whenever you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that lacks the two-handed property. When you attack with that weapon, you can use your Charisma modifier for the attack and damage rolls. This benefit lasts until you finish a long rest.<br />
* '''Two-Weapon Fighting:''' When you engage in two-weapon fighting, you can add your ability modifier to the damage of the off-hand attack.<br />
* '''Blade Flourish:''' You perform impressive displays of martial prowess and speed. Whenever you take the Attack action on your turn, your walking speed increases by 10 feet until the end of the turn, and if a weapon attack that you make as part of this action hits a creature, you can use one of the following Blade Flourish options of your choice. You can use only one Blade Flourish option per turn.<br />
** '''Defensive Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You also add the number rolled to your AC until the start of your next turn.<br />
** '''Slashing Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit and to any other creature of your choice that you can see within 5 feet of you. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die.<br />
** '''Mobile Flourish:''' You can expend one use of your Bardic Inspiration to cause the weapon to deal extra damage to the target you hit. The damage equals the number you roll on the Bardic Inspiration die. You can also push the target up to 5 feet away from you, plus a number of feet equal to the number you roll on that die. You can then immediately use your reaction to move up to your walking speed to an unoccupied space within 5 feet of the target.<br />
<br />
===Background Traits===<br />
* '''Entertainer Routines:''' Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist<br />
* '''By Popular Demand:''' You can always find a place to perform, an inn, tavern, circus, theater, or even noble's court. At such a place, you receive free lodging and food as long as you perform. In addition, your performance makes you something of a local figure. When strangers recognize you in locales you've performed, they generally take a liking to you.<br />
<br />
===Faction Traits: Zhentarim (Rank 2 - Wolf)===<br />
'''Current Renown:''' 4 (Rank 2 @ 3 renown)<br />
'''Prerequisite:''' Rank 1 and Zhentarim renown 3+<br />
* '''Secret Missions:''' You may now occasionally be assigned secret missions that you are required to fulfill. Though you do not have a sponsor any longer, you are part of a pyramid of operatives, and the assignment may come down from any part of that chain above you. Though you may not be required to accept the mission, they are often the most reliable way to continue advancing in the organization.<br />
* '''Flying Snake:''' You are granted a flying snake. During a long rest, it becomes accustomed to you and stays near you at all times. Its only benefit is to deliver written missives or small bags (with single gems or a few coins). During a short rest, you can write a message and release your flying snake, which will fly back to a single central point, usually to the handler where you got the snake from. Flying snakes can fly 72 miles per day. If you will be in the same place, the snake can be sent back to you. Alternately, you can simply pick another one up at a Zhentarim stronghold elsewhere.<br />
* '''Operating Capital Loans:''' By this point, you are expected to manage your finances and accomplish things on behalf of the faction based on your own prosperity. That said, this is not always possible. You have the option of sacrificing a point of your Zhentarim renown to gain funds for a Zhentarim project. This amount is 300gp plus 100gp per your rating in Zhentarim renown before you sacrifice the point. If you pay the loan back, you may recover the point of renown; there is no requirement that you do so, however. You will not be able to use this feature again, in either case, until your renown is at least one point higher than it was before you made the sacrifice.<br />
* '''Lifestyle Increase:''' Money travels up the chain in the Zhentarim, and you are expected to show the coin of your success to your superiors, to help finance their endeavors. Your Lifestyle costs increase by 1gp per tenday (or 3gp per month).<br />
* '''Mercenaries:''' Because Zhentarim plans may require some extra muscle, you have the right to requisition a small group of Zhentarim mercenaries. You may keep them for up to a month, without charge; when you do so, you may receive one '''guard''' for every point of renown you have above 2. You may trade in two of these mercenaries to gain a '''veteran''', though you can only do this once. These mercenaries work for one of your superiors, but are willing to follow you during that time.<br />
* '''Trained in Terror:''' Zhentarim train their agents to invoke fear in others. You become proficient in the Intimidation skill. If you already have this skill, choose another skill from your class list options instead.<br />
* '''Tool Training:''' You may go to the faction for training in useful tools. When you take the ''Training'' downtime action to gain proficiency with the disguise kit, forgery kit, poisoner's kit, or thieves' tools, you may do so at half the time and cost.<br />
<br />
==Feats==<br />
None<br />
<br />
Learning Jotun x/100 days<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* '''Coins:''' x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x<br />
* '''Gems:''' x<br />
===Magic Items===<br />
* Voidsong<br />
* Shortsword +1<br />
* Wand of Lightning (Rune-Seeker)<br />
* Bag of Holding<br />
<br />
==Equipment==<br />
===Carried Equipment===<br />
* '''Worn:''' Breastplate, Cloak of Protection, Longbow<br />
* '''Belt:''' Belt Pouch, Black Longsword, Dagger<br />
* '''Backpack:''' 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Mac-Fuimidh Cittern, Trinket from Admirer <br />
* '''Saddle Pack:''' 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Rapier, Hand Crossbow<br />
<br />
===Animals===<br />
* '''Moonglow:''' Dappled Gray Riding Horse<br />
<br />
===Stored Equipment===<br />
* x<br />
===Lifestyle===<br />
* '''xxx:''' ''(x gp/day)''. x<br />
==Faction & Organization Lore==<br />
===[[Shattered_Covenant_Group_Patron#Leadership|Darburl]]===<br />
[[Image:Darburl-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
The following are locations and people you know are associated with the Darburl, and to whom you can go should you be in the area. Other areas may have Darburl representatives, but they are not currently known to you. ('''Mothers & Fathers''' are leaders in the organization; '''Aunts & Uncles''' are lieutenants, each usually with a specialty of some kind.)<br />
* '''The Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Daggerford:'' Mother Arcric, the halfling barkeep at Tyrmora's Cup.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' Uncle Dunlis Arcri, stablemaster at the inn in Nightstone.<br />
* '''The Dessarin Valley:''' ''Westbridge:'' Father Thentilyr, a half-orc who runs a local slaughterhouse<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Aunt Klethja Thentilyr, a gnome farmer at the Goldshine Farm, who specializes in recruitment.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' Uncle Discretion Thentilyr, a tiefling fence and smuggler, who operates a message and package courier service<br />
* '''The Sword Mountains:''' ''Leilon:'' Mother Thentilyr, a dwarf woman who runs an eatery<br />
** ''Waterdeep:'' Aunt Alindue Thentilyr, a festhall opera singer who specializes in contacts<br />
* '''The Silver Marches & Delzoun:''' ''Everlund:'' Mother Dlarhund, a genderfluid half-elf innkeep<br />
** ''Sundabar:'' Uncle Kentar Dlarhund, a dwarven washerman<br />
* '''Neverwinter Wood:''' ''Helm's Hold:'' Father Dlarhund, a rotund human fighter who teaches combat skills<br />
* '''The Frozenfar:''' ''Mirabar:'' Father Arcri, a young human finesmith<br />
<hr /><br />
<br />
===[[Zhentarim Faction|Zhentarim]]===<br />
[[Image:Zhentarim-sigil.png|right|150px]]<br />
[[Shattered Covenant Faction NPCs#The Zhentarim|Zhentarim NPCs]]<br><br />
The following are locations with Zhentarim holdings, including a leader of at least Rank 3 stationed there.<br />
* '''Anaruoch:''' ''The Black Road'', a trade route entirely owned by the Zhentarim, used for trade between the North and other parts of Faerûn without having to pass through the Western Heartlands.<br />
* '''Delimbiyr Vale:''' ''Loudwater:'' The current High Lord of the town is a well-paid agent of the Zhentarim who maintains the Network's interests there. The Zhentarim has ample forces in Loudwater, but it keeps them hidden away, both disguised in-town, and in out-of-the-way wilderness outposts.<br />
** ''Daggerford:'' The Snail, found at one of the local taverns, is the main Zhentarim operative in Daggerford.<br />
** ''Nightstone:'' The Seven Serpents, a small troop of specialist mercenaries, have been hired to patrol the wilderness around Nightstone.<br />
* '''Dessarin Valley:''' ''Bargewright Inn:'' The closest thing the Zhentarim has to a central headquarters in the North. The inn itself is a Zhentish holding, although that ownership is kept subtle. Show Zhent coins for free room and board.<br />
** ''Rassalantar:'' The innkeep of the Sleeping Dragon inn is a Network agent and provides aid to his fellows.<br />
** ''Triboar:'' Triboar Travelers is operated by a member of the Network, and flies the Zhentarim sigil openly upon its sign.<br />
** ''Yartar:'' The Black Network has a coster-house and barracks here, doing business with merchants. They also have inroads with the local thieves guild, the all-female Hand of Yartar.<br />
* '''The Fallen Lands:''' The villages where the Black Road out of Anauroch enters the North (Parnast, Llorkh, Orlbar) are all Zhentarim-controlled, by and large (though the control is more or less overt, depending on the site).<br />
* '''Silver Marches:''' ''Everlund:'' The northernmost Zhentarim outpost, in the form of a coster-house and mercenary barracks.<br />
* '''Sword Mountains:''' ''Waterdeep:'' Several groups of Zhentarim operate out of Waterdeep. The public face for the Network are the Doom Raiders, a band of adventurers who also act as defacto leadership for the merchant and mercenary bands. There is also a more secretive faction within the Zhentarim who operate on their own, eschewing connections to the Doom Raiders and the rest of the organization.<br />
* '''Western Heartlands:''' ''Baldur's Gate:'' The city contains a major Zhentarim mercenary and coster holding in the city, defensible, with barracks space<br />
** ''Darkhold'', the central operational citadel for the Zhentarim, is in the Far Hills. It is home to many of its leaders and top operatives.<br />
<br />
==Important Individuals==<br />
* x</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ilbarych_Noble_Houses&diff=63195Ilbarych Noble Houses2021-06-21T18:29:06Z<p>Josh: /* Steelvale */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
==The Royal House==<br />
'''Status:''' 8<br><br />
There is only ever one Royal House in Ilbarych at a time, a position often contested for, though few have ever attained it. The Royal House maintains its ancestral domains, though tradition usually puts those domains into the hands of a Seneschal while the Crown is in residence in Crownhold.<br />
* '''House Ylrath:''' Like every other Royal House in Ilbarych's history, House Ylrath hails from a Steelvale domain. They are known for the fine apples and pears of their orchards, and the ciders and perrys made thereby. Unlike their Arret predecessors, the Ylrath Crowns have all favored peaceful resolutions and mediation in dealing with political strife, rather than shows of force.<br />
==The Great Houses==<br />
'''Status:''' 6-7<br><br />
The Great Houses are, in many ways, the true powers of the Crowndom. Any four of them exceed the royal house in terms of wealth and military might – indeed, when previous royal houses have fallen, the next to hold the Crown has always been taken from the Great Houses of the time.<br />
<br />
Six of the Great Houses hold Wardenship over one of the realms of the Crowndom. These Wardens are mighty within their own territory, and though not all houses within that territory owe them direct fealty, they speak with the authority of the Crown in their governance of that realm. Of course, Warden Houses can and have been replaced before.<br />
* '''House xxx:''' ''Warden of the Steel Mountains''. xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' ''Warden of the Barrowhills''. xxx<br />
<br />
* '''House xxx:''' ''Warden of the Greensward''. xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' ''Warden of Northshore''. xxx<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
* '''House xxx:''' ''Warden of Steelvale''. xxx<br />
* '''House Caeden:''' A house known as much for its adroitness in intrigue as for its apple brandy, House Caeden's scions have a reputation of being green-thumbed. Blessed with fields of lustre and apiaries that turn that rarity into the finest of honey, and some of the foremost apple orchards in Steelvale, House Caeden's current Head is Lady Octanda, memorable for having wooed a truly remarkable glassblower away from House Arvestal by dint of that artisan falling in love with her, and declaring sworn companionship with the Lady.<br />
<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
* '''House Kylervus:''' ''Warden of Three-Rivers''. xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
<br />
==The Lesser Houses==<br />
'''Status:''' 4-5<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
* '''House Ceolfrey:''' A noble House related to the Ilbarych by blood, House Ceolfrey once reigned as the Royal House, after the ruination of House Ilbarych by wealdfolk assassins. In the aftermath, their scions wore the Crown for most of Ilbarych's history, over two hundred years. Unfortunately, the House's blood began to wear thin, wearied by the years of assassinations, infighting, and political strife it took to hold the Crown for all that time. Their last Crown Domerr fell to madness, leading to the Arret Uprising. In the aftermath, House Ceolfrey was permitted to return to their Steelvale domains to live out the rest of their days in obscurity, and obscurity in which they still dwell.<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
* '''House Filendus:''' xxx<br />
* '''House Stannum:''' A vassal house of House Kylervus, one of the first to settle Three-Rivers. For their loyalty they were given a domain with a silver mine, and for many generations were very wealthy. (On the map, the hilly area near the middle river and the words "Three-Rivers". The silver mine played out however, and even with tin mines the house has been in decline for the last few decades. They have a small castle filled with reminders of past glories, a tin mine, and not much else.<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
* '''House xxx:''' xxx<br />
<br />
==The Landed Families==<br />
'''Status:''' 3<br />
<br />
==Extinct Houses==<br />
* '''House Ilbarych:''' The first Royal House of Ilbarych, only three of this House ever wore the Crown, and none for longer than a decade. The years of the Ilbarych Crowns were full of strife and assassination, ultimately culminating in the murder of the entire House by wealdfolk assassins.<br />
