Welcome to Hero Artisan #3, the 4e contest where you make a character and get it voted on according to all its facets by our judges, to see who can make the best character! This time our chosen theme is nautical.
The required level for this competition is 18th level. You're permitted to spend 320,000 gp on your equipment; you may purchase any combination of items you wish, though you may not purchase any items above level 19. As per page 143 of the DMG, you're permitted whatever standard adventuring gear you'd like without having to purchase it from your net worth. So, for example, if you want a backpack or bedroll, just write it on your character sheet and don't worry about the cost.
The following section contains the specific rules of the competition, as well as the standards for how the characters will be scored, and general tips to consider when creating a submission.
The Rules
Contest Rules
The following are rules for the Hero Artisan competition, and are subject to change at any time between competition periods. Do note that the Code of Conduct is in effect for all aspects of this contest, and those who break it will be disqualified, and their post will be reported.
Character Creation Parameters
Character Level: 18th
Ability Score Generation: Customized Scores Method (found on pages 17-18 of the PHB)
Character Wealth: 320,000 gp
Max. Value of any single item: 19th level
1) All entries must be submitted with a complete stat block of any format or length, (so long as the stat block is complete, including content like equipment, skills, powers, etc.) accompanied by a character background also of any format or length.
2) All entries must be submitted by the date and time given by the Coordinating Judge; any entries submitted late will not be judged but they are still allowed to be commented on by other users/judges, and may provide a valuable resource to other players out there. The time given for any competition is likely to be within 2-3 weeks; the exact times and dates will be stated by the Coordinating Judge during the contest's start.
3) After submitting an entry, a 30-minute grace period is allowed to edit your work, in the case of mechanical or formatting errors, typos, and the like. Editing your work after 30 minutes is considered breaking the rules and is grounds for your entry being disqualified. Hence, we urge you to revise your entry thoroughly prior to submitting it, to save hassle. Making use of the preview button in the post window will help you catch most errors before posting.
4) One entry per contestant, and that creator must be the submitter (meaning that all work has to be original, and not stolen from someone else.) Also, do not post an entry if you do not want it to be officially judged.
5) At the start of each competition, the coordinating judge will state a single theme around which to base your entry. There are no restrictions based on the character theme itself; it is merely a suggested guideline, but following it in a creative and interesting way will give merit to your entry.
6) Any material from the following sources is permitted for this contest: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Player's Handbook 2. You are allowed to build characters with non-standard races, including monster races from the MM. Any other sources -- including D&DI, free web enhancements, and third party material -- are not permitted this time around.
In addition, you are welcome to use any homebrew material - anything from inventing a city or country name to reflavoring an existing power and even, should you choose, writing your own class or race. A few things to keep in mind on this point, though. First and foremost, you must be the creator of this matieral. Please do not use homebrewed material invented by others (for example, using a race that somebody else posted to the forums). Doing so will result in your entry being disqualified from the content. Second, your entire entry will be judged. So, for example, if you create a new paragon path for your rogue to follow, that path will be judged along with your character -- both the flavor and mechanics. If the judges find your paragon path to be poorly balanced, you'll receive a lower Rules Use score.
7) Judges reserve the right to disqualify entries that do not follow the above rules, as they see fit.
The following are rules for the Hero Artisan competition, and are subject to change at any time between competition periods. Do note that the Code of Conduct is in effect for all aspects of this contest, and those who break it will be disqualified, and their post will be reported.
Character Creation Parameters
Character Level: 18th
Ability Score Generation: Customized Scores Method (found on pages 17-18 of the PHB)
Character Wealth: 320,000 gp
Max. Value of any single item: 19th level
1) All entries must be submitted with a complete stat block of any format or length, (so long as the stat block is complete, including content like equipment, skills, powers, etc.) accompanied by a character background also of any format or length.
2) All entries must be submitted by the date and time given by the Coordinating Judge; any entries submitted late will not be judged but they are still allowed to be commented on by other users/judges, and may provide a valuable resource to other players out there. The time given for any competition is likely to be within 2-3 weeks; the exact times and dates will be stated by the Coordinating Judge during the contest's start.
3) After submitting an entry, a 30-minute grace period is allowed to edit your work, in the case of mechanical or formatting errors, typos, and the like. Editing your work after 30 minutes is considered breaking the rules and is grounds for your entry being disqualified. Hence, we urge you to revise your entry thoroughly prior to submitting it, to save hassle. Making use of the preview button in the post window will help you catch most errors before posting.
4) One entry per contestant, and that creator must be the submitter (meaning that all work has to be original, and not stolen from someone else.) Also, do not post an entry if you do not want it to be officially judged.
5) At the start of each competition, the coordinating judge will state a single theme around which to base your entry. There are no restrictions based on the character theme itself; it is merely a suggested guideline, but following it in a creative and interesting way will give merit to your entry.
6) Any material from the following sources is permitted for this contest: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Player's Handbook 2. You are allowed to build characters with non-standard races, including monster races from the MM. Any other sources -- including D&DI, free web enhancements, and third party material -- are not permitted this time around.
In addition, you are welcome to use any homebrew material - anything from inventing a city or country name to reflavoring an existing power and even, should you choose, writing your own class or race. A few things to keep in mind on this point, though. First and foremost, you must be the creator of this matieral. Please do not use homebrewed material invented by others (for example, using a race that somebody else posted to the forums). Doing so will result in your entry being disqualified from the content. Second, your entire entry will be judged. So, for example, if you create a new paragon path for your rogue to follow, that path will be judged along with your character -- both the flavor and mechanics. If the judges find your paragon path to be poorly balanced, you'll receive a lower Rules Use score.
7) Judges reserve the right to disqualify entries that do not follow the above rules, as they see fit.
- Rikthalik the Clubber, by shinobicow
- Ifalla of Deathknell, Storm Witch of the Raven Queen, by Veok -- Bronze Medal winner
- Sinker, by tylara67 -- Gold Medal winner
- Usjach the Shadow Dragon, by Ace_of_time
- Ryan, by Dragoncat -- Silver Medal winner
- Previous contests had a much larger list of sources. Is the list this short intentionally?
Yep. Generally speaking the permitted sources is determined by what books judges have available. In this case, our judges have limited resources at their disposal, so we're going with a shorter list. There's still plenty of cool options available, though. Nautical? Zherog, you threw us a curveball. Hmmm. I think a human is gonna be my race, not sure on my class.
Not me. Your judges. I just gather things and nudge discussions where they need to go.
And to be completely clear on the theme: anything having to do with water is likely to match the theme. The decision was to go with a broad theme again so we can keep interest a little higher and make it easier for people to get started.Is 320,000 really the upper limit? It seems rather large...
Yep, seemed like a lot to me too. But that's the value based on what's on page 143 of the DMG.I see that the D&DI was put on the prohibited list. Is it safe to assume we can't use the Character builder to build the PC and then add the other flavor stuff it the summary? (As long as we stick to the allow source of rules.) Or is the builder prohited also?
Also If I use a Homebrew class do I need to post the class as well or can I post the link to the thread where I made said class?
A) Using the character builder to make your stat block is fine.
B) That's up to you. Whichever method you think is better.Question: Does the astral sea count as a sea?
If you can convince the judges your character fits the theme, just about anything "counts."Will posting an evil character hurt your score? As long as he is playable does it matter what his alignment is?
As a general rule, there are no alignment restrictions on entries in this contest (or the 3.5 version, Hero Craftsman). It is possible that judges implement a restriction as part of the theme, of course. But that's not the case this time.
The key to making an evil character work well in this contest is to ensure the character is a "team player." If you make a murdering sociopath who kills everybody he meets, you're probably going to get a lower score. There's probably no real good way to include that character in a party. On the other hand, if your evil character has firm goals and a reason to trust the party - and a reason for the party to trust him! - then you're on your way.
Hmmmm, now, what can I do to screw up the nautical theme?
Nautical? Zherog, you threw us a curveball. Hmmm. I think a human is gonna be my race, not sure on my class.
Not me. Your judges. I just gather things and nudge discussions where they need to go.
And to be completely clear on the theme: anything having to do with water is likely to match the theme. The decision was to go with a broad theme again so we can keep interest a little higher and make it easier for people to get started.
And as always, feel free to spread the word!
Every time I close my eyes, I'm seeing Jack Sparrow... and Russel Crowe from Master and Commander... and I doubt a character named Russel Sparrow is gonna cut it.
I'll need to dig deep for this one!
Edit: Wait, who's the guy from 10,000 leagues under the sea? Is that him?
Pardon me for mentioning, but who is captain Nemo? (Fifth sentence) Is this a typo or a legitimate sequel I know nothing about?
Edit: Wait, who's the guy from 10,000 leagues under the sea? Is that him?
Yes it's the guy from ten thousand leagues. Do yourself a favor, and read the book in any of its incarnations. It's a great story.
Yes it's the guy from ten thousand leagues. Do yourself a favor, and read the book in any of its incarnations. It's a great story.
I did, once, and that was what triggered the latent memories. It was a "captain nemo? Haha, funny typo. Actually, wait..." moment.
And I suppose it's 20,000 leagues actually, isn't it?
Two questions...one, is manual of the planes a viable source to work from, and the second one is setting-dependent based on the answer to the first lol
Look up.
6) Any material from the following sources is permitted for this contest: Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Player's Handbook 2. You are allowed to build characters with non-standard races, including monster races from the MM. Any other sources -- including D&DI, free web enhancements, and third party material -- are not permitted this time around.
