Quel Melarn

Quel Melarn

Race: Half-elf (Drow), Class: Bard (College of Swords) Background: Entertainer, Alignment: Chaotic Neutral Patron Deity: Eilistraee Factions: Zhentarim 1

Ability Scores

Strength 10 (+0), Dexterity 16 (+3), Constitution 14 (+2); Intelligence 10 (+0), Wisdom 10 (+0), Charisma 16 (+3)

Proficiencies

Bonus: +2 Saving Throws: Dexterity & Charisma Skills: Acrobatics, Deception, Insight, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Sleight of Hand, Stealth Tools: Disguise Kit, Cards, Lute, Songhorn, Hand Drum, Harp Languages: Common, Deep Drow, Espruar Armor: Light Weapons: Simple, Hand Crossbow, Longsword, Rapier, Shortsword

Traits

TRAITS

Feats

None

Combat

Attacks: • xxx: +x, xdx+x, TRAITS Armor Class: 15, Initiative: +3, Speed: 30 ft Hit Points: 10, Hit Dice: 1d8

Social

Personality Traits: PERSONALITY Ideals: IDEALS Bonds: BONDS Flaws: FLAWS

words -Attribution

Origin

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

It all came to an end, however, when Quel also drew the attention of Clint Brickwell of the Rime Coil, one of Lord Drylund's regulars and 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.

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.

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 Risen Edge, a traveling entertainer of the North and blade for hire for those with the right connections.

Traits

Racial Traits

• Darkvision: 60 ft.
• Fey Ancestry: You have advantage on saving throws against being charmed, and magic can't put you to sleep

Class Traits

• Spellcasting: Do that music magic
• 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 (3) and regain any expended uses after completing a long rest.

Specialty Traits

Too Soon

Background Traits

• Entertainer Routines: Blade Dance (Flourishes and Displays, Knife Throwing, Acrobatic Tricks), Juggler, Vocalist
• 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.

Feats

None

Resources

• Coins: x cp • x sp • x ep • 205 gp • x pp • Other coins: x
• Gems: x

Magic Items

• x

Equipment

Carried Equipment

• In Hand:
• Worn: Studded Leather
• Belt: Belt Pouch, Rapier, Dagger
• Backpack: 5 Candles, 5 Days of Rations, Waterskin, Disguise Kit, Trinket from Admirer
• Saddle Pack: 3 Costumes, Bedroll, Lute, Songhorn, Black Longsword

Animals

• Moonglow: Dappled Gray Riding Horse

Stored Equipment

• x

Lifestyle

• xxx: (x gp/day). x

Important Individuals

• x