* '''House Arret:''' Warlike and grasping, the Arrets saw their chance to seize the Crown when the madness of Domerr Ceolfrey became known. Insisting that this weakness was endemic in the Ceolfrey bloodline as a whole, House Arret mobilized their allies and their armies and marched on Crownhold. After the resigned surrender of the Crown, the Arrets were forbidden by their allies to end the Ceolfrey line; they insisted that regicide was a sin unforgivable to their ways, and promised to rise up against the Arrets if they slaughtered Domerr or any of his kin after their surrender. The Arrets remained warlike throughout their reign, frequently choosing military action and personal violence when dealing with their foes. There were only six Arret Crowns – the last, Tyrtannus, was overthrown after his cousin seized a bride from one of the Great Houses by force, and Tyrtannus sided with his cousin's brutality. This would not stand for the other Great Houses, who rose up and overthrew them. The House the young woman was stolen from led this uprising and the young woman herself wore the Crown afterwards.</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63144Nyle Caeden2021-06-17T02:45:20Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Sexy_Nyle.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=<br />
|AnimalHandling=<br />
|Athletics=<br />
|Awareness=<br />
|Cunning=<br />
|Deception=<br />
|Endurance=<br />
|Fighting=<br />
|Healing=<br />
|Languages=<br />
|Knowledge=<br />
|Marksmanship=<br />
|Persuasion=<br />
|Status=<br />
|Stealth=<br />
|Survival=<br />
|Thievery=<br />
|Warfare=<br />
|Will=<br />
|IntrigueDefense=<br />
|Composure=<br />
|CombatDefense=<br />
|Health=<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryPoints=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=x<br />
|Benefits=<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* He gay<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63139Nyle Caeden2021-06-16T18:37:59Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:Sexy_Nyle.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=<br />
|AnimalHandling=<br />
|Athletics=<br />
|Awareness=<br />
|Cunning=<br />
|Deception=<br />
|Endurance=<br />
|Fighting=<br />
|Healing=<br />
|Languages=<br />
|Knowledge=<br />
|Marksmanship=<br />
|Persuasion=<br />
|Status=<br />
|Stealth=<br />
|Survival=<br />
|Thievery=<br />
|Warfare=<br />
|Will=<br />
|IntrigueDefense=<br />
|Composure=<br />
|CombatDefense=<br />
|Health=<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=x<br />
|Benefits=<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=File:Sexy_Nyle.jpg&diff=63138File:Sexy Nyle.jpg2021-06-16T18:37:26Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div></div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63137Nyle Caeden2021-06-16T18:36:42Z<p>Josh: </p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
{{SwordChronicleCharacterSheet<br />
|CharacterName=Nyle Caeden<br />
|Title=Knight-Sophiste of House Durwald<br />
|Image=[[Image:xxx.jpg|center|300px]]<br />
|Age=<br />
|Virtue=<br />
|Vice=<br />
|Goals=<br />
|Agility=<br />
|AnimalHandling=<br />
|Athletics=<br />
|Awareness=<br />
|Cunning=<br />
|Deception=<br />
|Endurance=<br />
|Fighting=<br />
|Healing=<br />
|Languages=<br />
|Knowledge=<br />
|Marksmanship=<br />
|Persuasion=<br />
|Status=<br />
|Stealth=<br />
|Survival=<br />
|Thievery=<br />
|Warfare=<br />
|Will=<br />
|IntrigueDefense=<br />
|Composure=<br />
|CombatDefense=<br />
|Health=<br />
|ArmorType=x<br />
|ArmorRating=x<br />
|ArmorPenalty=x<br />
|Weapons=x<br />
|SorceryDefense=x<br />
|ArtsWorks=x<br />
|DestinyPoints=x<br />
|Benefits=<br />
|Flaws=<br />
|Drawbacks=<br />
|}}<br />
<br />
==Rumors & Tendencies==<br />
There are a variety of local rumors about Nyle:<br />
* X<br />
* X<br />
* X</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63136Nyle Caeden2021-06-16T18:28:33Z<p>Josh: Blanked the page</p>
<hr />
<div></div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Nyle_Caeden&diff=63135Nyle Caeden2021-06-16T18:26:50Z<p>Josh: Created page with "<div style="float: right; width: 350px; border: 1px black solid; margin: 20px; padding: 10px;"> {| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" | style="background:blac..."</p>
<hr />
<div><div style="float: right; width: 350px; border: 1px black solid; margin: 20px; padding: 10px;"><br />
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto"<br />
| style="background:black; color:white" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 180%">{{{CharacterName}}}</div><br />
|-<br />
| style="background:white; color:black" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 125%">'''''{{{Title}}}'''''</div><br />
|-<br />
|{{{Image}}}<br />
|-<br />
|'''Age:''' {{{Age}}} • '''Virtue:''' {{{Virtue}}} • '''Vice:''' {{{Vice}}}<br>'''Goals:''' {{{Goals}}}<br />
|-<br />
| style="background:darkred; color:white" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 125%">Abilities</div><br />
|-<br />
| '''Agility:''' {{{Agility}}}<br>'''Animal Handling:''' {{{AnimalHandling}}}<br>'''Athletics:''' {{{Athletics}}}<br>'''Awareness:''' {{{Awareness}}}<br>'''Cunning:''' {{{Cunning}}}<br>'''Deception:''' {{{Deception}}}<br>'''Endurance:''' {{{Endurance}}}<br>'''Fighting:''' {{{Fighting}}}<br>'''Healing:''' {{{Healing}}}<br>'''Languages:''' {{{Languages}}}<br>'''Knowledge:''' {{{Knowledge}}}<br>'''Marksmanship:''' {{{Marksmanship}}}<br>'''Persuasion:''' {{{Persuasion}}}<br>'''Status:''' {{{Status}}}<br>'''Stealth:''' {{{Stealth}}}<br>'''Survival:''' {{{Survival}}}<br>'''Thievery:''' {{{Thievery}}}<br>'''Warfare:''' {{{Warfare}}}<br>'''Will:''' {{{Will}}}<br />
|-<br />
| style="background:darkred; color:white" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 125%">Intrigue</div><br />
|-<br />
|'''Intrigue Defense:''' {{{IntrigueDefense}}} • '''Composure:''' {{{Composure}}}<br />
|-<br />
| style="background:darkred; color:white" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 125%">Combat</div><br />
|-<br />
|'''Combat Defense:''' {{{CombatDefense}}} • '''Health:''' {{{Health}}}<br>'''Armor Type:''' {{{ArmorType}}} • '''Armor Rating:''' {{{ArmorRating}}} • '''Armor Penalty:''' {{{ArmorPenalty}}}<br>'''Weapons:''' {{{Weapons}}}<br />
|-<br />
<br />
| style="background:darkred; color:white" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 125%">Sorcery</div><br />
|-<br />
|'''Sorcery Points:''' {{{SorceryPoints}}} • '''Sorcery Defense:''' {{{SorceryDefense}}}<br>'''Arts & Works:''' {{{ArtsWorks}}}<br />
|-<br />
| style="background:darkred; color:white" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 125%">Qualities</div><br />
|-<br />
|'''Destiny Points:''' {{{DestinyPoints}}}<br> <br />
|-<br />
| style="background:white; color:black" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 115%">'''Benefits'''</div><br />
|-<br />
|{{{Benefits}}}<br />
|-<br />
| style="background:white; color:black" | <div style="text-align: center; font-size: 115%">'''Drawbacks'''</div><br />
|-<br />
|{{{Drawbacks}}}<br />
|-<br />
|}<br />
</div></div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Vigilance_Honor_Truth&diff=63134Vigilance Honor Truth2021-06-16T17:56:06Z<p>Josh: /* Player Characters */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Image:VHT-title.jpg|center|600px]]<br />
Founded in the foiling of a murderous usurpation, House Durwald earned their hound heraldry by guarding even against those they might be expected to be loyal to. But honor trumped loyalty, and this small Three-Rivers house was awarded their domain by a grateful Warden of Three-Rivers.<br />
<br />
Now, generations later, they are the masters of Houndsreach, and the military academy that has grown up in their midst has seen to their prosperity. With rolling vineyards that produce a fine vintage of wine, these nobles seek to uphold the legacy of their forebears by achieving renown and glory in the eyes of the Crowndom.<br />
<br />
These are the chronicles of House Durwald, of Three-Rivers.<br />
<br />
==Player Characters==<br />
'''[[House Durwald]]'''<br />
* '''Lady [[Gemma Durwald]]''', played by A.J.<br />
* '''Worthy Sir [[Nyle Caeden]]''', played by Josh<br />
* [[xxx]], played by Jeff<br />
* '''[[Kalin]]''', played by [[User:AdamRoberts|Adam]]<br />
* '''[[Vericus]]''', played by Chuk<br />
<br />
==Resources==<br />
* [[Sword Chronicle Character Template]]<br />
* [[Ilbarych]]<br />
* [[Qualities of Ilbarych]]<br />
* [[Ilbarych Noble Houses]]<br />
* [[Ilbarych House Holdings]]</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ilbarych&diff=62972Ilbarych2021-06-01T04:44:17Z<p>Josh: /* Culture */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
[[Image:Ilbarych-rough.jpg|center|650px]]<br />
* '''[[Qualities of Ilbarych]]'''<br />
<br />
==Culture==<br />
* '''The Crown:''' The Crowndom of Ilbarych is a monarchy ruled by a royal house and a group of noble houses. Its capital is Crownhold. The title of "Crown" is gender-neutral, and has been held by many women over the history of Ilbarych.<br />
* '''Artistry:''' The nobility of Ilbarych places enormous importance on art and beauty. So much so, that houses gain great prestige in their patronage of great artists. Even more so if the artist is a member of their own house. All forms of artistry are prized, from permanent works such as sculpture, painting, or crafting arms and armor, to the more ephemeral works, such as flower arranging, dance performance, or the artistic expression of Martial prowess. While these works are prized by all, some houses take it to the extreme. More than one house has ruined themselves in the pursuit of beauty.<br />
* '''Arcadae:''' Derived from an archaic term for a gallery, the arcadae is a space unique to Imperial estates. The high value placed on the arts necessitated a dedicated space to protect and preserve a house's most precious collections. This need gave rise to the arcadae, a gallery space that is provided with its own security and resources to preserve the art pieces held within. The arcadae may be a part of the house's castle or fortress, or sometimes is its own structure within the protected grounds of the estate. An arcadae traditionally includes living quarters and studio space for any artists in residence with the house, sometimes quite lavish in their accoutrements. <br />
**Often, a given house's arcadae is customized to provide space for their other artistic pursuits or entertainments, doubling as a dance or fest hall, a study or library, a lecture hall or amphitheater, or even protected garden space, all of which is enhanced by the precious arts on display. <br />
**Traditionally, a knight-sophiste will have charge of the protection and management of the arcadae and is sometimes even one of the artists in residence there. Depending on how trusted the knight-sopshiste is with the house and their competency in such things, this role can be largely ceremonial, as the actual work of maintaining the arcadae is always done by trained and trusted household staff.<br />
* '''Sworn Companion:''' To be a Sworn Companion is a formal relationship to the nobility of Ilbarych. Not all nobles have a sworn companion. But, for those that do, the sworn companion is a member of their family. They will sit at table with the noble, and the noble's spouse. They may greet guests or act on the noble's behalf. When acting in this capacity, however, they are expected to reflect well upon the noble they are representing. Their children are treated as cousins of the noble's own. Occasionally, if the noble is unfortunate enough to not produce an heir, the sworn companion's child may be adopted formally by the noble. The sworn companion is usually, but not always, the same gender as the noble and may be either commoner or noble themselves. The children of a sworn companion, unless adopted, have the status conveyed to them by their parent.<br />
* '''Knight-sophiste:''' A particular path of knighthood is the knight-sophiste, who trains in a narrower selection of the traditional knightly skills to allow the pursuit of an education specializing in an area of the arts or sciences. An education in the arts is considered a virtue in the noble houses, so many knights-sophiste come from their ranks, an option attractive to the later-born children who are less likely to inherit the lordship of their house. An education in a more practical area, such as one of the sciences, is less in vogue among the nobility but still seen as a worthy pursuit. <br />
**Knights-sophiste are usually lightly itinerant in their younger years, hosted by a house in order to share their specialty as a tutor, instructor, or consultant for a year or two and then moving to another house that is desirous of their knowledge. The itinerancy often ends when the knight-sophiste becomes engaged for marriage or is offered a landed position with an appreciative house. Hosting knights-sophiste is considered a matter of prestige, and they are often a means of strengthening ties between houses, up to and including establishing marriage bonds between them. <br />
**The knight-sophiste is expected as a matter of honor to also observe their regular knightly duties in service to their host house even in their itinerant years, but some unscrupulous knights-sophiste have taken advantage of their role to act as a saboteur, seducer, or spy.<br />
* '''Lustre:''' A type of lily, lustre's gorgeous flowers produce a crystalline pollen that coats their petals, giving them a jewel-like appearance. The pollen is also toxic. Simply breathing in lustre's fragrance is not a danger to most, though some have significant allergic reactions to it. However, the pollen can be processed into a deadly poison. <br />
**Lustre is highly valued because bees can produce honey made primarily from lustre pollen that is truly golden, delightful, and perfectly safe to eat. Raising fields of lustre and restricting the bees to them is an finicky process, adding to the value of lustre honey. Lustre honey is also distilled with apples to produce a coveted, strongly alcoholic brandy. Certain secret processes exist to distill the brandy in a way that returns the lustre's poisonous property, making the acceptance of a snifter of the brandy in certain situations either a very bold or foolhardy proposition. <br />
**The wrightfolk have many negative superstitions regarding lustre and generally refuse to have anything to do with it, though some are coerced to do so under the direction of the Imperials.<br />
<br />
==The Land==<br />
The Crowndom of Ilbarych is made up of the following regions and landmarks.<br />
<br />
===Barrowhills===<br />
A dry, cold swathe of hills and canyons along the central western reaches of the kingdom, the Barrowhills are home to small clan-groups of wrightfolk who live the way their people did before the coming of the imperials, mining iron ore and tending to flocks of goats. The nobles of these lands learned long ago to allow the wrightfolk to live as they have always done in order to harvest the ore wealth of these lands.<br />
* '''Houses of the Barrowhills:''' The Barrowhills houses are wealthy, benefitting as they do from the ubiquitous mines of these lands, and their defensive structures are strong, to defend those resources. The Crown has long watched the nobles of these lands carefully, however, fearful that they might try and turn that wealth against the throne. As such, the masters of these lands do not dare to raise large armies, even if they had the population to do so.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands – • Law +5 • Population -5 • Power -10 • Wealth +10<br />
<br />
===The Bay of Lances===<br />
The open ocean is separated from the southern coastline of the Crowndom by the Bay of Lances, a massive body of salt water that features treacherous spires of rock rising high above the waves. Worse still, for every such spire above the surface, there are many more lurking beneath the waters. Only the Habersi traders have the cunning and skill to traverse these deadly waters, and even then only in their lightest coastal trading vessels. Otherwise, only small fishing vessels can safely pass over these waters. On clear days, it is possible to look down and see the remnants of many vessels who tried and failed to navigate the Bay of Lances – but such days do not come often, for these waters are tempestuous, gray and unwelcoming throughout the winter, and stormy and restless in summer.<br />
<br />
===Crownhold===<br />