Edit: whoops, misread it as 360,000. It's still a lot though that does make more sense.
Also If I use a Homebrew class do I need to post the class as well or can I post the link to the thread where I made said class?
Depending on the answers I might just try this one. Last time hurt me Because I am a DM and am used to coming up with backgrounds for players. I tend to leave them open ended for the players to feel in. I will try not to make that misstake again.
Is 320,000 really the upper limit? It seems rather large...
Edit: whoops, misread it as 360,000. It's still a lot though that does make more sense.
Yep, seemed like a lot to me too. But that's the value based on what's on page 143 of the DMG.
I see that the D&DI was put on the prohibited list. Is it safe to assume we can't use the Character builder to build the PC and then add the other flavor stuff it the summary? (As long as we stick to the allow source of rules.) Or is the builder prohited also?
Using the character builder to make your stat block is fine.
Also If I use a Homebrew class do I need to post the class as well or can I post the link to the thread where I made said class?
That's up to you. Whichever method you think is better.
Question: Does the astral sea count as a sea?
If you can convince the judges your character fits the theme, just about anything "counts."
So... watchit.
Between the term, the level, and the book limits, we've got a very interesting subsection of the fantasy genre. High power. Specific setting. Sixteen classes to work from, as well as a shorter list of powers and equipment. Now, I must say, it's a bit awkward not having access to the swordmage(swashbucklish!), the Sword Coast Corsair, or the recent Storm Sorcerer, but....ah, well, we'll deal with it. This is going to be really fun.
Good luck to everyone, I look forward to reading all your entries (and then keel-hauling each and every one of them! Mwahahahahaha! :P )
I'm limited to core 3, I don't have PHBII. I may just be able to get it before the contest is over, although my idea is fairly screwed anyways. Why did you have to pick such cheapskate judges Zherog?
Beggars can't be choosers, right?
Dammit, that means the trident isn't even on the list. Neither are riding sharks.
I loved the riding sharks.
Well, I just got a discount online from B&N so I may get PHBII very soon!
Technically all the D&D books are hardback, which means if your a B&N member you get 20% off, in addition to any other discounts you find.
$30*.8=$24, so you save 6 bucks every time you buy a book. Of course the card is $25, but that's ok. You've only got to buy 4 books and a paperback. And since Wizards is churning out books like candy (and I love other books too) the card rocks hard.
My wife and I generally go about once a month and usually 'pay the card off' every two months. So, including the price of the card, we save about $125 a year.
Can we use some 3.5 books for references on cost for some things not listed in 4e yet? Don't want to give anything away but I will give the book I might need if you would like or it would help?
I personally would tend to look a little down on this practice. Your best shot is to use the book to give you an idea and then make a homebrew 4e version as an extension. Whatever you do, don't just reference the 3.5 book and say "with the following changes". For me, it needs to be something you are inspired by and then homebrew and balance for 4e. And if it's unbalanced then it will cost you points.
Now, if you're talking about something fluffy, like a town in the Eberron Campaign Setting or an organization in PHB2 or deity in Complete Divine or whatever, then that's all good to go. That's fairly common, actually.
One is a story about the endless wanderlust, the lure of the sea, the search for oneself in the form of a quest for another, of love lost and gained and separated by fate and time, of magic and mystery on the open waves.
The other is about a Dread Pirate Kobold.
..........It's a really tough decision.
Hopefully I can get it in sometime Thursday.
Rikthalik is the leader of the hunters among clan orca (not to be confused the demon god of the undead). He stands 8 feet tall; the black splotches on his skin have covered his entire body, save for around his eyes and along his stomach, in perfect similarity to those of the killer whale, to whom he pays spiritual homage. Rikthalik is known in the tribe as “The Clubber,” for his outstanding performance in the tribe’s coming of age ceremony where he was called upon to hunt the baby seals of the frozen ocean. During the coming of age ceremony, Rikthalik killed not only ten seal babies, but also took on an murdered the alpha male simply for the joy of the hunt. The ancestral orca spirits then immediately declared him to be worthy of spiritual training to commune with the killer whale.
Rikthalik wears his various kills around his body. The alpha male that he killed as part of his trial became his masterpiece; the tribe crafted a giant club from its bones and skull and enchanted it with the tribe’s spiritual blue and white flame. He carries the club on his back, along with a set of magic javelins made from the spines of the ten baby seals he killed during his trial, all of these weapons are placed in a holder that he specifically designed to make the weapons appear as a massive trophy wrack. Although he carries a veritable armory of magical weapons, he is more inclined to wield the ancestral tools of the shamans of his people, a mace made of un-melting solid ice and enchanted to bring out its primal elemental power and a totem of the orca, crafted from dark wood and the white fur of baby seals. Rikthalik wears specially crafted skin tight dark leather armor, the ancestral armor of his people, which oozes with the shadows of the murky, icy depths of the ocean Above his armor, he wears clothes to help keep out the winter’s chil,, a white cloak made from the skin of seals, and small baby seal skulls hanging from his belt as well as from a chain around his neck. His eyes are usually covered by magical goggles that help him see in the dark depths of the ocean, where he often lies waiting for his prey to swim by. Rkthalik is almost always seen accompanied by his companion mount a massive killer whale, Shoom’ma, that he became acquainted with as a child. The two of them, together, make a ruthless killing force.
The Master of the Hunt will eventually ascend to take his prophesized role as the chief and head of the clan, but his clan worries that he may be too efficient a killer to keep around as he risks exterminating the entirety of the seal population when he travels off alone to fulfill his sick addiction to baby seal clubbing. Although he now leads a veritable hunting army, 30 in number supplemented by the clan’s greatest beast masters and more powerful shamans, he will soon leave this all behind to travel the world in search of answers to his problem. Despite the tribe’s concern regarding Rikthalik’s childish ways, they admire his communication with the orca as well as his total adaptation of their predatory assassin like hunting style.
Ice Goliaths, unlike their normal goliath cousins, do not dwell in the mountains. Some time, after the creation of the worlds, and the birth of the other intelligent nations, the Ice Goliaths traveled through the frigid oceans of the far reaches of the world and settled among the icebergs. Ice Goliaths are a tribal race, but are not nomadic in nature. They tend to settle in a single region and stay there for the entirety of the tribe’s existence. Ice goliaths are reserved, solitary, and to some degree oppressive in nature, the cold perhaps has turned their hearts to ice, but they are not naturally war-like; they prefer to keep to themselves, away from other tribes and people. Although they do not relish going to war, they are fiercely territorial and will protect their tribe’s ancestral hunting grounds. Though Ice Goliaths do not usually go adventuring outside of their tribal homes with members of different races, on the off chance they do work with others, they often become very timid, longing to work beside their clansmen rather than with people to whom they are not familiar. When working in a group with others, Ice Goliaths tend to follow the commands of people they view to be stronger than they are, as rule in the clan is measured by personally strength. The tribal ways of the Ice Goliaths are often mistaken for evil tendencies, but in fact, Ice Goliaths tend to be almost completely unaligned, though some tip from Good to Evil, but do not have any particular calling towards law or chaos.
Ice goliaths typically select a predatorily animal of the icy wastes as a patron spirit and pay worship to that spirit, forming an ancestral bond with the animal for hundreds of years. They are very strongly tied to the relationship of the predator and its prey, and are very protective of their food sources. They also despise waste; they need to make use of every scrap of an animal once it is killed because they live in an extremely hostile environment where one has almost no access to trade and subsistence hunting is a necessity.
Ice Goliaths tend to favor martial and primal classes. They almost completely lack any link to the arcane and they do not worship any of the traditionally revered gods in society. Most commonly, Ice Goliaths tend to favor the path of barbarians. Some Ice Goliath Rangers begin communing with the ancestral animals and fight alongside them. Other Ice Goliaths choose the path of the warden, or that of the druid, but the elders and spiritually inclined tend toward the path of the Shaman in order to commune with the ancestral spirits of the tribe’s guardian animal.
In terms of appearance, Ice Goliaths are slightly different than normal goliaths. While standard goliaths have skin that is grey or brownish, with large dark black areas, Ice Goliaths have far more Black areas on their body, possibly evolved to absorb more sunlight in the frigid ice wastes where they reside, while the other portions of their body are light blue or white.
Clan Orca is one of the oldest of the tribes of Ice Goliaths in the frozen ocean. They have built their society on massive ice bergs that float in the waters. The Ice Goliaths of Clan Orca pay homage to the assassin of the deep, the killer whale. They worship the predatory nature of the killer whale and its desire to feed on the weak, consuming lesser species in order to survive. They adhere to the way of the orca in every manner of life, including their chosen food. The clan has barely survived over the millennia since their founding, eking a meager existence off the abounding seals that populate the frozen ocean, supplementing these prey with the massive fish that fill the sea as well as other whales and even sharks.
Clan Orca’s right of passage forces the youth of the clan, wishing to join the hunt, to travel alone to the breeding grounds where they are required to hunt the baby seals of the ice wastes. They quickly learn from watching the killer whale the method of the hunt; they approach stealthily in the water, wielding the ancestral weapons of the tribe, the javelin and the mace. The hunter-to-be swims up silently, getting as close as he can to the seals before alerting them to his presence. The hunter then leaps from the water, charging up the beach and attempts to kill a baby seal with the javelin before switching to using the ancestral mace in order to club as many he can before they get back in the ocean. If the hunter then catches, and kills, one of the baby seals, while in the ocean, fighting off the adult angered seals, then he is considered to be an honored hunter. They must do all of this without any of the clan’s rituals that have been used by the hunting parties.
