Vericus Valentus

Vericus Valentus

Knight-Sanctified of House Durwald, Commander of Gatewatch Academy

Age: 55 • Virtue: Honest • Vice: Depression Goals: Increase Imperium and Civic Beauty in the Holding, Find a worthy replacement for himself at the Academy

Abilities

Agility: 2 (rr 6s, take 2nd roll Inept) (Balance, rr 5 1s BotE) Animal Handling: 2 Athletics: 2 (Climb, rr 5 1s BotE) Awareness: 5, Empathy 2b, Notice 1b (+2 BotE) Cunning: 4, Decipher 1b, Logic 1b Deception: 2 (rr 6s, take 2nd roll Honor-Bound) (+2, +4 passive vs Read Target Courteous) Endurance: 3 Fighting: 4, Long Blades 2b, Shield 1b (rr 4 1s Knight-Sanctified) Healing: 2 Languages: 4 Knowledge: 2 Marksmanship: 1 (-1D Flaw) Persuasion: 4, Bargain 1b, Charm 1b, Convince 1b (+1D impressed Artist) (-1D vs Convince, Intimidate, Seduce Dutiful) Status: 2, Breeding 1b, Reputation 2b (+2 Knight-Sanctified) Stealth: 2 Survival: 2 (-1D Flaw) Thievery: 2 (-1D Flaw) Warfare: 4, Strategy 1b, Command 2b Will: 4, Coordinate 1b, Dedication 1b

Intrigue

Intrigue Defense: 11 • Composure: 12

Combat

Combat Defense: 9/13 • Health: 9 Armor Type: Full Plate • Armor Rating: 10 • Armor Penalty: -6 Weapons: Longsword

Sorcery

Sorcery Points: 0 • Sorcery Defense: 11 Arts & Works: x

Qualities

Destiny Points: 1

Benefits

Artist (Musical Composition), Blood of the Eagle, Cautious Diplomat, Courteous, Dutiful, Eloquent, Knight-Sanctified, Prophetic Alignment

Drawbacks

Crippled, Fear (Heights/Cliffs), Flaws (Marksmanship, Survival, Thievery), Honor-Bound, Inept, Nemesis

Background

Adolescence: The childhood friendship between Vericus and Ludogranz grows into something more and Ludogranz names him his Sworn Companion. They both attend the Coronet, where Vericus discovers a love for music.

Young Adult: Vericus is sponsored by House Stannum to attend the Academy of Courtly Arts, where his musical talent is nurtured and developed. There, he meets and falls in love with another student, and together they are a sensation at court. She isn't satisfied however, and uses the Ritual of the Muse. Together, they create masterpieces but afterwards she breaks up with Vericus.

Adult: A heartbroken Vericus leaves House Gerwalt for a while, learning from the followers of Eleah and attending a few classes at the University. When he returns, he becomes Ludogranz's squire, and eventually is Knighted.

Middle Age: Vericus helps Ludogranz form the Academy. He survives the attack on Ludogranz with grievous injuries, and is named Commander once he has recovered.

Rumors & Tendencies

There are a variety of local rumors about Vericus:

• Vericus was grievously injured in the same attack that killed Ludogranz. In the attack, his horse took an arrow and threw him. Vericus fell off a cliff, crushing his left leg and left arm, and was left for dead. He walks with a pronounced limp and he has reduced strength in his left arm. His left hand sometimes shakes. Vericus does his best to hide his injuries, but that only seems to call attention to them more.
• Some uncultured wags in the Academy speculate that Vericus was neutered as well in the attack, as no one can remember him coupling with anyone since. In truth, after losing both of the loves of his life, he has been despairing of ever finding love again.
• Vericus is notoriously inept at hunting. Dunhill, where he grew up, was full of mines, not forests. As in so many things, Ludogranz naturally took to hunting when he arrived in Houndsreach, but Vericus never quite got the hang of it. Vericus gamely attends the Winter Hunt each year, but spends much of it in the hunting lodge.
• Vericus is prone to bouts of melancholia. Many think this somehow romantic, as they assume he is simply still in mourning for his beloved Ludogranz.