Once a large trading hub of the wrightfolk, Crownhold has been turned into a city. Notable for the river that runs through it, which harbors a spur of rock upon which stands the Thronespire, the keep of the Ilbarych kings. It is surrounded by a double-wall which hosts small estate-keeps allotted to the various Ilbarychan noble houses, ostensibly to force them to contribute to the defense of the city. Crownhold is located at the terminus of the Steel Road, along the Crown River which serves as the boundary between Steelvale and the Greensward.<br />
<br />
===The Greensward===<br />
The grasslands of the Greensward are the shield against the wild wealdfolk. Lumber camps dot the edges of the Wildweald here, and the noble houses provide soldiers to protect these encampments against the fury of the wealdfolk, who strive to stop the harvesting of the great forest's edge.<br />
* '''Houses of the Greensward:''' The Greensward Houses command large tracts of land, much of which was secured in living memory. As a result, the armies of the Greensward are frequently large to help defend those lands, and the houses thereof benefit greatly from the wealth that comes of them. Its upstart nobility are still taming these lands, however, and both bandits and wealdfolk raiders are a common problem. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -5 • Lands +10 • Law -10 • Population – • Power +10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Northshore===<br />
The cold coastal waters of Northshore were, until very recently, a haven of bandit and populations of rebellious wrightfolk driven out of the northern hills. For generations, those northern hills were considered the wall that protected the Crowndom from the savagery of those desperate souls. Ninety years ago, however, Crown Arfandal dispatched the Crown Wardens, his elite peacekeeping force led by the Knights of the Crown, to these lands to see them pacified and settled by upstart houses. Now, though these lands provide only sparse crops, coastal settlements fish these cold waters and mines in its western reaches produce iron, tin, and copper.<br />
* '''Houses of Northshore:''' Nearly every house of Northshore is small, recently-founded, and nowhere near as prosperous as the nobles of other parts of the Crowndom. Despite this, their lands are ample and well-guarded by both plentiful house troops and the Crown Wardens sent to pacify it. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -10 • Lands +5 • Law +10 • Population - • Power +10 • Wealth -5<br />
<br />
===The Steel Mountains===<br />
[[Image:Steel-mountains.jpg|200px|right]]<br />
The Steel Mountains are the wall which defends the Crowndom of Ilbarych from the dangerous lands that were once the Empire. They are tall and imposing, with very few passes among them. There are a good many alpine valleys and meadows sequestered between the tall peaks here, tiny pockets of rich plant life and the native cliff goats, cave bears, and mountain wolves often seek out these sanctuaries.<br />
* '''Houses of the Steel Mountains:''' The Houses of the Steel Mountains are hardy folk who are used to doing a great deal of up-close fighting themselves. The valleys of the Steel Mountains do not have large populations, so the houses here do not have the luxury of raising large armies. Instead, the nobility are all doughty warriors and mountaineers themselves, defending tall cliffside spires and keeps. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -5 • Law +10 • Population -10 • Power – • Wealth –<br />
* '''The Steel Road:''' Winding westward out of Crownhold, the Steel Road is an ancient imperial road. The keep Steelgate stands at the point where the Steel Road enters Ilbarych, defended by the Knights of Steelgate.<br />
<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
The gently rolling plains that unfurl out of the Steel Mountains are among the longest-settled of the domains of Ilbarych, and home to some of its most established nobility. Steelvale is the bread-basket of the Crowndom, with a great many wide agricultural fields, broken up by orchards, vineyards, and the famous lakes of Steelvale.<br />
* '''Houses of Steelvale:''' The oldest of the Ilbarychan nobility hail from these long-settled, populous lands rich in the resources that have kept the Crowndom prosperous for generations. Because of this age, many of the keeps of the Steelvale are smaller and less grandiose than in some other places, and the need for large armies is significantly less.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense -5 • Influence +10 • Lands – • Law – • Population +10 • Power -10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
The lands of Three-Rivers are home to a significant majority of the Crowndom's populace, noble and otherwise. Tucked away into the lowlands south of the Barrowhills, the wealth of waterways and moderately balmy climate provides long growing seasons and rich agriculture of all sorts, notably the wines of the region. <br />
* '''Houses of Three-Rivers:''' The nobles of Three-Rivers are known for their riches and extravagant castles built to defend the same. Though their domains tend to be more modest, they more than make up for that in the size of their populace. Because of how tightly clustered noble domains are here, houses require much smaller militaries to defend their holdings. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -10 • Law – • Population +10 • Power -5 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===The Wildweald===<br />
A massive primeval forest that forms the eastern and part of the northern borders of Ilbarych, the Wildweald is home to wealdfolk, nomadic people who are related to the wrightfolk (though culturally at odds with them).<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
===Founding===<br />
* '''Year 0:''' The remnants of the Wolfen Lance, fleeing the collapse of their home empire, arrive along the Steel Road. They conquer the trade hub that comes to be called Crownhold.<br />
** The native wrightfolk push back against the invasion, but they cannot stand against the heavy cavalry and support units of the Wolfen Lance.<br />
** Late that year, General Ilbarych is anointed as the Crown of the newly won lands. He appoints a number of his commanders and important retainers as nobles, charging them with the pacification and defense of their new lands.<br />
===Crowns of House Ilbarych===<br />
During this era, Ilbarych settled into its conquered lands of the Steel Mountains and Steelvale, and began fortifying Crownhold as a defensive security against the dangers of the Wildweald (which at this time stretched to the eastern shore of the Crown River).<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ilbarych (0 - 9 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sperya Ilbarych (9 - 14 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Luciunn Ilbarych (14 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ceolfrey===<br />
The Ceolfrey Crowns expanded the Crowndom into the Barrowhills and across the Crown River, beginning to eat into the Wildweald, pacifying and settling those lands, forming the Greensward. They also expanded along the western banks of the Crown River, making the first forays into what is now Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Caminaeus Ceolfrey (21 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Letinne Ceolfrey (21 - 49 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Vinusynt Ceolfrey (49 - 98 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Manea Ceolfrey (98 - 121 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aurinda Ceolfrey (121 - 144 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Serydia Ceolfrey (144 - 171 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ortholus Ceolfrey (171 - 221 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sonyelus Ceolfrey (221 - 254 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Hosentia Ceolfrey (254 - 292 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Domerr Ceolfrey (292 - 296 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Arret===<br />
The Arret Crowns continued to expand the Greensward as well as implemented settlement of Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Marken Arret (296 - 304 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Wynna Arret (304 - 328 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Phulyr Arret (328 - 351 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Brabinn Arret (351 - 377 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aupellia Arret (377 - 405 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Tyrtannus Arret (405 - 448 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ylrath===<br />
Under the Ylrath Crowns, Ilbarych has continued to push the Greensward east, and has undertaken the settlement of Northshore.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aethet Ylrath (448 - 473 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Byrfand Ylrath (473 - 500 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Javatus Ylrath (500 - 506 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Persym Ylrath (506 - 512 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Evginda Ylrath (512 - 519 Crown Reckoning):''' The current Crown of Ilbarych, Evginda is in the seventh year of her rule, having been anointed to the Crown after the death of her uncle Persym. A serious woman with little interest in things she considers frivolous, Evginda listens much and speaks little. Though she is said to appreciate fine art, she rarely gives compliments or praise for such things, leading to her court's reputation as a difficult place to be an artist in. Evginda's consort is a high-ranked soldier from House Vyranthal named Markov, and her Sworn Companion is the sorceress Orilantha.</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ilbarych&diff=62971Ilbarych2021-06-01T04:33:46Z<p>Josh: /* Culture */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
[[Image:Ilbarych-rough.jpg|center|650px]]<br />
* '''[[Qualities of Ilbarych]]'''<br />
<br />
==Culture==<br />
* '''The Crown:''' The Crowndom of Ilbarych is a monarchy ruled by a royal house and a group of noble houses. Its capital is Crownhold. The title of "Crown" is gender-neutral, and has been held by many women over the history of Ilbarych.<br />
* '''Artistry:''' The nobility of Ilbarych places enormous importance on art and beauty. So much so, that houses gain great prestige in their patronage of great artists. Even more so if the artist is a member of their own house. All forms of artistry are prized, from permanent works such as sculpture, painting, or crafting arms and armor, to the more ephemeral works, such as flower arranging, dance performance, or the artistic expression of Martial prowess. While these works are prized by all, some houses take it to the extreme. More than one house has ruined themselves in the pursuit of beauty.<br />
* '''Arcadae:''' Derived from an archaic term for a gallery, the arcadae is a space unique to Imperial estates. The high value placed on the arts necessitated a dedicated space to protect and preserve a house's most precious collections. This need gave rise to the arcadae, a gallery space that is provided with its own security and resources to preserve the art pieces held within. The arcadae may be a part of the house's castle or fortress, or sometimes is its own structure within the protected grounds of the estate. An arcadae traditionally includes living quarters and studio space for any artists in residence with the house, sometimes quite lavish in their accoutrements. <br />
**Often, a given house's arcadae is customized to provide space for their other artistic pursuits or entertainments, doubling as a dance or fest hall, a study or library, a lecture hall or amphitheater, or even protected garden space, all of which is enhanced by the precious arts on display. <br />
**Traditionally, a knight-sophiste will have charge of the protection and management of the arcadae and is sometimes even one of the artists in residence there. Depending on how trusted the knight-sopshiste is with the house and their competency in such things, this role can be largely ceremonial, as the actual work of maintaining the arcadae is always done by trained and trusted household staff.<br />
* '''Sworn Companion:''' To be a Sworn Companion is a formal relationship to the nobility of Ilbarych. Not all nobles have a sworn companion. But, for those that do, the sworn companion is a member of their family. They will sit at table with the noble, and the noble's spouse. They may greet guests or act on the noble's behalf. When acting in this capacity, however, they are expected to reflect well upon the noble they are representing. Their children are treated as cousins of the noble's own. Occasionally, if the noble is unfortunate enough to not produce an heir, the sworn companion's child may be adopted formally by the noble. The sworn companion is usually, but not always, the same gender as the noble and may be either commoner or noble themselves. The children of a sworn companion, unless adopted, have the status conveyed to them by their parent.<br />
* '''Knight-sophiste:''' A particular path of knighthood is the knight-sophiste, who trains in a narrower selection of the traditional knightly skills to allow the pursuit of an education specializing in an area of the arts or sciences. An education in the arts is considered a virtue in the noble houses, so many knights-sophiste come from their ranks, an option attractive to the later-born children who are less likely to inherit the lordship of their house. An education in a more practical area, such as one of the sciences, is less in vogue among the nobility but still seen as a worthy pursuit. <br />
**Knights-sophiste are usually lightly itinerant in their younger years, hosted by a house in order to share their specialty as a tutor, instructor, or consultant for a year or two and then moving to another house that is desirous of their knowledge. The itinerancy often ends when the knight-sophiste becomes engaged for marriage or is offered a landed position with an appreciative house. Hosting knights-sophiste is considered a matter of prestige, and they are often a means of strengthening ties between houses, up to and including establishing marriage bonds between two houses. <br />
**The knight-sophiste is expected as a matter of honor to also observe their regular knightly duties in service to their host house even in their itinerant years, but some unscrupulous knights-sophiste have taken advantage of their role to act as a saboteur, seducer, or spy.<br />
* '''Lustre:''' A type of lily, lustre's gorgeous flowers produce a crystalline pollen that coats their petals, giving them a jewel-like appearance. The pollen is also toxic. Simply breathing in lustre's fragrance is not a danger to most, though some have significant allergic reactions to it. However, the pollen can be processed into a deadly poison. <br />
**Lustre is highly valued because bees can produce honey made primarily from lustre pollen that is truly golden, delightful, and perfectly safe to eat. Raising fields of lustre and restricting the bees to them is an finicky process, adding to the value of lustre honey. Lustre honey is also distilled with apples to produce a coveted, strongly alcoholic brandy. Certain secret processes exist to distill the brandy in a way that returns the lustre's poisonous property, making the acceptance of a snifter of the brandy in certain situations either a very bold or foolhardy proposition. <br />
**The wrightfolk have many negative superstitions regarding lustre and generally refuse to have anything to do with it, though some are coerced to do so under the direction of the Imperials.<br />
<br />
==The Land==<br />
The Crowndom of Ilbarych is made up of the following regions and landmarks.<br />
<br />
===Barrowhills===<br />