When the youth of the tribe returns to the clan, he is presented before the elders who commune with the spirits of the killer whale in order to evaluate the prowess of the youth’s hunting skills. If the youth is granted approval, then he joins the seal hunters throughout the year. Some of these hunters then go on to have an exceptional relationship with the orcas, taking one in as an animal companion or as a mount. If the spirits of the orcas have an exceptional opinion of the lad, then he is taken in by the elders to be trained in communing with the killer whales and channel their spirits.
The Hunters of Clan Orca, travel the frigid oceans in search of the seal population in large three person ocean canoes; these canoes, which more closely resemble medium sized catamarans without sails, are very large to help compensate for the Ice Goliath’s unnatural size. In addition, the hunting force is supplemented by whale riders, special scouts which travel ahead of the rest of the hunters in order to find the rest of the seal groupings. The hunters typically attack the seals when they are in the water, from the depths of the dark ocean, enabled by the nature rituals of the tribe that allow them to hold their breath for extended periods of time under water, and supplemented by the clan’s special leather armor which lets them make full use of their faculties even while in the sea. On the rare occasion that they catch them on the ice, they aren’t averse to going at it with the seals on land.
The Hunters are exceptionally powerful. They have been hardened by the forces of the frozen ocean, including the numerous battles they have to face with Ice Elementals, Frost Giants, and the Blue and White dragons that live in the ice wastes as well as a host of other predatory beasts the live in the cold, dark sea. Each hunting party, typically about 10 in number, has a leader which coordinates everyone’s attacks, favoring the wolf-pack hunting style of the killer whale. The higher ranked hunting parties, those that are blessed enough to have a clan shaman or a beast-master ranger in them, are highly efficient hunters and hunt alongside the killer whales or their spirits. The clan follows the orders of the hunt master to the letter in order to better capture and kill more seals.
After the hunters have killed enough seals, they return to the clan homeland to make use of the seal and all its parts. They make armor and clothes out of the seals pelts, they eat the seals meat, they create weapons out of their bones, and they preserve their blood to be used as both a drink during the winter and for war paint.
From birth, Rikthalik was considered to be a destined child. When he was born, the tribe was astonished by the pattern of black spots on his skin, exactly resembling that of the killer whale, the ancestral spirit beast. Rikthalik’s father, Drakthalik, was overwhelmingly proud of his son’s fortunate birth. He carried Rikthalik as a baby wherever he went. One day, when Drakthalik had taken Rikthalik out on one of the tribal canoes, they were attacked by a white dragon that had been hiding under the icy cold water. The boat capsized, throwing Rikthalik into the freezing ocean. Drakthalik fought off the white dragon with the help of his people that came to his aid, but he feared that his son had died. After the dragon fled the battlefield, heavily injured and irritated by his defeat, Drakthalik jumped into the water to save his son.
He was astonished at what he saw.
Rikthalik was having the time of his life, swimming about in the ocean. Though he hadn’t walked yet, he was swimming as naturally as any other member of the clan and seemed to have been able to hold his breath for far longer than even some adults. While he was enthralled by his son’s taking to the sea, something began its approach from below. Out of the deep, Drakthalik saw the white eyes of the oceans assassin. The orca rose up out of the black shadowy depths of the ocean and came up directly beneath Rikthalik. Drakthalik feared that his son would be mistaken for one of the small seals that the killer whales so prize as delicious snacks, but then, the impossible happened. The whale stopped directly in front of the boy, looked at him with inquisitive eyes. The whale stayed that way for several moments before the young baby reached out its hand to the orca. Then, the whale turned to the tribal elder, swam up to him, and then disappeared back into the ocean. After Drakthalik retold this to the other members of the village, Rekthalik’s legend began.
As an adolescent, even before his coming of age trial, Rikthalik was often taken along on hunting expeditions. The older hunters would leave Rikthalik in the canoe for the most part, but occasionally, when the hunters came up on seals sleeping on the shore, Rikthalik would join the hunters on the beaches, trying to chase down baby seals and occasionally grabbing one of them and choking the life out of it. The hunters admired the young boy’s spirit, but didn’t realize that the behavior he was exhibiting as a child would one day grow to threaten the clan’s livelihood.
A week before Rikthalik’s trial, excellent performance in which is necessary to join the clan hunters, he was swimming in the bay near the clan’s homeland, when he saw a killer whale breached on the water’s surface circling him. Instead of panicking, like many of the youths might, Rikthalik felt somehow familiar to the whale; he had no idea that the massive orca was the same that visited him as a baby. Rikthalik moved closer to the whale, which allowed him to approach. As he got increasingly closer, the orca made no signs of spooking, it just looked at him out of the corner of its eye. Rikthalik reached out his hand and touched the Orca; then, suddenly, the whale dropped under the water and rose up underneath him. The Orca had forced him to mount, then took him for a ride around the bay. They dove deep into the ocean, Rikthalik holding his breath with all his might. When finally the villagers took notice of Rikthalik’s antics, they believed this foretold of great success for the youth in his coming of age trial.
When the time of his trial arrived, Rikthalik was already 7 feet tall, an entire foot taller than any other of the youth that had ever embarked on the ritual. Rikthalik gathered together his tribal weapons: a number of javelins and a club, the all important club that would become his future namesake. When finally he embarked, everyone in the clan began to wait for what they could only imagine would be a fantastic performance in the trial.
When Rikthalik was finally alone on the ocean, in the black icy sea, he felt at peace with himself. He listened to every stroke of his paddle as he rowed the hundred miles between his village and the seals breeding grounds. He would sleep in the canoe at night, staring up at the cruel darkness of the night sky, he felt at home. During the night, he was serenaded by the killing song of the orcas that were following him along in the water, the large one he had ridden the week before was leading the pod; they too seemed to know that the child had the potential of a brutal killer and predator as well.
The tale of Rikthalik’s trial has long been retold in haunted whispers among the tribe. His speed of attack, his lethality, his stealth, his precision, and his daring attacking on the alpha male have become part of his mythology. When he rowed into the clan’s ancestral homeland, everyone greeted him with battle cries and cheers of joy at the sheer quantity of baby seals that he had clubbed to death. Rikthalik’s canoe was too small to fit the alpha male into the boat, so he had dragged it along behind him in the water, this would naturally attract the whale’s to eat it, but for some reason, the pod stayed at bay, perhaps they realized that this kill belonged to him. When he hauled it out of the water and lifted it over his head, the orcas that had followed him home breeched the water and began to sing. For a moment, the clan grew totally silent, astounded by the dramatic success of the youth’s killing spree and the beautiful bloody carnage that Rikthalik had wrought.
When Rikthalik was called before the elders that evening, they proclaimed that the whale spirits had spoken and declared him as the promised child of the tribe; he would be the next in the line of elder shamans and would be the new clan chief. His father could not have been prouder. The next morning, Drakthalik began training his son in how to commune with the ancestral orca spirits. They dubbed him “The Clubber” and began crafting the armor he would wear and the weapons he would wield as a hunter, sparing no magical expense. Although most of the tribe’s hunters started in one of the lower hunting groups, Rikthalik started at the top and he was not overshadowed by any of the men. He quickly fit right in and they were as pleased with his wicked death dealing efficiency as any person could be. The whale which had followed him in his trial and played in the ocean with him as a child joined him in battle from this point on. Rikthalik became one of the hunting party’s scouts; riding the great orca, Shoom’ma, he would track down seal groups by communing with his mount and the spirits of the killer whale.
It is told in the tribe that only one time did any man speak ill of Rikthalik. An older hunter and former hunt master complained that Rikthalik had been given too much too easily and he never worked for anything he recieved. Rikthalik heard the man say this, walked straight over to him, and ripped his head clean from his shoulder with a single violent snap. He declared then and there that if any member of the clan felt he was unfit that they should prove it with their own might and not words, and that any man spreading lies about any other member of the tribe would receive similar judgment at his hand. Nobody ever challenged him or said anything bad about him, to his face, again. The tribe also went through a long period where rumors and teasing were strictly quelled for fear that word of them would get around to “the Clubber,” who had become as skilled in caving in the heads of men as he is in caving in the skulls of baby seals.
As the years went by, Rikthalik’s harmony with the orcas grew even more powerful. Due to his mastery of the tribe’s rituals and his enchanted armor, he was able to travel with the whales wherever they went. Rikthalik was known to often go with them on their own hunts, irrelevant of the needs of the tribe. His childhood friend, the great whale pod leader Shoom’ma grew with him and the two are now considered to the most powerful pair in the tribe.
In recent years, the tribes of the north have begun to be plagued by the presence of whalers seeking to profit of the oil of the sperm whales in the region, but their zeal for profit has caused them to be completing undiscerning of what they kill; killer whales have begun being slaughtered as well. This has not been setting well with the tribe, especially Rikthalik. He has begun hunting down anyone with a ship that comes threw the ocean.