Goals

• Find a worthy successor to command the Academy (he is currently considering Sir Ruvand Durwald and Worthy Sir Nyle Caeden).
• Build a grand Arcadae/Concert Hall and otherwise increase civic beauty in Houndsreach.
• Ensure Ludogranz's lasting legacy; preferably have him become an Uncta.
  • Erect a heroic statue of Ludogranz on horseback in front of the Academy.

Possessions

Possessions: 260 sd, common clothes, boots, Dagger, Longsword, Heavy Shield, Full Plate Armor, Courser, Destrier.

Qualities

• Destiny Points: 1
• Prophetic Alignment Destiny Points: 1

Benefits

• Artist (Musical Composition): You are a skilled artist in a particular form, able to create works that denote exceptional amateur ability, if not a gift honed during an apprenticeship.
  Choose any one art form. Examples include painting, poetry, composition, and sculpture. You may produce art of its kind. Spend eight hours each day for five days performing your art and earn 10 silver pieces. You may also make a Challenging (9) Cunning test to earn 1 extra silver piece per degree. At the Narrator’s discretion, you may gain +1D on Persuasion tests against people aware of and impressed by your work.
• Blood of the Eagle: You show blood of the Lands of the Eagle, from the old Empire. Those of those lands tended to be slender and slight, with quick, dextrous hands. They were olive and tawny complected, with very straight hair in blacks and greys (even in the young), and eyes of black, blue, or silver. They were known for their excellent senses, and comfort in heights. Whenever you test Awareness, add +2 to the result. When testing either Agility (Balance) or Athletics (Climb), you may re-roll a number of 1s equal to your Awareness.
• Cautious Diplomat: Extensive experience with negotiation gives you an advantage when you take the time to size up your opponent first. Whenever you take the Consider action during an intrigue, the bonus dice gained can exceed the normal limits on bonus dice. In addition, you retain these dice until the end of the intrigue.
• Courteous: You have impeccable manners. Add a number to Deception test results equal to one-half your Persuasion ranks (round down, minimum 1). In addition, when an opponent targets you with the Read Target action, increase your passive Deception result by a number equal to your Cunning ranks.
• Dutiful: You are unfailingly loyal. Opponents have –1D on all Persuasion tests made to influence you involving Convince, Intimidate, or Seduce.
• Eloquent: When engaged in an intrigue using a Language in which you have rank 4 or greater, you automatically go first in the round.
• Knight-Sanctified (The Wisterian Arbor): You have been anointed a Holy Knight of Distinction, acknowledged not simply for your skill at arms, but also for your dedication to and reverence for the unctæ.
  • You gain a +2 to Status tests in situations where your Distinction is known.
  • When making a Fighting Test, you may re-roll a number of 1s equal to your Will.
  • You also likely belong to a Knightly Order, one dedicated to a specific one of the unctæ.
• Prophetic Alignment: A sorcerer has shared their visions of the future with you. You are moved and driven to either see that their prophecy comes to pass, or filled with the determination to prevent it somehow. Either way, this Benefit grants you a number of Prophetic Destiny Points equal to the Vision ritual’s Unleashing degrees of success, plus one. These points may be spent or burned as normal Destiny Points, save that the outcome of that expenditure must either aid or hinder the prophecy from coming true. This may even be used to power sorcerous work, so long as the magic directly contributes to the culmination or prevention of the future vision.
  Once you have burned all of these Prophetic Destiny Points, you lose this Benefit and regain the point of Destiny invested in it: you have done all you can to either fight or facilitate the prophecy, and it is now in the hands of others, and fate.