A dry, cold swathe of hills and canyons along the central western reaches of the kingdom, the Barrowhills are home to small clan-groups of wrightfolk who live the way their people did before the coming of the imperials, mining iron ore and tending to flocks of goats. The nobles of these lands learned long ago to allow the wrightfolk to live as they have always done in order to harvest the ore wealth of these lands.<br />
* '''Houses of the Barrowhills:''' The Barrowhills houses are wealthy, benefitting as they do from the ubiquitous mines of these lands, and their defensive structures are strong, to defend those resources. The Crown has long watched the nobles of these lands carefully, however, fearful that they might try and turn that wealth against the throne. As such, the masters of these lands do not dare to raise large armies, even if they had the population to do so.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands – • Law +5 • Population -5 • Power -10 • Wealth +10<br />
<br />
===The Bay of Lances===<br />
The open ocean is separated from the southern coastline of the Crowndom by the Bay of Lances, a massive body of salt water that features treacherous spires of rock rising high above the waves. Worse still, for every such spire above the surface, there are many more lurking beneath the waters. Only the Habersi traders have the cunning and skill to traverse these deadly waters, and even then only in their lightest coastal trading vessels. Otherwise, only small fishing vessels can safely pass over these waters. On clear days, it is possible to look down and see the remnants of many vessels who tried and failed to navigate the Bay of Lances – but such days do not come often, for these waters are tempestuous, gray and unwelcoming throughout the winter, and stormy and restless in summer.<br />
<br />
===Crownhold===<br />
Once a large trading hub of the wrightfolk, Crownhold has been turned into a city. Notable for the river that runs through it, which harbors a spur of rock upon which stands the Thronespire, the keep of the Ilbarych kings. It is surrounded by a double-wall which hosts small estate-keeps allotted to the various Ilbarychan noble houses, ostensibly to force them to contribute to the defense of the city. Crownhold is located at the terminus of the Steel Road, along the Crown River which serves as the boundary between Steelvale and the Greensward.<br />
<br />
===The Greensward===<br />
The grasslands of the Greensward are the shield against the wild wealdfolk. Lumber camps dot the edges of the Wildweald here, and the noble houses provide soldiers to protect these encampments against the fury of the wealdfolk, who strive to stop the harvesting of the great forest's edge.<br />
* '''Houses of the Greensward:''' The Greensward Houses command large tracts of land, much of which was secured in living memory. As a result, the armies of the Greensward are frequently large to help defend those lands, and the houses thereof benefit greatly from the wealth that comes of them. Its upstart nobility are still taming these lands, however, and both bandits and wealdfolk raiders are a common problem. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -5 • Lands +10 • Law -10 • Population – • Power +10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Northshore===<br />
The cold coastal waters of Northshore were, until very recently, a haven of bandit and populations of rebellious wrightfolk driven out of the northern hills. For generations, those northern hills were considered the wall that protected the Crowndom from the savagery of those desperate souls. Ninety years ago, however, Crown Arfandal dispatched the Crown Wardens, his elite peacekeeping force led by the Knights of the Crown, to these lands to see them pacified and settled by upstart houses. Now, though these lands provide only sparse crops, coastal settlements fish these cold waters and mines in its western reaches produce iron, tin, and copper.<br />
* '''Houses of Northshore:''' Nearly every house of Northshore is small, recently-founded, and nowhere near as prosperous as the nobles of other parts of the Crowndom. Despite this, their lands are ample and well-guarded by both plentiful house troops and the Crown Wardens sent to pacify it. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -10 • Lands +5 • Law +10 • Population - • Power +10 • Wealth -5<br />
<br />
===The Steel Mountains===<br />
[[Image:Steel-mountains.jpg|200px|right]]<br />
The Steel Mountains are the wall which defends the Crowndom of Ilbarych from the dangerous lands that were once the Empire. They are tall and imposing, with very few passes among them. There are a good many alpine valleys and meadows sequestered between the tall peaks here, tiny pockets of rich plant life and the native cliff goats, cave bears, and mountain wolves often seek out these sanctuaries.<br />
* '''Houses of the Steel Mountains:''' The Houses of the Steel Mountains are hardy folk who are used to doing a great deal of up-close fighting themselves. The valleys of the Steel Mountains do not have large populations, so the houses here do not have the luxury of raising large armies. Instead, the nobility are all doughty warriors and mountaineers themselves, defending tall cliffside spires and keeps. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -5 • Law +10 • Population -10 • Power – • Wealth –<br />
* '''The Steel Road:''' Winding westward out of Crownhold, the Steel Road is an ancient imperial road. The keep Steelgate stands at the point where the Steel Road enters Ilbarych, defended by the Knights of Steelgate.<br />
<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
The gently rolling plains that unfurl out of the Steel Mountains are among the longest-settled of the domains of Ilbarych, and home to some of its most established nobility. Steelvale is the bread-basket of the Crowndom, with a great many wide agricultural fields, broken up by orchards, vineyards, and the famous lakes of Steelvale.<br />
* '''Houses of Steelvale:''' The oldest of the Ilbarychan nobility hail from these long-settled, populous lands rich in the resources that have kept the Crowndom prosperous for generations. Because of this age, many of the keeps of the Steelvale are smaller and less grandiose than in some other places, and the need for large armies is significantly less.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense -5 • Influence +10 • Lands – • Law – • Population +10 • Power -10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
The lands of Three-Rivers are home to a significant majority of the Crowndom's populace, noble and otherwise. Tucked away into the lowlands south of the Barrowhills, the wealth of waterways and moderately balmy climate provides long growing seasons and rich agriculture of all sorts, notably the wines of the region. <br />
* '''Houses of Three-Rivers:''' The nobles of Three-Rivers are known for their riches and extravagant castles built to defend the same. Though their domains tend to be more modest, they more than make up for that in the size of their populace. Because of how tightly clustered noble domains are here, houses require much smaller militaries to defend their holdings. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -10 • Law – • Population +10 • Power -5 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===The Wildweald===<br />
A massive primeval forest that forms the eastern and part of the northern borders of Ilbarych, the Wildweald is home to wealdfolk, nomadic people who are related to the wrightfolk (though culturally at odds with them).<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
===Founding===<br />
* '''Year 0:''' The remnants of the Wolfen Lance, fleeing the collapse of their home empire, arrive along the Steel Road. They conquer the trade hub that comes to be called Crownhold.<br />
** The native wrightfolk push back against the invasion, but they cannot stand against the heavy cavalry and support units of the Wolfen Lance.<br />
** Late that year, General Ilbarych is anointed as the Crown of the newly won lands. He appoints a number of his commanders and important retainers as nobles, charging them with the pacification and defense of their new lands.<br />
===Crowns of House Ilbarych===<br />
During this era, Ilbarych settled into its conquered lands of the Steel Mountains and Steelvale, and began fortifying Crownhold as a defensive security against the dangers of the Wildweald (which at this time stretched to the eastern shore of the Crown River).<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ilbarych (0 - 9 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sperya Ilbarych (9 - 14 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Luciunn Ilbarych (14 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ceolfrey===<br />
The Ceolfrey Crowns expanded the Crowndom into the Barrowhills and across the Crown River, beginning to eat into the Wildweald, pacifying and settling those lands, forming the Greensward. They also expanded along the western banks of the Crown River, making the first forays into what is now Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Caminaeus Ceolfrey (21 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Letinne Ceolfrey (21 - 49 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Vinusynt Ceolfrey (49 - 98 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Manea Ceolfrey (98 - 121 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aurinda Ceolfrey (121 - 144 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Serydia Ceolfrey (144 - 171 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ortholus Ceolfrey (171 - 221 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sonyelus Ceolfrey (221 - 254 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Hosentia Ceolfrey (254 - 292 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Domerr Ceolfrey (292 - 296 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Arret===<br />
The Arret Crowns continued to expand the Greensward as well as implemented settlement of Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Marken Arret (296 - 304 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Wynna Arret (304 - 328 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Phulyr Arret (328 - 351 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Brabinn Arret (351 - 377 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aupellia Arret (377 - 405 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Tyrtannus Arret (405 - 448 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ylrath===<br />
Under the Ylrath Crowns, Ilbarych has continued to push the Greensward east, and has undertaken the settlement of Northshore.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aethet Ylrath (448 - 473 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Byrfand Ylrath (473 - 500 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Javatus Ylrath (500 - 506 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Persym Ylrath (506 - 512 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Evginda Ylrath (512 - 519 Crown Reckoning):''' The current Crown of Ilbarych, Evginda is in the seventh year of her rule, having been anointed to the Crown after the death of her uncle Persym. A serious woman with little interest in things she considers frivolous, Evginda listens much and speaks little. Though she is said to appreciate fine art, she rarely gives compliments or praise for such things, leading to her court's reputation as a difficult place to be an artist in. Evginda's consort is a high-ranked soldier from House Vyranthal named Markov, and her Sworn Companion is the sorceress Orilantha.</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ilbarych&diff=62970Ilbarych2021-06-01T03:37:46Z<p>Josh: /* Culture */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
[[Image:Ilbarych-rough.jpg|center|650px]]<br />
* '''[[Qualities of Ilbarych]]'''<br />
<br />
==Culture==<br />
* '''The Crown:''' The Crowndom of Ilbarych is a monarchy ruled by a royal house and a group of noble houses. Its capital is Crownhold. The title of "Crown" is gender-neutral, and has been held by many women over the history of Ilbarych.<br />
* '''Artistry:''' The nobility of Ilbarych places enormous importance on art and beauty. So much so, that houses gain great prestige in their patronage of great artists. Even more so if the artist is a member of their own house. All forms of artistry are prized, from permanent works such as sculpture, painting, or crafting arms and armor, to the more ephemeral works, such as flower arranging, dance performance, or the artistic expression of Martial prowess. While these works are prized by all, some houses take it to the extreme. More than one house has ruined themselves in the pursuit of beauty.<br />
* '''Arcadae:''' Derived from an archaic term for a gallery, the arcadae is a space unique to Imperial estates. The high value placed on the arts necessitated a dedicated space to protect and preserve a house's most precious collections. This need gave rise to the arcadae, a gallery space that is provided with its own security and resources to preserve the art pieces held within. The arcadae may be a part of the house's castle or fortress, or sometimes is its own structure within the protected grounds of the estate. An arcadae traditionally includes living quarters and studio space for any artists in residence with the house, sometimes quite lavish in their accoutrements. Often, a given house's arcadae is customized to provide space for their other artistic pursuits or entertainments, doubling as a dance or fest hall, a study or library, a lecture hall or amphitheater, or even protected garden space, all of which is enhanced by the precious arts on display. Often, a knight-sophiste will have charge of the protection and management of the arcadae and is sometimes even one of the artists in residence there. Depending on how trusted the knight-sopshiste is with the house and their competency in such things, this role can be largely ceremonial, as the actual work of maintaining the arcadae is always done by trained and trusted household staff.<br />
* '''Sworn Companion:''' To be a Sworn Companion is a formal relationship to the nobility of Ilbarych. Not all nobles have a sworn companion. But, for those that do, the sworn companion is a member of their family. They will sit at table with the noble, and the noble's spouse. They may greet guests or act on the noble's behalf. When acting in this capacity, however, they are expected to reflect well upon the noble they are representing. Their children are treated as cousins of the noble's own. Occasionally, if the noble is unfortunate enough to not produce an heir, the sworn companion's child may be adopted formally by the noble. The sworn companion is usually, but not always, the same gender as the noble and may be either commoner or noble themselves. The children of a sworn companion, unless adopted, have the status conveyed to them by their parent.<br />
* '''Knight-sophiste:''' A particular path of knighthood is the knight-sophiste, who trains in a narrower selection of the traditional knightly skills to allow the pursuit of an education specializing in an area of the arts or sciences. An education in the arts is considered a virtue in the noble houses, so many knights-sophiste come from their ranks, an option attractive to the later-born children who are less likely to inherit the lordship of their house. An education in a more practical area, such as one of the sciences, is less in vogue among the nobility but still seen as a worthy pursuit. Knights-sophiste are usually lightly itinerant in their younger years, hosted by a house in order to share their specialty as a tutor, instructor, or consultant for a year or two and then moving to another house that is desirous of their knowledge. The itinerancy often ends when the knight-sophiste becomes engaged for marriage or is offered a landed position with an appreciative house. Hosting knights-sophiste is considered a matter of prestige, and they are often a means of strengthening ties between houses, up to and including establishing marriage bonds between two houses. The knight-sophiste is expected as a matter of honor to also observe their regular knightly duties in service to their host house even in their itinerant years, but some unscrupulous knights-sophiste have taken advantage of their role to act as a saboteur, seducer, or spy.<br />