Now, Rikthalik is approaching the age when he will take over as high chief and master shaman of the clan. His harmony with the assassins of the frigid deep is a profound sight to bear witness to and he has already become the most powerful member of the tribe. He has already led his people in clearing out the frost giants out of the ancestral fishing grounds and he has single handedly slain huge elementals of the ice, wielding his bone club, that burns with a scorching flame, on more than one occasion, but unlike the other members of the tribe, Rikthalik has never grown out of his childish ways and sick desire for “clubbing.” This practice, which was considered by the tribe to be cute when he was a child, has now developed into a serious problem. He occasionally goes off on his own for weeks at a time, to return to the breeding grounds in order to get another stab at his trial. He always returns with more cracked skulls on his belt. His actions have become a danger to the clan as of late; his wanton desire to hunt the seal’s newborn young has endangered the seal population with extinction. The tribe, fearing his wrath should they ask him to stop, has hinted at other creatures equally deserving of his mighty club-wielding hand in other parts of the world, hoping that if he travels the seas alone for a while, that when he returns he will have his fetish for killing cute and furry-little creatures out of his system. They suggested he travel back to the lands of warmer waters in order to decimate a different seal population, or perhaps, try his hand at clubbing otters, those delicious otters, those cute, cuddly, juicy morsels.
In Rikthalik’s quest to the warm lands of his ancestors, an innkeeper recalls the following conversation he overheard in his establishment.
Rikthalik: “Hey barkeep! You wouldn’t happen to know where I can find some river otters would you?
Barkeep: “Why do you ask?”
Rikthalik: “I swear they are the most delicious things I have ever tasted. I do believe my taste for baby seals has been replaced by something so much more delicious. I will say that hunting otters isn’t quite as much fun as the baby seal though. Otters tend to be real slippery and they like to get away from you, but man, the baby seal is just asking for it. It just looks up at you with those big dumb eyes as if its trying to say, ‘please mister hunter sir, won’t you please spare my poor pathetic life.’ Ha! As if you would, they just taste too good to pass up. You warmies out here eat baby cows, you know what I’m talking about. The baby seal tastes like it hasn’t yet had its soul crushed by a cold, hard, merciless world. Baby seals taste like victory.”
The Entire Inn: … *stunned silence*
The following section relates to Rikthalik off the page, taking into account his backstory, and helps to describe him in terms of his personality, how he thinks about himself and others, and what other people tend to think about him.
First off, Rikthalik is unaligned, though his penchant for killing small furry creatures at every chance as well as his quick temper have caused many to question whether or not he is actually evil. Although Rikthalik has a bad temper, he falls in with the others of his race and is generally more good natured to people that come from outside the tribe, as long as they don’t violate his clan’s customs or appreciation for the hunt. He has little patience for members of his tribe that question his strength as they have all born witness to his power on multiple occasions and every member of the clan should know that he is deserving. He especially hates being challenged regarding his ability to help the tribe and how he rose to the station he is in now. This being said, he isn’t stupid and realizes when his actions are putting the tribe in danger. When his tribe suggested that he go searching in the old lands and original home of his race, Rikthalik quickly realized what they were getting at, and has witnessed the addiction he has for slaughtering small, fluffy animals. At first, he took in his problem, stunned and alone, in disbelief that his tribe would want to get rid of him. That night, he went out into the ocean and ripped all the legs off a giant squid with his bear hands, simply because he felt the need to destroy something. The next day however, Rikthalik understood his clan’s motivation for suggesting he take a vacation and decided to take them up on the idea. In summary, e wants to deal with his problem; he understands that his incredible and un-paralleled synchronicity with the killer whale has caused him to be too lethal and too efficient of a hunter and thus he understands that he threatens the tribe by staying should he lose control of his urges and annihilate the entire baby seal population.
Rikthalik is motivated by many sources. On a primal level, his connection with the killer whale has caused him too be completely tied to the duality of predator and prey and thus he is incapable of understanding people that can eat food that they purchase or have not killed themselves. He tends to have mixed emotions about non-hunters, wit these emotions ranging from disgust, at overfed royalty, to curiosity when meeting individuals that should by all Ice Goliath accounts make very good predators. Rikthalik is still “the Clubber.” Although he knows that he has a problem, he is trying to take steps to get rid of it forever, but he still will go off and murder small furry creatures for desert if he didn’t get full off his last meal… or whenever he sees one of the little rascals swimming, or running around. He just can’t get enough of them. People of different races than his tribe have mixed feelings about his addiction. As he makes full use of all the animals parts, some have no problem with his desire to kill and eat small creatures, but others, mainly druids and other shamans, see his addiction for what it is: a murderous desire to sate the orca spirits which he has bonded so closely too. This has meant that some will try and separate him from his spirits in order to stop this practice, whether that means cutting him off from them or simply killing him depends on the person. Rikthalik has a strong desire to protect both his tribe and the orca. He patrols the ocean for pirates and whalers seeking to profit off the creatures of the sea in a despicable manner. He hates them, and as rumors of his existence have spread, they hate him.
On his “vacation,” Rikthalik plans to set out for the old warmer lands, where the “warmies” live. He is naturally wary of people not of his clan, but he is easily attracted to groups of other hunters as well as anyone willing to help him on his quest to completely purge all the whalers from the frozen ocean. He hopes to find more of the legendary “otter” that he considers to be equal if not better in taste to the baby seal. He doesn’t feel quite as bad about killing them, as they require a bit more effort, and their death will not jeopardize his tribe’s survival. He wishes to purge his body completely of the need to kill the baby seal by finding something that is so profoundly cute, cuddly, fluffy and fun to kill that he can return to his tribe and rejoin them as a proper chief free from any danger that hunting the baby seals might cause them. The otter has not quite satisfied his cravings to the point where he is ready to go back hom.
Rikthalik is not incapable of making friends, but he is skilled at making eneimes. He is hated by whalers, pirates, and just about anyone that he has come across in whom he didn’t share a kindred spirit. He tends to attack ships in the frozen seas indiscriminately, as he is of the opinion that all the other mortal races do not value ocean creatures and they hunt them without the conviction to do it properly or make use of the entire animal. In addition, Rikthalik was responsible for decimating the frost giant populations that inhabit the ice wastes wear the Ice Goliath tribes have settled, but not all of them are gone and some of them may want to take out their revenge on the village while he is away, taking advantage of the clan’s weakened state. The white dragon, Blizzard-Breath, the dragon that attack his tribe years ago and caused Rikthalik to be tossed into the ocean, still lingers around the clan’s ancestral home; he is also looking to pay the tribe another visit in the near future. Finally, rumors of Rikthalik’s fetish for murdering small furry animals, namely seals have spread through the other clans and even to the other realms of the world where druids and shamans are now watching and waiting to see if he makes an appearance in their regions of the world, where they may be looking to end his murderous addiction with a sword.
Rikthalik is a moderately homebrewed character. Although his class and racial statistics are the same, both his race, class, items and mount have all been either reflavored or homebrewed in order to fit in with his tribe’s nautically based home in the cold and ice-berg infested waters that his tribe calls home. The following is a list of homebrew changes that have been made to help better thematically engage this character.
Race – Ice Goliaths
Ice goliaths use the standard goliath race as a template, but have been adjusted as told above. They are virtually the same as their mountain-dwelling counterparts and the powers of the race still apply: they need to jump and climb as well as any other goliaths as the ice bergs pose a challenging threat to land travel for goliaths, they still are as hardy as ever needing to be able to withstand the biting cold and chaotic environment that is the frozen sea, and there physical stature remains unchanged, giving them equal access to the feats of their people. Although Rikthalik chooses to wield a one handed weapon, ice goliaths favor two handed weapons just as much as any other race, often choosing to wield a very large hammer, club, or Morningstar. Languages remains unchanged as well as giants and dwarves are often never too far away in the ice wastes; dwarves are often found in the nearest continental land areas, and giants are one of the other races hardy enough to handle living in the ice.
Class - Orca Shaman
Rikthalik’s people have little knowledge of cats and thus pay no mind to the likes of the panther. For this reason, Rikthalik’s shaman class has been re-themed to match that of the orca, the clan’s spiritual and ancestral guide. In reality, the panther and the killer whale have much in common, aside from the panther being a solitary hunter and the killer whale preferring to hunt in pods, commanded through means of sonar by a pod leader. With this in mind, little change needs to be made to the Shaman class with an individual deciding to take the roll of a panther shaman.
The Following are re-flavorings of the descriptions of the Shaman’s Class features and granted powers, where re-flavoring is needed (this virtually comes up in any place where the attack depicts the spirit companion as attacking through the use of claws and fangs, which the orca does not possess, but rather attacks using its head, its fins, its tale, and its massive teeth). As such, all the following attacks have simply had their descriptions or names changed a little bit to better fit an aquatic theme, unless otherwise noted, all original descriptions come from Player’s Handbook II and the original power name is stated if it has been changed in order to better reference the power.
Stalker Spirit
You call on the ruthless killer of the sea, the killer whale to empower and position your allies.
Shaman Feature Spirit's Fangs
When an enemy drops its guard, your spirit companion lashes out at it with its tail and fins.
Shaman Attack Stalker's Strike
As your spirit companion bites and slaps your foe with its tail, the spirit is filled with predatory fury, becoming a greater threat to your enemies.
Powers
Note Regarding Power Selection: Rikthalik has chosen his powers at the behest and training of his spiritual elders and such, most of his powers are already themed correctly for the path of the Orca Shaman. In cases when spirits appear, they are always the spirits of the orca (save for when he summons people in which case they are ancestors of the Orca Clan. The following powers have had their flavors adjusted to fit in with the Orca Shaman path.
1, Encounter: Twin Orca Attack (Twin Panthers)
Two killer whale spirits appear out of nothingness as if they had been waiting patiently for their turn to strike. They brutally attack your foes, and the orcas channel their predatory instincts through your spirit companion so that it menaces nearby enemies.