Drawbacks & Flaws

• Vericus was grievously injured in the same attack that killed Ludogranz. In the attack, his horse took an arrow and threw him. Vericus fell off a cliff, crushing his left leg and left arm, and was left for dead. He walks with a pronounced limp and he has reduced strength in his left arm. His left hand sometimes shakes. Vericus does his best to hide his injuries, but that only seems to call attention to them more.
  • Crippled: You suffered a terrible injury or were born twisted in some way. You reduce your Movement by –2 yards (to a minimum of 1 yard).
  • Fear (Heights/Cliffs): You are deeply afraid of something. Choose one object of your fear—fire, snakes, wolves, darkness, and so on. When in the presence of the thing you fear, you take a –1D on all tests. Each round on your turn, roll 1d6. On a 6, you overcome your fear and lose this penalty for the duration of the encounter.
  • Flaw (Markmanship): When you gain this drawback, select a single ability. You take –1D on all tests involving this ability. When calculating your passive test result with your flawed ability, treat it as being 1 point lower. For example, if you have Perception 4 and the Flaw (Awareness) drawback, your passive Awareness result would by 12 ([4 − 1] x 4). You also reduce any derived characteristics (such as Intrigue Defense or weapon damage) by 1. For ways your Flaw might manifest, see the Flaws table.
  • Inept: You are slow and clumsy. Whenever you test Agility, you must re-roll any die result of a 6 and take the second roll.
• Vericus is notoriously inept at hunting. Dunhill, where he grew up, was full of mines, not forests. As in so many things, Ludogranz naturally took to hunting when he arrived in Houndsreach, but Vericus never quite got the hang of it. Vericus gamely attends the hunt each year, but spends much of it in the hunting lodge.
  • Flaw (Survival): When you gain this drawback, select a single ability. You take –1D on all tests involving this ability. When calculating your passive test result with your flawed ability, treat it as being 1 point lower. For example, if you have Perception 4 and the Flaw (Awareness) drawback, your passive Awareness result would by 12 ([4 − 1] x 4). You also reduce any derived characteristics (such as Intrigue Defense or weapon damage) by 1. For ways your Flaw might manifest, see the Flaws table.
• Vericus is honest and honorable to a fault. Ludogranz loved this about him and it usually serves him well, but it often frustrates Gemma when she is trying to scheme her way into something. Vericus is getting better at evading probing questions but still rarely lies outright.
  • Honor-bound: Honorable to a fault, you must re-roll all 6s on Deception tests and take the second roll, even if it’s worse than the first roll.
  • Flaw (Thievery): When you gain this drawback, select a single ability. You take –1D on all tests involving this ability. When calculating your passive test result with your flawed ability, treat it as being 1 point lower. For example, if you have Perception 4 and the Flaw (Awareness) drawback, your passive Awareness result would by 12 ([4 − 1] x 4). You also reduce any derived characteristics (such as Intrigue Defense or weapon damage) by 1. For ways your Flaw might manifest, see the Flaws table.
• House Filendus, and especially Lord Caesmyr Filendus, has not forgotten being spurned by House Gerwalt. They work against him at every opportunity.
  • Nemesis: You acquire a destructive enemy, an individual who holds you in utter contempt whether you did something to deserve it or not. The particulars of this flaw are up to the Narrator to define, but your nemesis will undoubtedly haunt you until you confront him or her.

Future Benefit Wishlist

• Adept Negotiator (Deception 3)
• Inspiring
• Long Blade Fighter
• Natural Leader
• Pious
• Polyglot
• Respected
• Shield Mastery
• Stubborn

Advancement

Earned: 30xp+ 1gl for party 11/19/21: 30xp+ 1gl for party 4/4/22: 20xp+ 2gl for party

Spent: 30xp+0gl; Unspent: 0xp +0gl 12/13/21: Fighting (Long Blades) +1B, Will (Coordinate) +1B, Awareness (Notice) +1B

Session notes

• 7/26/21: Vericus learns from Sir Walrech Kylervus that Lord Warden Kylervus is pleased with his work as Commander and will invite him and House Durwald to the Feast of Light at Sidanthus Vale.
• 8/9/21: Vericus helps interrogate Wyrta, the Wealdfolk child that was peeping on Sir Kyle. Talking with Gerta Smith, he finds out the Imperial hamletfolk have been sending their worst criminals to the gallows-witch for justice for decades. He investigates the Gallows-tree that Dame Ysthre found. He recovers several skulls, pieces of the tree, fetishes, and drawings of tattoos and art for Gemma to study. Ysthre buries Wyrta's mother, and Gemma decides to make Wyrta her ward.

Dispositions

Towards Lady Deanta Elmorei: Friendly