* '''Lustre:''' A type of lily, lustre's gorgeous flowers produce a crystalline pollen that coats their petals, giving them a jewel-like appearance. The pollen is also toxic. Simply breathing in lustre's fragrance is not a danger to most, though some have significant allergic reactions to it. However, the pollen can be processed into a deadly poison. Lustre is highly valued, however, because bees can produce honey made primarily from lustre pollen that is truly golden, delightful, and perfectly safe to eat. Raising fields of lustre and restricting the bees to them is an finicky process, adding to the value of lustre honey. Lustre honey is also distilled with apples to produce a coveted, strongly alcoholic brandy. Certain secret processes exist to distill the brandy in a way that returns the lustre's poisonous property, making the acceptance of a snifter of the brandy in certain situations either a very bold or foolhardy proposition. The wrightfolk have many negative superstitions regarding lustre and generally refuse to have anything to do with it, though some are coerced to do so under the direction of the Imperials.<br />
<br />
==The Land==<br />
The Crowndom of Ilbarych is made up of the following regions and landmarks.<br />
<br />
===Barrowhills===<br />
A dry, cold swathe of hills and canyons along the central western reaches of the kingdom, the Barrowhills are home to small clan-groups of wrightfolk who live the way their people did before the coming of the imperials, mining iron ore and tending to flocks of goats. The nobles of these lands learned long ago to allow the wrightfolk to live as they have always done in order to harvest the ore wealth of these lands.<br />
* '''Houses of the Barrowhills:''' The Barrowhills houses are wealthy, benefitting as they do from the ubiquitous mines of these lands, and their defensive structures are strong, to defend those resources. The Crown has long watched the nobles of these lands carefully, however, fearful that they might try and turn that wealth against the throne. As such, the masters of these lands do not dare to raise large armies, even if they had the population to do so.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands – • Law +5 • Population -5 • Power -10 • Wealth +10<br />
<br />
===The Bay of Lances===<br />
The open ocean is separated from the southern coastline of the Crowndom by the Bay of Lances, a massive body of salt water that features treacherous spires of rock rising high above the waves. Worse still, for every such spire above the surface, there are many more lurking beneath the waters. Only the Habersi traders have the cunning and skill to traverse these deadly waters, and even then only in their lightest coastal trading vessels. Otherwise, only small fishing vessels can safely pass over these waters. On clear days, it is possible to look down and see the remnants of many vessels who tried and failed to navigate the Bay of Lances – but such days do not come often, for these waters are tempestuous, gray and unwelcoming throughout the winter, and stormy and restless in summer.<br />
<br />
===Crownhold===<br />
Once a large trading hub of the wrightfolk, Crownhold has been turned into a city. Notable for the river that runs through it, which harbors a spur of rock upon which stands the Thronespire, the keep of the Ilbarych kings. It is surrounded by a double-wall which hosts small estate-keeps allotted to the various Ilbarychan noble houses, ostensibly to force them to contribute to the defense of the city. Crownhold is located at the terminus of the Steel Road, along the Crown River which serves as the boundary between Steelvale and the Greensward.<br />
<br />
===The Greensward===<br />
The grasslands of the Greensward are the shield against the wild wealdfolk. Lumber camps dot the edges of the Wildweald here, and the noble houses provide soldiers to protect these encampments against the fury of the wealdfolk, who strive to stop the harvesting of the great forest's edge.<br />
* '''Houses of the Greensward:''' The Greensward Houses command large tracts of land, much of which was secured in living memory. As a result, the armies of the Greensward are frequently large to help defend those lands, and the houses thereof benefit greatly from the wealth that comes of them. Its upstart nobility are still taming these lands, however, and both bandits and wealdfolk raiders are a common problem. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -5 • Lands +10 • Law -10 • Population – • Power +10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Northshore===<br />
The cold coastal waters of Northshore were, until very recently, a haven of bandit and populations of rebellious wrightfolk driven out of the northern hills. For generations, those northern hills were considered the wall that protected the Crowndom from the savagery of those desperate souls. Ninety years ago, however, Crown Arfandal dispatched the Crown Wardens, his elite peacekeeping force led by the Knights of the Crown, to these lands to see them pacified and settled by upstart houses. Now, though these lands provide only sparse crops, coastal settlements fish these cold waters and mines in its western reaches produce iron, tin, and copper.<br />
* '''Houses of Northshore:''' Nearly every house of Northshore is small, recently-founded, and nowhere near as prosperous as the nobles of other parts of the Crowndom. Despite this, their lands are ample and well-guarded by both plentiful house troops and the Crown Wardens sent to pacify it. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -10 • Lands +5 • Law +10 • Population - • Power +10 • Wealth -5<br />
<br />
===The Steel Mountains===<br />
[[Image:Steel-mountains.jpg|200px|right]]<br />
The Steel Mountains are the wall which defends the Crowndom of Ilbarych from the dangerous lands that were once the Empire. They are tall and imposing, with very few passes among them. There are a good many alpine valleys and meadows sequestered between the tall peaks here, tiny pockets of rich plant life and the native cliff goats, cave bears, and mountain wolves often seek out these sanctuaries.<br />
* '''Houses of the Steel Mountains:''' The Houses of the Steel Mountains are hardy folk who are used to doing a great deal of up-close fighting themselves. The valleys of the Steel Mountains do not have large populations, so the houses here do not have the luxury of raising large armies. Instead, the nobility are all doughty warriors and mountaineers themselves, defending tall cliffside spires and keeps. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -5 • Law +10 • Population -10 • Power – • Wealth –<br />
* '''The Steel Road:''' Winding westward out of Crownhold, the Steel Road is an ancient imperial road. The keep Steelgate stands at the point where the Steel Road enters Ilbarych, defended by the Knights of Steelgate.<br />
<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
The gently rolling plains that unfurl out of the Steel Mountains are among the longest-settled of the domains of Ilbarych, and home to some of its most established nobility. Steelvale is the bread-basket of the Crowndom, with a great many wide agricultural fields, broken up by orchards, vineyards, and the famous lakes of Steelvale.<br />
* '''Houses of Steelvale:''' The oldest of the Ilbarychan nobility hail from these long-settled, populous lands rich in the resources that have kept the Crowndom prosperous for generations. Because of this age, many of the keeps of the Steelvale are smaller and less grandiose than in some other places, and the need for large armies is significantly less.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense -5 • Influence +10 • Lands – • Law – • Population +10 • Power -10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
The lands of Three-Rivers are home to a significant majority of the Crowndom's populace, noble and otherwise. Tucked away into the lowlands south of the Barrowhills, the wealth of waterways and moderately balmy climate provides long growing seasons and rich agriculture of all sorts, notably the wines of the region. <br />
* '''Houses of Three-Rivers:''' The nobles of Three-Rivers are known for their riches and extravagant castles built to defend the same. Though their domains tend to be more modest, they more than make up for that in the size of their populace. Because of how tightly clustered noble domains are here, houses require much smaller militaries to defend their holdings. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -10 • Law – • Population +10 • Power -5 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===The Wildweald===<br />
A massive primeval forest that forms the eastern and part of the northern borders of Ilbarych, the Wildweald is home to wealdfolk, nomadic people who are related to the wrightfolk (though culturally at odds with them).<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
===Founding===<br />
* '''Year 0:''' The remnants of the Wolfen Lance, fleeing the collapse of their home empire, arrive along the Steel Road. They conquer the trade hub that comes to be called Crownhold.<br />
** The native wrightfolk push back against the invasion, but they cannot stand against the heavy cavalry and support units of the Wolfen Lance.<br />
** Late that year, General Ilbarych is anointed as the Crown of the newly won lands. He appoints a number of his commanders and important retainers as nobles, charging them with the pacification and defense of their new lands.<br />
===Crowns of House Ilbarych===<br />
During this era, Ilbarych settled into its conquered lands of the Steel Mountains and Steelvale, and began fortifying Crownhold as a defensive security against the dangers of the Wildweald (which at this time stretched to the eastern shore of the Crown River).<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ilbarych (0 - 9 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sperya Ilbarych (9 - 14 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Luciunn Ilbarych (14 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ceolfrey===<br />
The Ceolfrey Crowns expanded the Crowndom into the Barrowhills and across the Crown River, beginning to eat into the Wildweald, pacifying and settling those lands, forming the Greensward. They also expanded along the western banks of the Crown River, making the first forays into what is now Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Caminaeus Ceolfrey (21 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Letinne Ceolfrey (21 - 49 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Vinusynt Ceolfrey (49 - 98 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Manea Ceolfrey (98 - 121 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aurinda Ceolfrey (121 - 144 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Serydia Ceolfrey (144 - 171 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ortholus Ceolfrey (171 - 221 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sonyelus Ceolfrey (221 - 254 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Hosentia Ceolfrey (254 - 292 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Domerr Ceolfrey (292 - 296 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Arret===<br />
The Arret Crowns continued to expand the Greensward as well as implemented settlement of Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Marken Arret (296 - 304 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Wynna Arret (304 - 328 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Phulyr Arret (328 - 351 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Brabinn Arret (351 - 377 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aupellia Arret (377 - 405 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Tyrtannus Arret (405 - 448 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ylrath===<br />
Under the Ylrath Crowns, Ilbarych has continued to push the Greensward east, and has undertaken the settlement of Northshore.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aethet Ylrath (448 - 473 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Byrfand Ylrath (473 - 500 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Javatus Ylrath (500 - 506 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Persym Ylrath (506 - 512 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Evginda Ylrath (512 - 519 Crown Reckoning):''' The current Crown of Ilbarych, Evginda is in the seventh year of her rule, having been anointed to the Crown after the death of her uncle Persym. A serious woman with little interest in things she considers frivolous, Evginda listens much and speaks little. Though she is said to appreciate fine art, she rarely gives compliments or praise for such things, leading to her court's reputation as a difficult place to be an artist in. Evginda's consort is a high-ranked soldier from House Vyranthal named Markov, and her Sworn Companion is the sorceress Orilantha.</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ilbarych&diff=62969Ilbarych2021-06-01T03:35:19Z<p>Josh: /* Culture */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
[[Image:Ilbarych-rough.jpg|center|650px]]<br />
* '''[[Qualities of Ilbarych]]'''<br />
<br />
==Culture==<br />
* '''The Crown:''' The Crowndom of Ilbarych is a monarchy ruled by a royal house and a group of noble houses. Its capital is Crownhold. The title of "Crown" is gender-neutral, and has been held by many women over the history of Ilbarych.<br />
* '''Artistry:''' The nobility of Ilbarych places enormous importance on art and beauty. So much so, that houses gain great prestige in their patronage of great artists. Even more so if the artist is a member of their own house. All forms of artistry are prized, from permanent works such as sculpture, painting, or crafting arms and armor, to the more ephemeral works, such as flower arranging, dance performance, or the artistic expression of Martial prowess. While these works are prized by all, some houses take it to the extreme. More than one house has ruined themselves in the pursuit of beauty.<br />
* '''Arcadae:''' Derived from an archaic term for a gallery, the arcadae is a space unique to Imperial estates. The high value placed on the arts necessitated a dedicated space to protect and preserve a house's most precious collections. This need gave rise to the arcadae, a gallery space that is provided with its own security and resources to preserve the art pieces held within. The arcadae may be a part of the house's castle or fortress, or sometimes is its own structure within the protected grounds of the estate. An arcadae traditionally includes living quarters and studio space for any artists in residence with the house, sometimes quite lavish in their accoutrements. Often, a given house's arcadae is customized to provide space for a house's other artistic pursuits or entertainments, doubling as a dance or fest hall, a study or library, a lecture hall or amphitheater, or even protected garden space, all of which is enhanced by the precious arts on display. Often, a knight-sophiste will have charge of the protection and management of the arcadae and is sometimes even one of the artists in residence there. Depending on how trusted the knight-sopshiste is with the house and their competency in such things, this role can be largely ceremonial, as the actual work of maintaining the arcadae is always done by trained and trusted household staff.<br />