15, Daily: Spirits of the Eternal Hunting Pod (Spirit of the Wolf Pack)
The sound of the orca’s call sweeps over the battle as a pod of spectral killer whales bound from the spirit world to attack your foes.
Paragon Path – Ghost of the Deep
The Ghost Panther Paragon Path is where the most amount of adjusting has been done to fit into the thematic elements of this character. The following is yet again a simple re-flavor to fit into the mindset of the killer whale. The Paragon Path has been renamed to fit in with the concept of the killer whale being a stealthy killer and assassin of the ocean. Once again, all of the following original power and descriptions are taken from PHB II and are simply re-tooled to fit this characters theme. None of the actual numbers or abilities have been changed as they fit perfectly well into the characters theme.
Ghost of the Deep
“This prey is weak! Rend its flesh and let its body stain the waters with its blood!”
Prerequisite: Shaman, call spirit companion power
The mystery of the primal stalker is that death is a constant presence in the midst of life; the death of the prey brings life to the predator. And when death comes to the predator, it brings life to scavengers and carrion feeders. Death is part of the great wheel of mortal existence, and an important part of the shaman’s communion with the spirit world.
As a shaman, you have always walked close to death. Now you have set out on the path of the ghost of the deep, where life and death twine together still closer. You stalk the depths of the ocean, using the black waters to hide from your hapless prey swimming above, swimming deftly to strike, like the ferocious orca hunting its witless and helpless prey. You call on the orca spirits to attack your foes, weaken your prey, help you dodge enemy attacks, and lead you through the spirit world to teleport adjacent to your foes.
GHOST OF THE DEEP FEATURES
Ghost of the Deep Action (11th level):
When you spend an action point to take an extra action, each enemy adjacent to your spirit companion grants combat advantage to you and your allies until the end of your next turn.
Ghost of the Deep Wisdom (11th level):
You and your allies gain a +5 power bonus to Stealth checks while adjacent to your spirit companion.
Orca Ancestors (16th level):
You gain a bonus to Acrobatics, Athletics, and Stealth checks equal to your Wisdom modifier.
Ghost of the Deep Attack (Ghost Panther Attack)
11, Predator Spirit
An orca spirit appears and rends your foe; then its bloodthirstiness flows through your spirit companion to weaken your enemies.
Ghost of the Deep Utility (Ghost Panther Utility)
12, The Master Swimmer’s Dodge
With the sinister grace of the killer whale, you deftly dodge an attacking blow.
Ghost of the Deep Attack (Ghost Panther Attack)
20, Ghost Orca Spiral
A stream of frenzied orca spirits flows around you, savaging your enemies. The sprits create a current of energy that allows you passage, even on dry land, through the spirit world, to attack your foes.
Items and Rituals
Although most of the gear that Rikthalik wears has been adjusted in terms of composition and type of materials used when the item was crafted, the following armor is homebrewed by me. It is based off of the level progression of panther spirit armor, thus having the same price. I used panther spirit armor when using the character builder in order to calculate the same armor enhancement bonus as well as gold piece usage (as the panther armor doesn’t have any bonuses other than its daily power which can be completely ignored for purposes of putting together the character’s base stats.
Orca Spirit Armor
This black leather armor is crafted from the skins of seals which were killed at the hands of an orca or by those blessed by the guidance of the orca’s spirit. This armor is skin tight and allows the wearer to move much more nimbly while in water then they would even on dry land as well as attack with the full strength of a killer whale.
Level: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30
Price: 1000 / 5000 / 25000 / 125,000 / 625,000 / 3,125,000
Armor: Leather
Enhancement: Between +1 and +6
Property: While wearing this armor you swim with greater speed then you could accomplish on land. Increase your speed by two squares and you can shift up to two squares when shifting in water. Any attacks you make with weapons underwater take no penalties, even if they are not from the spear or crossbow groups.
NOTE: This armor doesn’t allow the user to breath under water, you’re not reading the entry wrong and I didn’t forget to include it. As the Orca is not technically a fish, and is in fact a mammal with an extremely profound lung capacity, the Orca spirit doesn’t grant the armor’s wearer the ability to breath indefinitely underwater as though they were breathing air. The Tribe has developed a ritual for this however which allows the user to hold their breath for a great length of time as the Orca do. See below:
Deep Breath (as the spell Water Breathing, PHB, with the following exceptions)
You take a Deep Breath of Air before diving under water. When you speak, your voice has taken on the sonic tone of the killer whale.
When you perform this ritual, you can designate up to eight participants (including yourself if you wish) who are given the ability to fill their lungs with more air then they normally would. Also, the users can speak normally underwater without opening their mouths by creating sonic reverberations within the throat. To a non-listener of the spell, the language seems to be similar to that of the killer whale and is therefore unintelligible to people who are not under the effects of the spell.
Water Breathing doesn’t change your ability to breathe air; each time you surface during the ritual, you can take in more air as well before going under water again. It doesn’t confer a greater swim speed or the ability to fight underwater unhindered.
Mount – Killer Whale
The following mounts are used by the people of the Clan Orca when the killer whales hunt alongside the chosen few, gifted and spiritually aware enough to be worthy of their mighty help. The standard scouts and whale riders in the tribe ride the standard level 8 riding whale. But, Rikthalik being the powerhouse that he is among the tribe, and his connection with Shoom’ma, the alpha whale of the pod, he rides the higher level 14 whale.
Killer Whale, Riding 3400 GP
Killer Whale, Riding Level 8 Lurker
Large Natural Beast (Aquatic, Mount) XP 350
Initiative +11 Senses Perception +14;
HP 71; Bloodied 35
AC 22; Fortitude 22, Reflex 20, Will 18
Speed 10
Bite (standard; at-will)
+13 vs AC; 2d6 + 5 damage
Rabid Charger (standard; at-will) * made during a charge attack by the rider
+13 vs AC; 2d6 + 5 damage
When it charges, the Killer Whale makes a bite attack in addition to the rider's attack. The rider must be of level 8 or higher to use this attack.
Deft Swimmer (standard; at-will)
If the whale’s rider is of level 8 or higher, the rider gains a +1 Bonus to AC against opportunity attacks. In addition, the whale's rider gains a +1 Bonus to attacks made against creatures without a swim speed.
Waterborn
While in water, the killer whale gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls against creatures without a swim speed.
Alignment: Unaligned Languages:
Skills: Stealth +12
Str 20 (+9) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 13 (+5)
Con 17 (+7) Int 13 (+5) Cha 12 (+5)
Shoom’ma, The Alpha Whale, and mount of Rikthalik
Alpha Whale, Riding 21,000 GP
Alpha Whale, Riding Level 14 Lurker
Huge Natural Beast (Aquatic, Mount) XP 1000
Initiative +16 Senses Perception +24;
HP 107; Bloodied 53
AC 28; Fortitude 27, Reflex 26, Will 26
Speed 10
Bite (standard; at-will)
+19 vs AC; 3d8 + 6 damage
Rabid Charger (standard; at-will) * made during a charge attack by the rider
+19 vs AC; 3d8 + 6 damage
When it charges, the Alpha Whale makes a bite attack in addition to the rider's attack. The rider must be of level 14 or higher to use this attack.
Deft Swimmer (standard; at-will)
If the whale’s rider is of level 14 or higher, the rider gains a +1 Bonus to AC against opportunity attacks. In addition, the whale's rider gains a +1 Bonus to attacks made against creatures without a swim speed.
Waterborn
While in water, the killer whale gains a +1 bonus to attack rolls against creatures without a swim speed.
Alignment: Unaligned Languages:
Skills: Stealth +17
Str 23 (+13) Dex 20 (+12) Wis 20 (+12)
Con 17 (+10) Int 17 (+10) Cha 17 (+10)
NOTES:
These mounts are homebrewed, created entirely by me. They should accurately reflect mounts of this level and have been designed using existing powers in 4th edition (though not currently available for use in this contest), but the attack strengths have been changed to fit the whale’s power level. The mounts level and price have also been decided on based on existing mounts of this variety with the same level, comparable powers, and prices.
Any homebrew rules have been noted above and I will leave them there so checking of their character can be done easier in the stat block. None of the homebrew materials I have put in here significantly alter the statistics for the character (with the exception of his armor and his mount); because most of this character was built using the D&D I builder, most numbers should be accurate (though when I do it by hand I get his hp being 2 less then the character builder has it, I think it doesn’t take into account that his Con went up and wasn’t 18 at level 1). I have included as well, a breakdown of the cost for all magic items carried and the math that shows how much money Rikthalik has left over. Items marked with an (E) before them are equipped and thus their abilities are calculated into his attacks, damage, armor class, and saves.
----- Ifalla of Deathknell, Storm Witch of the Raven Queen -----
Background:
The fat man licked his lips. "I'd like for you to acquire me a specific type of person."
The rogue laughed. "What do you want this time, Leandro? Another eladrin maid? Perhaps something more exotic like a Tiefling?"
Leandro grinned, his wide mouth encompassing his entire face in a sinister facade. "I have heard that Shadar-Kai priestesses are one of the most prideful creatures yet observed. Nothing would entertain me more than the opportunity to break such a creature."
No longer laughing, the rouge stood up. "Then I shall set sail at once."