* '''Sworn Companion:''' To be a Sworn Companion is a formal relationship to the nobility of Ilbarych. Not all nobles have a sworn companion. But, for those that do, the sworn companion is a member of their family. They will sit at table with the noble, and the noble's spouse. They may greet guests or act on the noble's behalf. When acting in this capacity, however, they are expected to reflect well upon the noble they are representing. Their children are treated as cousins of the noble's own. Occasionally, if the noble is unfortunate enough to not produce an heir, the sworn companion's child may be adopted formally by the noble. The sworn companion is usually, but not always, the same gender as the noble and may be either commoner or noble themselves. The children of a sworn companion, unless adopted, have the status conveyed to them by their parent.<br />
* '''Knight-sophiste:''' A particular path of knighthood is the knight-sophiste, who trains in a narrower selection of the traditional knightly skills to allow the pursuit of an education specializing in an area of the arts or sciences. An education in the arts is considered a virtue in the noble houses, so many knights-sophiste come from their ranks, an option attractive to the later-born children who are less likely to inherit the lordship of their house. An education in a more practical area, such as one of the sciences, is less in vogue among the nobility but still seen as a worthy pursuit. Knights-sophiste are usually lightly itinerant in their younger years, hosted by a house in order to share their specialty as a tutor, instructor, or consultant for a year or two and then moving to another house that is desirous of their knowledge. The itinerancy often ends when the knight-sophiste becomes engaged for marriage or is offered a landed position with an appreciative house. Hosting knights-sophiste is considered a matter of prestige, and they are often a means of strengthening ties between houses, up to and including establishing marriage bonds between two houses. The knight-sophiste is expected as a matter of honor to also observe their regular knightly duties in service to their host house even in their itinerant years, but some unscrupulous knights-sophiste have taken advantage of their role to act as a saboteur, seducer, or spy.<br />
* '''Lustre:''' A type of lily, lustre's gorgeous flowers produce a crystalline pollen that coats their petals, giving them a jewel-like appearance. The pollen is also toxic. Simply breathing in lustre's fragrance is not a danger to most, though some have significant allergic reactions to it. However, the pollen can be processed into a deadly poison. Lustre is highly valued, however, because bees can produce honey made primarily from lustre pollen that is truly golden, delightful, and perfectly safe to eat. Raising fields of lustre and restricting the bees to them is an finicky process, adding to the value of lustre honey. Lustre honey is also distilled with apples to produce a coveted, strongly alcoholic brandy. Certain secret processes exist to distill the brandy in a way that returns the lustre's poisonous property, making the acceptance of a snifter of the brandy in certain situations either a very bold or foolhardy proposition. The wrightfolk have many negative superstitions regarding lustre and generally refuse to have anything to do with it, though some are coerced to do so under the direction of the Imperials.<br />
<br />
==The Land==<br />
The Crowndom of Ilbarych is made up of the following regions and landmarks.<br />
<br />
===Barrowhills===<br />
A dry, cold swathe of hills and canyons along the central western reaches of the kingdom, the Barrowhills are home to small clan-groups of wrightfolk who live the way their people did before the coming of the imperials, mining iron ore and tending to flocks of goats. The nobles of these lands learned long ago to allow the wrightfolk to live as they have always done in order to harvest the ore wealth of these lands.<br />
* '''Houses of the Barrowhills:''' The Barrowhills houses are wealthy, benefitting as they do from the ubiquitous mines of these lands, and their defensive structures are strong, to defend those resources. The Crown has long watched the nobles of these lands carefully, however, fearful that they might try and turn that wealth against the throne. As such, the masters of these lands do not dare to raise large armies, even if they had the population to do so.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands – • Law +5 • Population -5 • Power -10 • Wealth +10<br />
<br />
===The Bay of Lances===<br />
The open ocean is separated from the southern coastline of the Crowndom by the Bay of Lances, a massive body of salt water that features treacherous spires of rock rising high above the waves. Worse still, for every such spire above the surface, there are many more lurking beneath the waters. Only the Habersi traders have the cunning and skill to traverse these deadly waters, and even then only in their lightest coastal trading vessels. Otherwise, only small fishing vessels can safely pass over these waters. On clear days, it is possible to look down and see the remnants of many vessels who tried and failed to navigate the Bay of Lances – but such days do not come often, for these waters are tempestuous, gray and unwelcoming throughout the winter, and stormy and restless in summer.<br />
<br />
===Crownhold===<br />
Once a large trading hub of the wrightfolk, Crownhold has been turned into a city. Notable for the river that runs through it, which harbors a spur of rock upon which stands the Thronespire, the keep of the Ilbarych kings. It is surrounded by a double-wall which hosts small estate-keeps allotted to the various Ilbarychan noble houses, ostensibly to force them to contribute to the defense of the city. Crownhold is located at the terminus of the Steel Road, along the Crown River which serves as the boundary between Steelvale and the Greensward.<br />
<br />
===The Greensward===<br />
The grasslands of the Greensward are the shield against the wild wealdfolk. Lumber camps dot the edges of the Wildweald here, and the noble houses provide soldiers to protect these encampments against the fury of the wealdfolk, who strive to stop the harvesting of the great forest's edge.<br />
* '''Houses of the Greensward:''' The Greensward Houses command large tracts of land, much of which was secured in living memory. As a result, the armies of the Greensward are frequently large to help defend those lands, and the houses thereof benefit greatly from the wealth that comes of them. Its upstart nobility are still taming these lands, however, and both bandits and wealdfolk raiders are a common problem. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -5 • Lands +10 • Law -10 • Population – • Power +10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Northshore===<br />
The cold coastal waters of Northshore were, until very recently, a haven of bandit and populations of rebellious wrightfolk driven out of the northern hills. For generations, those northern hills were considered the wall that protected the Crowndom from the savagery of those desperate souls. Ninety years ago, however, Crown Arfandal dispatched the Crown Wardens, his elite peacekeeping force led by the Knights of the Crown, to these lands to see them pacified and settled by upstart houses. Now, though these lands provide only sparse crops, coastal settlements fish these cold waters and mines in its western reaches produce iron, tin, and copper.<br />
* '''Houses of Northshore:''' Nearly every house of Northshore is small, recently-founded, and nowhere near as prosperous as the nobles of other parts of the Crowndom. Despite this, their lands are ample and well-guarded by both plentiful house troops and the Crown Wardens sent to pacify it. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -10 • Lands +5 • Law +10 • Population - • Power +10 • Wealth -5<br />
<br />
===The Steel Mountains===<br />
[[Image:Steel-mountains.jpg|200px|right]]<br />
The Steel Mountains are the wall which defends the Crowndom of Ilbarych from the dangerous lands that were once the Empire. They are tall and imposing, with very few passes among them. There are a good many alpine valleys and meadows sequestered between the tall peaks here, tiny pockets of rich plant life and the native cliff goats, cave bears, and mountain wolves often seek out these sanctuaries.<br />
* '''Houses of the Steel Mountains:''' The Houses of the Steel Mountains are hardy folk who are used to doing a great deal of up-close fighting themselves. The valleys of the Steel Mountains do not have large populations, so the houses here do not have the luxury of raising large armies. Instead, the nobility are all doughty warriors and mountaineers themselves, defending tall cliffside spires and keeps. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -5 • Law +10 • Population -10 • Power – • Wealth –<br />
* '''The Steel Road:''' Winding westward out of Crownhold, the Steel Road is an ancient imperial road. The keep Steelgate stands at the point where the Steel Road enters Ilbarych, defended by the Knights of Steelgate.<br />
<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
The gently rolling plains that unfurl out of the Steel Mountains are among the longest-settled of the domains of Ilbarych, and home to some of its most established nobility. Steelvale is the bread-basket of the Crowndom, with a great many wide agricultural fields, broken up by orchards, vineyards, and the famous lakes of Steelvale.<br />
* '''Houses of Steelvale:''' The oldest of the Ilbarychan nobility hail from these long-settled, populous lands rich in the resources that have kept the Crowndom prosperous for generations. Because of this age, many of the keeps of the Steelvale are smaller and less grandiose than in some other places, and the need for large armies is significantly less.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense -5 • Influence +10 • Lands – • Law – • Population +10 • Power -10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
The lands of Three-Rivers are home to a significant majority of the Crowndom's populace, noble and otherwise. Tucked away into the lowlands south of the Barrowhills, the wealth of waterways and moderately balmy climate provides long growing seasons and rich agriculture of all sorts, notably the wines of the region. <br />
* '''Houses of Three-Rivers:''' The nobles of Three-Rivers are known for their riches and extravagant castles built to defend the same. Though their domains tend to be more modest, they more than make up for that in the size of their populace. Because of how tightly clustered noble domains are here, houses require much smaller militaries to defend their holdings. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -10 • Law – • Population +10 • Power -5 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===The Wildweald===<br />
A massive primeval forest that forms the eastern and part of the northern borders of Ilbarych, the Wildweald is home to wealdfolk, nomadic people who are related to the wrightfolk (though culturally at odds with them).<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
===Founding===<br />
* '''Year 0:''' The remnants of the Wolfen Lance, fleeing the collapse of their home empire, arrive along the Steel Road. They conquer the trade hub that comes to be called Crownhold.<br />
** The native wrightfolk push back against the invasion, but they cannot stand against the heavy cavalry and support units of the Wolfen Lance.<br />
** Late that year, General Ilbarych is anointed as the Crown of the newly won lands. He appoints a number of his commanders and important retainers as nobles, charging them with the pacification and defense of their new lands.<br />
===Crowns of House Ilbarych===<br />
During this era, Ilbarych settled into its conquered lands of the Steel Mountains and Steelvale, and began fortifying Crownhold as a defensive security against the dangers of the Wildweald (which at this time stretched to the eastern shore of the Crown River).<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ilbarych (0 - 9 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sperya Ilbarych (9 - 14 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Luciunn Ilbarych (14 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ceolfrey===<br />
The Ceolfrey Crowns expanded the Crowndom into the Barrowhills and across the Crown River, beginning to eat into the Wildweald, pacifying and settling those lands, forming the Greensward. They also expanded along the western banks of the Crown River, making the first forays into what is now Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Caminaeus Ceolfrey (21 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Letinne Ceolfrey (21 - 49 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Vinusynt Ceolfrey (49 - 98 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Manea Ceolfrey (98 - 121 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aurinda Ceolfrey (121 - 144 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Serydia Ceolfrey (144 - 171 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ortholus Ceolfrey (171 - 221 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sonyelus Ceolfrey (221 - 254 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Hosentia Ceolfrey (254 - 292 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Domerr Ceolfrey (292 - 296 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Arret===<br />
The Arret Crowns continued to expand the Greensward as well as implemented settlement of Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Marken Arret (296 - 304 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Wynna Arret (304 - 328 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Phulyr Arret (328 - 351 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Brabinn Arret (351 - 377 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aupellia Arret (377 - 405 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Tyrtannus Arret (405 - 448 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ylrath===<br />
Under the Ylrath Crowns, Ilbarych has continued to push the Greensward east, and has undertaken the settlement of Northshore.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aethet Ylrath (448 - 473 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Byrfand Ylrath (473 - 500 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Javatus Ylrath (500 - 506 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Persym Ylrath (506 - 512 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Evginda Ylrath (512 - 519 Crown Reckoning):''' The current Crown of Ilbarych, Evginda is in the seventh year of her rule, having been anointed to the Crown after the death of her uncle Persym. A serious woman with little interest in things she considers frivolous, Evginda listens much and speaks little. Though she is said to appreciate fine art, she rarely gives compliments or praise for such things, leading to her court's reputation as a difficult place to be an artist in. Evginda's consort is a high-ranked soldier from House Vyranthal named Markov, and her Sworn Companion is the sorceress Orilantha.</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ilbarych&diff=62968Ilbarych2021-06-01T03:08:02Z<p>Josh: /* Culture */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
[[Image:Ilbarych-rough.jpg|center|650px]]<br />
* '''[[Qualities of Ilbarych]]'''<br />
<br />
==Culture==<br />
* '''The Crown:''' The Crowndom of Ilbarych is a monarchy ruled by a royal house and a group of noble houses. Its capital is Crownhold. The title of "Crown" is gender-neutral, and has been held by many women over the history of Ilbarych.<br />
* '''Artistry:''' The nobility of Ilbarych places enormous importance on art and beauty. So much so, that houses gain great prestige in their patronage of great artists. Even more so if the artist is a member of their own house. All forms of artistry are prized, from permanent works such as sculpture, painting, or crafting arms and armor, to the more ephemeral works, such as flower arranging, dance performance, or the artistic expression of Martial prowess. While these works are prized by all, some houses take it to the extreme. More than one house has ruined themselves in the pursuit of beauty.<br />
* '''Arcadae:''' Derived from an archaic term for a gallery, the arcadae is a space unique to Imperial estates. The high value placed on the arts necessitated a dedicated space to protect and preserve a house's most precious collections. This need gave rise to the arcadae, and gallery space that is provided with its own security and resources to preserve the art pieces held within. The arcadae may be a part of the house's castle or fortress, or sometimes it is its own structure within the protected grounds of the estate. An arcadae traditionally includes living quarters and studio space for any artists in residence with the house, sometimes quite lavish in its accoutrements. Also, an arcadae doubles as a space for a house's other artistic pursuits or entertainments, such as a dance hall, study or library, fest hall, lecture hall or amphitheater, or even protected garden space, all of which is enhanced by the precious arts in display. Often, a knight-sophiste will have charge of the protection of the arcadae, and is sometimes even one of the artists in residence there. Depending on how trusted the knight-sopshiste is with the house and their competency in such things, this role can be largely ceremonial, as the actual work of maintaining the arcadae is always done by trained and trusted household staff.<br />
* '''Sworn Companion:''' To be a Sworn Companion is a formal relationship to the nobility of Ilbarych. Not all nobles have a sworn companion. But, for those that do, the sworn companion is a member of their family. They will sit at table with the noble, and the noble's spouse. They may greet guests or act on the noble's behalf. When acting in this capacity, however, they are expected to reflect well upon the noble they are representing. Their children are treated as cousins of the noble's own. Occasionally, if the noble is unfortunate enough to not produce an heir, the sworn companion's child may be adopted formally by the noble. The sworn companion is usually, but not always, the same gender as the noble and may be either commoner or noble themselves. The children of a sworn companion, unless adopted, have the status conveyed to them by their parent.<br />
* '''Knight-sophiste:''' A particular path of knighthood is the knight-sophiste, who trains in a narrower selection of the traditional knightly skills to allow the pursuit of an education specializing in an area of the arts or sciences. Knight-sophistes are usually lightly itinerant in their younger years, hosted by a house in order to share their specialty as a tutor or instructor for a year or two and then moving to another house that is desirous of their knowledge. The itinerancy often when the knight-sophiste becomes engaged for marriage. Hosting knight-sophistes is considered a matter of prestige, and they are often a means of strengthening ties between houses, up to and including matchmaking. However, some knight-sophistes take the roll of saboteur, seducer, or spy.<br />
* '''Lustre:''' A type of lily, lustre's gorgeous flowers produce a crystalline pollen the coats their petals, giving them a jewel-like appearance. The pollen is also toxic. Simply breathing in lustre's fragrance is not a danger to most, though some have significant allergic reactions to it. However, the pollen can be processed into a deadly poison. Lustre is highly valued, however, because bees can produce honey made primarily from lustre pollen that is truly golden, delightful, and perfectly safe to eat. Restricting the bees thus is an arduous process, adding to the value of lustre honey. Lustre honey is also distilled with apples to produce a coveted, strongly alcoholic brandy. Certain secret processes exist to distill the brandy in a way that returns the lustre's poisonous property, making the acceptance of a snifter of the brandy in certain situations either a very bold or foolhardy proposition. The wrightfolk have many negative superstitions regarding lustre and generally refuse to have anything to do with it, though some are coerced to do so under the direction of the Imperials.<br />
<br />
==The Land==<br />
The Crowndom of Ilbarych is made up of the following regions and landmarks.<br />
<br />
===Barrowhills===<br />
A dry, cold swathe of hills and canyons along the central western reaches of the kingdom, the Barrowhills are home to small clan-groups of wrightfolk who live the way their people did before the coming of the imperials, mining iron ore and tending to flocks of goats. The nobles of these lands learned long ago to allow the wrightfolk to live as they have always done in order to harvest the ore wealth of these lands.<br />
* '''Houses of the Barrowhills:''' The Barrowhills houses are wealthy, benefitting as they do from the ubiquitous mines of these lands, and their defensive structures are strong, to defend those resources. The Crown has long watched the nobles of these lands carefully, however, fearful that they might try and turn that wealth against the throne. As such, the masters of these lands do not dare to raise large armies, even if they had the population to do so.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands – • Law +5 • Population -5 • Power -10 • Wealth +10<br />
<br />
===The Bay of Lances===<br />
The open ocean is separated from the southern coastline of the Crowndom by the Bay of Lances, a massive body of salt water that features treacherous spires of rock rising high above the waves. Worse still, for every such spire above the surface, there are many more lurking beneath the waters. Only the Habersi traders have the cunning and skill to traverse these deadly waters, and even then only in their lightest coastal trading vessels. Otherwise, only small fishing vessels can safely pass over these waters. On clear days, it is possible to look down and see the remnants of many vessels who tried and failed to navigate the Bay of Lances – but such days do not come often, for these waters are tempestuous, gray and unwelcoming throughout the winter, and stormy and restless in summer.<br />
<br />
===Crownhold===<br />
Once a large trading hub of the wrightfolk, Crownhold has been turned into a city. Notable for the river that runs through it, which harbors a spur of rock upon which stands the Thronespire, the keep of the Ilbarych kings. It is surrounded by a double-wall which hosts small estate-keeps allotted to the various Ilbarychan noble houses, ostensibly to force them to contribute to the defense of the city. Crownhold is located at the terminus of the Steel Road, along the Crown River which serves as the boundary between Steelvale and the Greensward.<br />
<br />
===The Greensward===<br />
The grasslands of the Greensward are the shield against the wild wealdfolk. Lumber camps dot the edges of the Wildweald here, and the noble houses provide soldiers to protect these encampments against the fury of the wealdfolk, who strive to stop the harvesting of the great forest's edge.<br />
* '''Houses of the Greensward:''' The Greensward Houses command large tracts of land, much of which was secured in living memory. As a result, the armies of the Greensward are frequently large to help defend those lands, and the houses thereof benefit greatly from the wealth that comes of them. Its upstart nobility are still taming these lands, however, and both bandits and wealdfolk raiders are a common problem. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -5 • Lands +10 • Law -10 • Population – • Power +10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Northshore===<br />
The cold coastal waters of Northshore were, until very recently, a haven of bandit and populations of rebellious wrightfolk driven out of the northern hills. For generations, those northern hills were considered the wall that protected the Crowndom from the savagery of those desperate souls. Ninety years ago, however, Crown Arfandal dispatched the Crown Wardens, his elite peacekeeping force led by the Knights of the Crown, to these lands to see them pacified and settled by upstart houses. Now, though these lands provide only sparse crops, coastal settlements fish these cold waters and mines in its western reaches produce iron, tin, and copper.<br />
* '''Houses of Northshore:''' Nearly every house of Northshore is small, recently-founded, and nowhere near as prosperous as the nobles of other parts of the Crowndom. Despite this, their lands are ample and well-guarded by both plentiful house troops and the Crown Wardens sent to pacify it. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -10 • Lands +5 • Law +10 • Population - • Power +10 • Wealth -5<br />
<br />
===The Steel Mountains===<br />
[[Image:Steel-mountains.jpg|200px|right]]<br />
The Steel Mountains are the wall which defends the Crowndom of Ilbarych from the dangerous lands that were once the Empire. They are tall and imposing, with very few passes among them. There are a good many alpine valleys and meadows sequestered between the tall peaks here, tiny pockets of rich plant life and the native cliff goats, cave bears, and mountain wolves often seek out these sanctuaries.<br />
* '''Houses of the Steel Mountains:''' The Houses of the Steel Mountains are hardy folk who are used to doing a great deal of up-close fighting themselves. The valleys of the Steel Mountains do not have large populations, so the houses here do not have the luxury of raising large armies. Instead, the nobility are all doughty warriors and mountaineers themselves, defending tall cliffside spires and keeps. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -5 • Law +10 • Population -10 • Power – • Wealth –<br />
* '''The Steel Road:''' Winding westward out of Crownhold, the Steel Road is an ancient imperial road. The keep Steelgate stands at the point where the Steel Road enters Ilbarych, defended by the Knights of Steelgate.<br />
<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
The gently rolling plains that unfurl out of the Steel Mountains are among the longest-settled of the domains of Ilbarych, and home to some of its most established nobility. Steelvale is the bread-basket of the Crowndom, with a great many wide agricultural fields, broken up by orchards, vineyards, and the famous lakes of Steelvale.<br />
* '''Houses of Steelvale:''' The oldest of the Ilbarychan nobility hail from these long-settled, populous lands rich in the resources that have kept the Crowndom prosperous for generations. Because of this age, many of the keeps of the Steelvale are smaller and less grandiose than in some other places, and the need for large armies is significantly less.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense -5 • Influence +10 • Lands – • Law – • Population +10 • Power -10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
The lands of Three-Rivers are home to a significant majority of the Crowndom's populace, noble and otherwise. Tucked away into the lowlands south of the Barrowhills, the wealth of waterways and moderately balmy climate provides long growing seasons and rich agriculture of all sorts, notably the wines of the region. <br />
* '''Houses of Three-Rivers:''' The nobles of Three-Rivers are known for their riches and extravagant castles built to defend the same. Though their domains tend to be more modest, they more than make up for that in the size of their populace. Because of how tightly clustered noble domains are here, houses require much smaller militaries to defend their holdings. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -10 • Law – • Population +10 • Power -5 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===The Wildweald===<br />
A massive primeval forest that forms the eastern and part of the northern borders of Ilbarych, the Wildweald is home to wealdfolk, nomadic people who are related to the wrightfolk (though culturally at odds with them).<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
===Founding===<br />
* '''Year 0:''' The remnants of the Wolfen Lance, fleeing the collapse of their home empire, arrive along the Steel Road. They conquer the trade hub that comes to be called Crownhold.<br />
** The native wrightfolk push back against the invasion, but they cannot stand against the heavy cavalry and support units of the Wolfen Lance.<br />
** Late that year, General Ilbarych is anointed as the Crown of the newly won lands. He appoints a number of his commanders and important retainers as nobles, charging them with the pacification and defense of their new lands.<br />
===Crowns of House Ilbarych===<br />
During this era, Ilbarych settled into its conquered lands of the Steel Mountains and Steelvale, and began fortifying Crownhold as a defensive security against the dangers of the Wildweald (which at this time stretched to the eastern shore of the Crown River).<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ilbarych (0 - 9 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sperya Ilbarych (9 - 14 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Luciunn Ilbarych (14 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ceolfrey===<br />
The Ceolfrey Crowns expanded the Crowndom into the Barrowhills and across the Crown River, beginning to eat into the Wildweald, pacifying and settling those lands, forming the Greensward. They also expanded along the western banks of the Crown River, making the first forays into what is now Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Caminaeus Ceolfrey (21 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Letinne Ceolfrey (21 - 49 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Vinusynt Ceolfrey (49 - 98 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Manea Ceolfrey (98 - 121 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aurinda Ceolfrey (121 - 144 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Serydia Ceolfrey (144 - 171 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ortholus Ceolfrey (171 - 221 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sonyelus Ceolfrey (221 - 254 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Hosentia Ceolfrey (254 - 292 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Domerr Ceolfrey (292 - 296 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Arret===<br />
The Arret Crowns continued to expand the Greensward as well as implemented settlement of Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Marken Arret (296 - 304 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Wynna Arret (304 - 328 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Phulyr Arret (328 - 351 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Brabinn Arret (351 - 377 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aupellia Arret (377 - 405 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Tyrtannus Arret (405 - 448 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ylrath===<br />
Under the Ylrath Crowns, Ilbarych has continued to push the Greensward east, and has undertaken the settlement of Northshore.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aethet Ylrath (448 - 473 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Byrfand Ylrath (473 - 500 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Javatus Ylrath (500 - 506 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Persym Ylrath (506 - 512 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Evginda Ylrath (512 - 519 Crown Reckoning):''' The current Crown of Ilbarych, Evginda is in the seventh year of her rule, having been anointed to the Crown after the death of her uncle Persym. A serious woman with little interest in things she considers frivolous, Evginda listens much and speaks little. Though she is said to appreciate fine art, she rarely gives compliments or praise for such things, leading to her court's reputation as a difficult place to be an artist in. Evginda's consort is a high-ranked soldier from House Vyranthal named Markov, and her Sworn Companion is the sorceress Orilantha.</div>Joshhttps://oakthorne.net/wiki/index.php?title=Ilbarych&diff=62967Ilbarych2021-06-01T03:01:27Z<p>Josh: /* Culture */</p>