Ifalla grew up in the city of Deathknell, a small outpost located on one of the Shadowfell's umbral seas. Her acerbic tongue and mischevious tendencies led her parents to seek the advice of Kyree, Raven Speaker [high priest] of Deathknell. Despite her disrespectful tendencies, Kyree saw great potential in the child, one truly touched by the hand of their goddess. With her parent's consent, (and her own, mixed, feelings) Ifalla found herself entering the ranks of the clergy. She emerged from Deathknell's temple some nine years later, her troublesome personality tempered by her education, and wielding the divine power of one of the Raven Queen's invokers.
As another of her invocations was deflected harmlessly into the distance, Ifalla glared at the grinning warrior. "What do you want with me, elf?" she spat.
The scoundrel chuckled. "It's not what I want with you, Raven Sister, but what you're worth to someone else."
The 'new' Ifalla was arrogant--utterly convinced of her own prowess and the righteousness of her actions. The citizens of Deathknell gave her a wary berth, unsure if their was truth to her crowing, but unwilling to risk her ire if it was. The Shadowfell is a dangerous place, and before long, Ifalla was given chance to put weight behind her words. A serious of lacedon attacks, the ghouls rising from the neighboring shore like some gruesome (and deadly) harvest, were easily contained, the efforts of the church in no small part expedited by Ifalla's fearsome power. In the wake of the undead assault, the ruling council of Deathknell decided to protect the town with a powerful abjuration -- a ritual to deter the roaming undead of the Shadowfell. In honor of her prominent role in the defense, Ifalla was awarded the office of Raven Sister, and instructed to perform the ritual herself. Utterly confidant, arrogance only growing in the wake of her newfound respect, Ifalla would have remained content in her position for many years to come. Yet one month, in the midst of performing the abjurative ritual, fate caught up to the Invoker.
They came at dusk, the time most sacred to the Raven Queen. Three black ships, sweeping into the town's harbor, disrupting the ritual as their crew of pirates and freebooters leapt out to cause chaos. These were the men of the elf Tyransius, pirate and bounty hunter. The brigands quickly secured the docks, slaying any who dared oppose them. Ifalla was captured alive by Tyransius himself, her failure hurting nearly as much as the wounds caressing her form. The pirates left as swiftly as they had appeared, leaving some thirty dead, and escaping, unharmed, with their captive.
The cabin was small and grimy, with a low ceiling. The majority of its space was taken up by a large plush bed. Ifalla lay curled in a heap, catching her breath as she watched the fat merchant leave the cabin. She shivered, the tattered remnants of her once fine ceremonial robes rustling noisily over her nearly bare, emaciated body. She shook with rage, a feeble, futile gesture that only served to rattle the chains binding her to bed; a meaningless gesture that only served to remind her of what she had lost, what she had been forced to become.Trying to regain some measure of composure, Ifalla closed her eyes and prayed.
"Raven Queen, oh Spinner of Fate, grant thy humble servant thy power such that I may once again walk free, singing praises to your name."
Ifalla gestured her arms and concentrated, trying to bring forth the divine power she had wielded so easily once, long ago. To her dismay, for what seemed like the hundredth time, there was simply nothing -- no effect.
"Damn it all" she cursed. "Will no one help this forsaken daughter? Angel, devil, dragon, I care not, some higher power must help poor Ifalla! Is the world so cruel as to deny me that?" Ifalla broke into dry sobs, her spirit utterly broken, and all her tears long since spent.
<>
The voice, smooth and comforting, like that of a wizened grandfather, filled the small room, startling the Shadar-Kai, causing her to whirl around violently, struggling against her chains to see who, see what could be the origin of the voice.
"W-what do you mean?"
<>
Ifalla shivered again. "Who are you who proclaims to know so much?"
<>
"A primal spirit?" Ifalla gasped. She had heard stories, read the scriptures, but to actually be in the presence of such a powerful being? It was simultaneously unnerving and exhilarating. "I...I... how can you help me?"
<>
Ifalla's face hardened into a grim mask.
"Teach me then, spirit. Teach me so that I might have vengeance."
<>
The slaver Mier Leandro was always one with... discriminating tastes. The fat slave merchant's purse was notoriously deep, and he spared no expense to indulge of all of life's pleasures. When his favorite slave died, Leandro wasted no time in locating a new treasure. He hired the pirate king Tyransius to capture a Shadar-Kai priestess, and within a week, the pirate had done just that.
Ifalla spent two agonizing months chained below decks of Leandro's flagship, forced to acquiesce to the slaver's whims and fancies. As Leandro's barge sailed the oceans, traveling through ports and conducting its business, Ifalla became more and more bitter, the prideful Shadar-Kai trapped and helpless, unable to access her divine power. Finally, Ifalla's faith broke, and pitifully called out for someone, anyone, to aid her. She was answered by Z'nua, the primal spirit druids know as "The Great Raven" , "he who watches", or "the Stormfather". The desperate priestess made a vow, binding her power and her destiny to Z'nua. In return, the spirit rejuvenated Ifalla's zeal, unlocking her latent divine power, and adding powerful, druidic magicks to her arsenal.
Leandro stood rooted to the spot, quivering in fear at the primal fury brewing around him. He began to quiver manically, half-formed sentences and thoughts dribbling out his mouth at a rate in direct competition with the beads of sweat dripping off his bald head. His former slave stopped an arms reach in front of him, closing her eyes and kneeling in prayer.
"Oh goddess, please seek to stop me should I bring death to this man before his time."
Leandro swallowed, abnormally loud in his own ears as the squall continued its rapid frenzy. The moments lengthened, and still neither of them moved. Ifalla began again.
"In that case, know that I take great joy in sending you this man's soul. Accept it with my love."
Ifalla stood up, feeding Leandro a glare that made the big man feel powerlessly small. She raised her hand, entreatingly, towards the heavens. The air hummed as power collected in her palm. With a decisive motion, she thrust the hand down, pointing it at Leandro. His blathering expression was visible for only a moment before a bolt of lightning erupted from the clouds overhead, utterly incinerating the man, and cracking the hull of the barge in two.
It was storming, the day Ifalla reclaimed her freedom. Dark clouds hung low in the sky, sending jagged forks of electricity arcing towards the horizon. Leandro had been waddling across the massive deck of his barge, hoping to comfortably wait out the storm atop his favored slave. But when he reached the door leading to his makeshift prison, the wind surged, the storm broke, and the door flew open, revealing a seething Shadar-Kai, disheveled by her long captivity, but with death in her eyes. As Leandro's guards hurried to their employer's side, they could only stare, agape, as the invoker stormed towards them. Each step caused a burst of thunder, knocking men prone; Each wayward glance sent down lightning, forking through the hearts of men; Each angry breath sent cyclones of wind racing across the decks, flinging men into walls and out over the tumultuous surf.
In the span of a single hour, Leandro's fleet of slavers was no more, the ships scuttled to the ocean floor, and the few survivors clutching to whatever errant piece of flotsam they could find. As the Leandro's flagship went plummeting towards the depths, Ifalla leapt off, transforming into a raven in mid air. The raven flew south, towards the fertile grounds surrounding the Silver Cities. Landing at the entrance to a cheapel of the Raven Queen, Ifalla shed her animal form and strode through the church, much-maligned garments disintegrating as she walked. She approached the high priest of the temple, and stared him straight in the eye.
The emaciated woman stood before him, mostly nude and filled with an obvious aura of righteous anger.
"Who are you, and why have you entered my temple?"
The women simply glared at him.
"I am Ifalla of Deathknell, Storm Witch of the Raven Queen!" she spat out. "I want a change of clothes, a decent meal, and a list of all the bounty hunters docked in any of the cities' ports."
High Priest Delken shook his head as if in denial, still taken aback by her abrupt (and dramatic) arrival. Yet, he could feel it in his heart -- she spoke the truth.
"May I ask what you're hunting then, sister?"
Ifalla's lip curled up, revealing sharp, white teeth.
"A pirate."
Present Day:
Since her return to civilization, Ifalla has been hiring herself out as both chaplain and navigator for a band of government backed privateers, a group known as the Silver City Corsairs. Her prideful nature could only push her towards one conceivable goal -- revenge. With the aid of her storm magic, the Silver City Corsairs have become the most successful band of vigilantes enforcing the nearby waterways.
Ifalla takes great pains to ensure that any pirate or slave ship they encounter is met with the appropriate response, and has spent the past eight years gleefully sending raider after raider, pirate after pirate, to an early death. Yet there is one pirate who continues to elude her -- she still seeks Tyransius. Despite the numerous escapades she and the Corsairs have been involved in over the past years (including a near-deadly feud with a powerful black dragon named Yzanthree), the elf pirate has managed to out-race, out-think, or out-hide his seekers.
Scerra, commander of the band of vigilantes and captain of Feral Hunter, has grown tired of Ifalla's relentless drives. He remains content to pester and battle with smaller pirates, but Ifalla continues to lust after her personal prey. Because of this, she is strongly considering taking Ironsides (see below) to start a new band of mercenaries whose sole goal is to catch Tyransius.
People of Note:
High Priest Delken (ally) -- The Silver Cities were originally a group of 5 small merchant towns that have since fused into a single metropolis. Delken leads the Silver Cities' temple of the Raven Queen, and he does so well. Delken is much more of a priest than an adventurer, and he doesn't like the consuming need for revenge that so consumes his peer, Ifalla. He has been pressing her to give up her fruitless chase for the pirate and return to Deathknell in the Shadowfell, a place she hasn't been to since her escape from the slavers.