<hr />
<div>__NOTOC__<br />
[[Image:Ilbarych-rough.jpg|center|650px]]<br />
* '''[[Qualities of Ilbarych]]'''<br />
<br />
==Culture==<br />
* '''The Crown:''' The Crowndom of Ilbarych is a monarchy ruled by a royal house and a group of noble houses. Its capital is Crownhold. The title of "Crown" is gender-neutral, and has been held by many women over the history of Ilbarych.<br />
* '''Artistry:''' The nobility of Ilbarych places enormous importance on art and beauty. So much so, that houses gain great prestige in their patronage of great artists. Even more so if the artist is a member of their own house. All forms of artistry are prized, from permanent works such as sculpture, painting, or crafting arms and armor, to the more ephemeral works, such as flower arranging, dance performance, or the artistic expression of Martial prowess. While these works are prized by all, some houses take it to the extreme. More than one house has ruined themselves in the pursuit of beauty.<br />
* '''Arcadae:''' Derived from an archaic term for a gallery, the arcadae is a space unique to Imperial estates. The high value placed on the arts necessitated a dedicated space to protect and preserve a house's most precious collections. This need gave rise to the arcadae, and gallery space that is provided with its own security and resources to preserve the art pieces held within. The arcadae may be a part of the house's castle or fortress, or sometimes it is its own structure within the protected grounds of the estate. An arcadae traditionally includes living quarters and studio space for any artists in residence with the house, sometimes quite lavish in its accoutrements. Also, an arcadae doubles as a space for a house's other artistic pursuits or entertainments, such as a dance hall, study or library, fest hall, lecture hall or amphitheater, or even protected garden space, all of which is enhanced by the precious arts in display. Often, a knight-sophiste will have charge of the protection of the arcadae, and is sometimes even one of the artists in residence there. Depending on how trusted the knight-sopshiste is with the house and their competency in such things, this role can be largely ceremonial, as the actual work of maintaining the arcadae is always done by trained and trusted household staff.<br />
* '''Sworn Companion:''' To be a Sworn Companion is a formal relationship to the nobility of Ilbarych. Not all nobles have a sworn companion. But, for those that do, the sworn companion is a member of their family. They will sit at table with the noble, and the noble's spouse. They may greet guests or act on the noble's behalf. When acting in this capacity, however, they are expected to reflect well upon the noble they are representing. Their children are treated as cousins of the noble's own. Occasionally, if the noble is unfortunate enough to not produce an heir, the sworn companion's child may be adopted formally by the noble. The sworn companion is usually, but not always, the same gender as the noble and may be either commoner or noble themselves. The children of a sworn companion, unless adopted, have the status conveyed to them by their parent.<br />
* '''Knight-sophiste:''' A particular path of knighthood is the knight-sophiste, who trains in a narrower selection of the traditional knightly skills to allow the pursuit of an education specializing in an area of the arts or sciences. Knight-sophistes are usually lightly itinerant in their younger years, hosted by a house in order to share their specialty as a tutor or instructor for a year or two and then moving to another house that is desirous of their knowledge. The itinerancy often when the knight-sophiste becomes engaged for marriage. Hosting knight-sophistes is considered a matter of prestige, and they are often a means of strengthening ties between houses, up to and including matchmaking. However, some knight-sophistes take the roll of saboteur, seducer, or spy.<br />
<br />
==The Land==<br />
The Crowndom of Ilbarych is made up of the following regions and landmarks.<br />
<br />
===Barrowhills===<br />
A dry, cold swathe of hills and canyons along the central western reaches of the kingdom, the Barrowhills are home to small clan-groups of wrightfolk who live the way their people did before the coming of the imperials, mining iron ore and tending to flocks of goats. The nobles of these lands learned long ago to allow the wrightfolk to live as they have always done in order to harvest the ore wealth of these lands.<br />
* '''Houses of the Barrowhills:''' The Barrowhills houses are wealthy, benefitting as they do from the ubiquitous mines of these lands, and their defensive structures are strong, to defend those resources. The Crown has long watched the nobles of these lands carefully, however, fearful that they might try and turn that wealth against the throne. As such, the masters of these lands do not dare to raise large armies, even if they had the population to do so.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands – • Law +5 • Population -5 • Power -10 • Wealth +10<br />
<br />
===The Bay of Lances===<br />
The open ocean is separated from the southern coastline of the Crowndom by the Bay of Lances, a massive body of salt water that features treacherous spires of rock rising high above the waves. Worse still, for every such spire above the surface, there are many more lurking beneath the waters. Only the Habersi traders have the cunning and skill to traverse these deadly waters, and even then only in their lightest coastal trading vessels. Otherwise, only small fishing vessels can safely pass over these waters. On clear days, it is possible to look down and see the remnants of many vessels who tried and failed to navigate the Bay of Lances – but such days do not come often, for these waters are tempestuous, gray and unwelcoming throughout the winter, and stormy and restless in summer.<br />
<br />
===Crownhold===<br />
Once a large trading hub of the wrightfolk, Crownhold has been turned into a city. Notable for the river that runs through it, which harbors a spur of rock upon which stands the Thronespire, the keep of the Ilbarych kings. It is surrounded by a double-wall which hosts small estate-keeps allotted to the various Ilbarychan noble houses, ostensibly to force them to contribute to the defense of the city. Crownhold is located at the terminus of the Steel Road, along the Crown River which serves as the boundary between Steelvale and the Greensward.<br />
<br />
===The Greensward===<br />
The grasslands of the Greensward are the shield against the wild wealdfolk. Lumber camps dot the edges of the Wildweald here, and the noble houses provide soldiers to protect these encampments against the fury of the wealdfolk, who strive to stop the harvesting of the great forest's edge.<br />
* '''Houses of the Greensward:''' The Greensward Houses command large tracts of land, much of which was secured in living memory. As a result, the armies of the Greensward are frequently large to help defend those lands, and the houses thereof benefit greatly from the wealth that comes of them. Its upstart nobility are still taming these lands, however, and both bandits and wealdfolk raiders are a common problem. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -5 • Lands +10 • Law -10 • Population – • Power +10 • Wealth +5<br />
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===Northshore===<br />
The cold coastal waters of Northshore were, until very recently, a haven of bandit and populations of rebellious wrightfolk driven out of the northern hills. For generations, those northern hills were considered the wall that protected the Crowndom from the savagery of those desperate souls. Ninety years ago, however, Crown Arfandal dispatched the Crown Wardens, his elite peacekeeping force led by the Knights of the Crown, to these lands to see them pacified and settled by upstart houses. Now, though these lands provide only sparse crops, coastal settlements fish these cold waters and mines in its western reaches produce iron, tin, and copper.<br />
* '''Houses of Northshore:''' Nearly every house of Northshore is small, recently-founded, and nowhere near as prosperous as the nobles of other parts of the Crowndom. Despite this, their lands are ample and well-guarded by both plentiful house troops and the Crown Wardens sent to pacify it. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense – • Influence -10 • Lands +5 • Law +10 • Population - • Power +10 • Wealth -5<br />
<br />
===The Steel Mountains===<br />
[[Image:Steel-mountains.jpg|200px|right]]<br />
The Steel Mountains are the wall which defends the Crowndom of Ilbarych from the dangerous lands that were once the Empire. They are tall and imposing, with very few passes among them. There are a good many alpine valleys and meadows sequestered between the tall peaks here, tiny pockets of rich plant life and the native cliff goats, cave bears, and mountain wolves often seek out these sanctuaries.<br />
* '''Houses of the Steel Mountains:''' The Houses of the Steel Mountains are hardy folk who are used to doing a great deal of up-close fighting themselves. The valleys of the Steel Mountains do not have large populations, so the houses here do not have the luxury of raising large armies. Instead, the nobility are all doughty warriors and mountaineers themselves, defending tall cliffside spires and keeps. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -5 • Law +10 • Population -10 • Power – • Wealth –<br />
* '''The Steel Road:''' Winding westward out of Crownhold, the Steel Road is an ancient imperial road. The keep Steelgate stands at the point where the Steel Road enters Ilbarych, defended by the Knights of Steelgate.<br />
<br />
===Steelvale===<br />
The gently rolling plains that unfurl out of the Steel Mountains are among the longest-settled of the domains of Ilbarych, and home to some of its most established nobility. Steelvale is the bread-basket of the Crowndom, with a great many wide agricultural fields, broken up by orchards, vineyards, and the famous lakes of Steelvale.<br />
* '''Houses of Steelvale:''' The oldest of the Ilbarychan nobility hail from these long-settled, populous lands rich in the resources that have kept the Crowndom prosperous for generations. Because of this age, many of the keeps of the Steelvale are smaller and less grandiose than in some other places, and the need for large armies is significantly less.<br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense -5 • Influence +10 • Lands – • Law – • Population +10 • Power -10 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===Three-Rivers===<br />
The lands of Three-Rivers are home to a significant majority of the Crowndom's populace, noble and otherwise. Tucked away into the lowlands south of the Barrowhills, the wealth of waterways and moderately balmy climate provides long growing seasons and rich agriculture of all sorts, notably the wines of the region. <br />
* '''Houses of Three-Rivers:''' The nobles of Three-Rivers are known for their riches and extravagant castles built to defend the same. Though their domains tend to be more modest, they more than make up for that in the size of their populace. Because of how tightly clustered noble domains are here, houses require much smaller militaries to defend their holdings. <br />
** ''House Modifiers:'' Defense +10 • Influence – • Lands -10 • Law – • Population +10 • Power -5 • Wealth +5<br />
<br />
===The Wildweald===<br />
A massive primeval forest that forms the eastern and part of the northern borders of Ilbarych, the Wildweald is home to wealdfolk, nomadic people who are related to the wrightfolk (though culturally at odds with them).<br />
<br />
==History==<br />
===Founding===<br />
* '''Year 0:''' The remnants of the Wolfen Lance, fleeing the collapse of their home empire, arrive along the Steel Road. They conquer the trade hub that comes to be called Crownhold.<br />
** The native wrightfolk push back against the invasion, but they cannot stand against the heavy cavalry and support units of the Wolfen Lance.<br />
** Late that year, General Ilbarych is anointed as the Crown of the newly won lands. He appoints a number of his commanders and important retainers as nobles, charging them with the pacification and defense of their new lands.<br />
===Crowns of House Ilbarych===<br />
During this era, Ilbarych settled into its conquered lands of the Steel Mountains and Steelvale, and began fortifying Crownhold as a defensive security against the dangers of the Wildweald (which at this time stretched to the eastern shore of the Crown River).<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ilbarych (0 - 9 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sperya Ilbarych (9 - 14 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Luciunn Ilbarych (14 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ceolfrey===<br />
The Ceolfrey Crowns expanded the Crowndom into the Barrowhills and across the Crown River, beginning to eat into the Wildweald, pacifying and settling those lands, forming the Greensward. They also expanded along the western banks of the Crown River, making the first forays into what is now Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Caminaeus Ceolfrey (21 - 21 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Letinne Ceolfrey (21 - 49 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Vinusynt Ceolfrey (49 - 98 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Manea Ceolfrey (98 - 121 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aurinda Ceolfrey (121 - 144 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Serydia Ceolfrey (144 - 171 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Ortholus Ceolfrey (171 - 221 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Sonyelus Ceolfrey (221 - 254 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Hosentia Ceolfrey (254 - 292 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Domerr Ceolfrey (292 - 296 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Arret===<br />
The Arret Crowns continued to expand the Greensward as well as implemented settlement of Three-Rivers.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Marken Arret (296 - 304 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Wynna Arret (304 - 328 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Phulyr Arret (328 - 351 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Brabinn Arret (351 - 377 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aupellia Arret (377 - 405 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Tyrtannus Arret (405 - 448 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
===Crowns of House Ylrath===<br />
Under the Ylrath Crowns, Ilbarych has continued to push the Greensward east, and has undertaken the settlement of Northshore.<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Aethet Ylrath (448 - 473 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Byrfand Ylrath (473 - 500 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Javatus Ylrath (500 - 506 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Persym Ylrath (506 - 512 Crown Reckoning):''' x<br />
* '''Reign of Crown Evginda Ylrath (512 - 519 Crown Reckoning):''' The current Crown of Ilbarych, Evginda is in the seventh year of her rule, having been anointed to the Crown after the death of her uncle Persym. A serious woman with little interest in things she considers frivolous, Evginda listens much and speaks little. Though she is said to appreciate fine art, she rarely gives compliments or praise for such things, leading to her court's reputation as a difficult place to be an artist in. Evginda's consort is a high-ranked soldier from House Vyranthal named Markov, and her Sworn Companion is the sorceress Orilantha.</div>Josh