Tyransius (enemy) -- The self-styled "Pirate King", Tyransius is a charming individual who places the welfare of his ship, Emerald-Eyed Lady, and crew above all else. The elf cares not for laws or regulations, and seems to have no loyalties to anyone, stealing from other pirates as often as not. He has taken note of Ifalla's crusade to catch him, but, to be honest, doesn't quite remember why she would do so. After all, he's sent hundreds of folk into slavery, robbed thousands, and fought scores of high-stakes tables against noble, royal, or merchant powers. At this point, Tyransius would be more surprised if someone didn't want to kill him.
Captain Scerra and the Silver City Corsairs (ally) -- The Silver City Corsairs are a mercenary band of Shifters, lead by their Longtooth captain, Scerra. The group maintains a government charter that gives them free reign to police the oceans surrounding the Silver Cities as they see fit, and it has been quite the profitable bargain for all parties involved. For his part, Scerra grudgingly keeps Ifalla on as an honorary member of the Corsairs, not because he agrees with her quest, but because her weather rituals have gotten Feral Hunter out of more scrapes than her single-minded pursuit has gotten it into. Scera is a grizzeled old veteran who takes his job seriously -- Ifalla has gotten more and more restless and introverted over the years he's known her, and he'd rather end their arrangement before things turn sour.
"Old" Ironsides (ally) -- Ironsides is a warforged fighter that the Corsairs rescued from a wrecked ship three years ago. For reasons unknown to anyone but himself, he has formed a deep bond with Ifalla, and he seems to fight for her specifically than out of loyalty to one of his other rescuers. Reclusive and stoic, the crew of Feral Hunter have often remarked on how odd a pair they make -- the always testy Storm Witch and her silent, imposing sentinel.
Raven Speaker Kyree (ally) -- this Shadar-kai Cleric has spent the past eight years mourning what she thinks to be the loss of her favorite pupil. She knows in her heart that Ifalla is likely dead, but until irrevocable proof is offered either way, she will continue to hope and pray for answers. In recent months she has started hiring adventurers to obtain information regarding the status of her pupil or the fate of her pirate assailant.
Yzanthree's brood (enemy) -- The Silver City Corsairs (with the help of Ifalla) slew the black dragon Yzanthree recently, ransacking her lair and making off with her horde in the process. However, the elder black dragon matriarch had a loyal mate, and combined with his tribe of loyal Dragonkin Kobolds, could soon prove a thorny problem for the mercenary company.
Physical Description:
Ifalla stands 5'10" and weighs 135 lbs. Her skin is an ashen gray, an indicator that immediately gives her heritage away when surrounded by the swarthy-skinned shifters of Feral Hunter. Her dark hair is long and braided into cornrows, and Ifalla's left ear is pierced multiple times (the only piercings on her body, uncommon for a Shadar-kai). She dresses in long dark robes that flutter menacingly when she uses her magic powers.
As a person, Ifalla is sarcastic and haughty. The journey away from the Shadowfell has reawakened her acerbic tongue, and she always appears angry or frustrated. The only time people recall seeing her in a good mood is when she's fighting -- calling out to the Raven Queen for the power to smite down evildoers, or whispering the ancient words of power to channel Z'nua's great power. Ifalla is almost always accompanied by a pair of Ravens, Ebony and Jet, whom she keeps as both scouts and pets. (Via use of the animal friendship ritual)
Her wild-shape form is that of a raven. While she may hover in the air above her space, Ifalla's control over the form is not great enough to grant her a fly speed, at least not during the rigors of combat.
Notable Equipment:
Thunderwave Staff -- After her first successful year of pirate hunting, (though, since she failed to catch Tyransius, she considered it unsuccessful) she commissioned the construction of this plain yew staff to better her combat ability. It is long and narrow, tapering to a crooked end at the head of the implement.
Rebuking Forgemail -- This was taken from the hoard of Yzanthree. It was originally made for a cleric of Erathis, but Ifalla had it refurbished to herald the glories of the Raven Queen instead.
Ring of the Dwarven Lords (x2) -- A pair of magically enchanted engagement rings, these were also taken from Yzanthree's horde. One ring has the words "Two hearts" inscribed inside the band, and the other has the words "speak as one". Ifalla currently wears the "Two hearts" ring. She holds onto the other as a curiosity piece -- when, if ever, she deals with Tyransius, she would like to investigate the story behind the rings. Perhaps if she opens up and becomes good friends with someone, she will give up the other, but for now she maintains selfish ownership of both halves.
Power Reflavoring:
Sun Strike: A glittering orb of silver-blue lights flies out from her hands, bashing into the enemy with fearsome strength, blasting them about.
Wild Shape: See Physical Description
Spark of Fury: Lightning rakes the ship, shocking the Storm Witch and her allies. They don't seem injured at all, throwing themselves back into the battle with new found fervor, small arcs of electricity still crackling about their form.
Astral Step: Your enemies watch in confusion as you are swallowed by your own shadow, appearing many steps away in an instant.
Summon Blade Angel: This spell always summons Vanix, a blade angel with obsidian colored wings, silvered skin, and piercing cerulean eyes. In each hand it holds a slim sword, seemingly made out of rays of light themselves.
God Hammer: The largest crash of thunder yet blasts your ears as the skies themselves open above you, sending bolt after bolt of shimmering energy towards your enemies. The lightning isn't large enough to cause damage, but your foes reel under a constant bombardment of sound.
Wall of Thorns [Wall of Zephyrs]: A whirling, roiling mass of wind -- a localized cyclone perhaps -- erupts into existence. You squint your eyes, but from your distance, nothing is visible through the writhing mists and currents.
A look beneath the hood
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
Ifalla of Deathknell, Storm Witch of the Raven Queen, level 18
Shadar-kai, Invoker/Druid, Keeper of the Hidden Flame
Build: Preserving Invoker
Divine Covenant: Covenant of Preservation
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 13, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 9.
Starting Ability Scores
Str 11, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 8.
Level 4 -- Wisdom + Constitution
Level 8 -- Wisdom + Constitution
Level 14 -- Wisdom + Intelligence
Level 18 -- Wisdom + Intelligence
AC: 32 (Base 19, +9 forgemail, +4 enhancement)
Fort: 27 (Base 19, +3 CON, +1 Invoker, +3 enhancement, +1 racial)
Reflex: 28 (Base 19, +5 INT, +1 Invoker, +3 enhancement)
Will: 28 (Base 19, +5 WIS, +1 Invoker, +3 enhancement)
HP: 104 Surges: 10 (base 6, +3 CON, +1 [untyped] Iron Ring of the Dwarf Lords)
Surge Value: 28 (Base 26, +2 [item] Belt of Vigor)
Resist: 10 lightning, 10 thunder (stormwalker cloak)
Speed 6 (+1 [item] battlestrider boots)
Initiative +11 (+9 level, +1 Dex, + 1 item)
Senses: Perception +14, Insight + 14, low-light vision
TRAINED SKILLS
Religion, History, Endurance, Arcana, Nature.
FEATS
1: Ritual Caster
1: Invoker Defense
2: Raven Queen's Blessing
4: Oncoming Storm
6: Toughness
8: Initiate of the Old Faith
10: Novice Power
11: Lightning Arc
12: Danger Sense
14: Preserver's Vengeance
16: Adept Power
18: Implement Expertise (staff)
POWERS
1, At-Will: Divine Bolts
1, At-Will: Sun Strike
1, Encounter: Thunder of Judgment
1, Daily: Angelic Echelon
2, Utility: Shroud of Warning
3, Encounter: Chains of Carceri
5, Daily: Searing Orb (retrained to Wall of Thorns with Adept Power)
6, Utility: Astral Step
7, Encounter: Thunderbolt of the Heavens
9, Daily: Summon Blade Angel
10, Utility: Divine Renewal
13, Encounter: Winds of Celestia (replaces Chains of Carceri)
15, Daily: God Hammer (replaces Angelic Echelon)
16, Utility: Shield of Justice
17, Encounter: Curse of Haemnathuun (retrained to Lightning Cascade with Novice Power) (replaces Thunder of Judgment)
8, Encounter: Pounce
ITEMS
Ritual Book -- free
Rebuking Forgemail +4 -- 105,000
Thunderwave Staff +4 -- 85,000
Stormwalker's Cloak +3 -- 25,000
Battlestrider Greaves (paragon tier) -- 13,000
Gauntlets of the Ram (heroic tier) -- 3,400
Belt of Vigor (paragon tier) -- 13,000
Bracers of the Perfect Shot (paragon tier) -- 17,000
Everlasting Provisions (heroic tier) -- 840
Handy Haversack (heroic tier) -- 5,000
Helm of Battle (heroic tier) -- 4,200
Rope of Climbing (heroic tier) -- 5,000
Iron Ring of the Dwarf Lords (x2) -- 21,000 = 318,440 gp in items, 15 pp and 60 gp
Item Property: When you hit an enemy with a divine attack power, +1 to all defenses against that enemy until the end of your next turn. (rebuking armor)
Item Property: add one to the value of any push effect you create. (Gauntlets of the Ram)
Item Property: +4 to damage with basic attack (Sun strike) (Bracers of the Perfect Shot)
Item Property: +1 initiative to all within 5. (Helm of Battle)
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
Ifalla of Deathknell, Storm Witch of the Raven Queen, level 18
Shadar-kai, Invoker/Druid, Keeper of the Hidden Flame
Build: Preserving Invoker
Divine Covenant: Covenant of Preservation
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 13, Int 21, Wis 21, Cha 9.
Starting Ability Scores
Str 11, Con 13, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 8.
Level 4 -- Wisdom + Constitution
Level 8 -- Wisdom + Constitution
Level 14 -- Wisdom + Intelligence
Level 18 -- Wisdom + Intelligence
AC: 32 (Base 19, +9 forgemail, +4 enhancement)
Fort: 27 (Base 19, +3 CON, +1 Invoker, +3 enhancement, +1 racial)
Reflex: 28 (Base 19, +5 INT, +1 Invoker, +3 enhancement)
Will: 28 (Base 19, +5 WIS, +1 Invoker, +3 enhancement)
HP: 104 Surges: 10 (base 6, +3 CON, +1 [untyped] Iron Ring of the Dwarf Lords)
Surge Value: 28 (Base 26, +2 [item] Belt of Vigor)
Resist: 10 lightning, 10 thunder (stormwalker cloak)
Speed 6 (+1 [item] battlestrider boots)
Initiative +11 (+9 level, +1 Dex, + 1 item)
Senses: Perception +14, Insight + 14, low-light vision
TRAINED SKILLS
Religion, History, Endurance, Arcana, Nature.
FEATS
1: Ritual Caster
1: Invoker Defense
2: Raven Queen's Blessing
4: Oncoming Storm
6: Toughness
8: Initiate of the Old Faith
10: Novice Power
11: Lightning Arc
12: Danger Sense
14: Preserver's Vengeance
16: Adept Power
18: Implement Expertise (staff)
POWERS
1, At-Will: Divine Bolts
1, At-Will: Sun Strike
1, Encounter: Thunder of Judgment
1, Daily: Angelic Echelon
2, Utility: Shroud of Warning
3, Encounter: Chains of Carceri
5, Daily: Searing Orb (retrained to Wall of Thorns with Adept Power)
6, Utility: Astral Step
7, Encounter: Thunderbolt of the Heavens
9, Daily: Summon Blade Angel
10, Utility: Divine Renewal
13, Encounter: Winds of Celestia (replaces Chains of Carceri)
15, Daily: God Hammer (replaces Angelic Echelon)
16, Utility: Shield of Justice
17, Encounter: Curse of Haemnathuun (retrained to Lightning Cascade with Novice Power) (replaces Thunder of Judgment)
8, Encounter: Pounce
ITEMS
Ritual Book -- free
Rebuking Forgemail +4 -- 105,000
Thunderwave Staff +4 -- 85,000
Stormwalker's Cloak +3 -- 25,000
Battlestrider Greaves (paragon tier) -- 13,000
Gauntlets of the Ram (heroic tier) -- 3,400
Belt of Vigor (paragon tier) -- 13,000
Bracers of the Perfect Shot (paragon tier) -- 17,000
Everlasting Provisions (heroic tier) -- 840
Handy Haversack (heroic tier) -- 5,000
Helm of Battle (heroic tier) -- 4,200
Rope of Climbing (heroic tier) -- 5,000
Iron Ring of the Dwarf Lords (x2) -- 21,000 = 318,440 gp in items, 15 pp and 60 gp
Item Property: When you hit an enemy with a divine attack power, +1 to all defenses against that enemy until the end of your next turn. (rebuking armor)
Item Property: add one to the value of any push effect you create. (Gauntlets of the Ram)
Item Property: +4 to damage with basic attack (Sun strike) (Bracers of the Perfect Shot)
Item Property: +1 initiative to all within 5. (Helm of Battle)
:raincloudUsjach started his life as almost a slave. Orphaned at a young age of 5 Usjach was force to fend for himself. Sometimes the young kobold would have to steal from the market place to survive from day to day. This did not sit right with poor Usjach and only did so if the need come to it. When he did get caught his used what came natural to the young kobold. Often disappearing around a corner into some shadows or off into a crowd. After 3-4 years he was getting good at this kind of stuff but it still bothered him. One day of the sticky finger hunt the rogue came up with a pocket full of these weird 4 side knives he guessed. After a few weeks of practice Usjach got really good at throw all sorts of light blades. Also notice on his hunts in the market that some of the merchants were being less then honorable in their practices. Poor Usjach viewed this as wrong and decided then and there that he wasn’t going to prey on the goodly merchants and shopper anymore. Usjach was the scourge of the Astalish market place over the next 5 years and also found a little hiding spot down at the dock in an abandoned boat. Running from the bodyguards of one of the bad marchants brought Usjach into a side alley that no one ever used. He had gotten away from the guards using some fancy foot work and some shadowy help. But now he had just walked up onto a battle. He liked what he saw at first. The blade moving to and fro and the skill of the users was one of the greatest sights he had seen in years, but then his heart seen the truth in the battle. He knows the merchant and the merchant’s guards. She was a well knew goodly merchant in the whole of the Moon Sea. He had seen her at work more than once taken out the bad merchants and helping shoppers that they preyed on. Usjach also had seen the killers as well. Had seen them leaving from his hunting grounds only to found dead bodies in their wake. After more than 15 minutes of battle the only two that were left were the merchant and two badly wounded killers. One of the killers manages to get behind the merchant to stab the merchant in the back. That is when Usjach decide that he had to strike. Move from the shadows that covered him hit the killer with Usjach’s weird light blades he had found drop the killer with one hit. They battle the last one for another few minutes and together finished off the fiends. After the battle was over she gave the rogue kobold a once over then proceeded to cut the killers throats. He almost attacked her to stop her but she explained that these were agents of evil and letting them live would only cause more people harm. After the job was complete the merchant came over to him. She told him that her name was Ishatill and liked what she saw Usjach do in battle. She gave him a pass and told him where she lived and to meet her there that night. They heard the Astalish’s Moon guards coming and Ishatill told the young kobold that she would handle the guards, that she would see him later.
The Training
Usjach had been training with Ishatill for more than 2 years now. She took the Kobold everywhere she went and he had a real knack for found the best prices in town and Talking people into even better prices. Usjach even help her Dragon Skyco Merchant guild gain very important contracts in Dragondown and Trumore. He had picked up a good amount of gold as well. Finely Usjach talk to Ishatill into letting him take a ship out of his own. Those 2 years allowed him to train as a rogue and most of that training had taken place on her ship where when he wasn’t training he was working with the other sailors. They had had more than their fair share of pirates attack in that time And had used his one share she had give him to make the money they needed to buy his new ship , the Flying LizardFire. He also picked up some masterful throwing stars that he had put to good use. He picked up the cargo from Astalish and set sail after Ishatill handpicked his kobold crew and dragonborn first mate Nadarr Goldscale. She also gave him his first guild mission. One of the evil merchants in Dragondown was in working with the Moon Sea Triad. This evil guild of pirates was more ruthless then the normal pirates often killing the crew of the ships that had surrender in battle and taking the cargo and ship leave the crews to be eat by the fish and Moon Sea Dragons that hunted the waters. After a pirate encounter that they manage to out run the Ship pulls into port. Usjach drops off his cargo and pick up his personal share of the goods for himself then after a week in town leaves for Trumore. Soon after that the evil merchant is found dead with 5 stars in his chest. No one saw or heard a thing and only one guard thought he saw a shadow move through the room but decided against that after seeing the Boss blooding on the floor and search of the room prove to no avail.
The Continuing Quest
After 3 years of “quest” and profits was fly high. Ishatill had found him this wonderful set of armor and he had the dwarven friend of Trumore make him the most wonder throwing star he had used ever. His latest quest was to be easy. But after making it into the castle the enemy had known about the attack. He always used his alter ego Shadow Dragon. He put on all black leathers and covered most of his feature. He almost looked like a walking shadow. Usjach managed to still kill the evil lord, but was wounded badly and spent the next 3 day healing from the wounds. When he made it back to Astalish port he discovered that Ishatill had been killed by the Moon Sea Triad. Her bother Markus Firebard had taken over the guild and now his mission got personal. He also had to find the highest members. This so called Triad Councilmen. The Next five years He spent head hunted with no regard for his safety. He also gained the status Of Shadow Elite Dragon, having to train for one of those 5 years with Markus’s Elite assassins to gain this honor. Now he was the scourge of the Moonsea Triad, Goodly dark killer The Shadow Dragon Usjach. He had killed the Triads 4 out of 6 leaders. More attacks on his ship also followed as they got closer to who this Shadow Dragon was. It was almost time to put an end to the Triad once and for all, for all the Moon Sea and of Astalish.
Places
Astalish Moon Sea
This wonderful sea is more of a lake then sea. Though It is one of the big lakes in the Tiran. There is 6 months of sunlight and 6 months of night. They night months get very cold and the moon sea freeze over in the last 4 months, where the ships equip Sled rails to the ship and sail on the ice lake. The real sight of the Moon Sea is that during the winter months of darkness the Moon Sea glows with its own light. Shining of the Moon Sea can be seen for many leagues out on lands. No one has as of yet discovered what causes this.
Astalish port city
There are three cities near the Moon Sea that are main ports. Astalish brings trade good from around the Moon Sea that would take months to get here from land sources and it is also the main trade city on the north half of the Moon Sea. You can find mostly farming and animal product from inland and a good number of good from around the Moon Sea including a number of Dragonborn and dwarven weapons and armor.
Dragondown
A Dragonborn city that most produces weapons and armor but was made famous from the Dragonbite Bitter (ale) that is considered the best ale on the Moon Sea. It is also a place to find a good number of elite warriors.
Trumore
The only dwarven city on Tiran that has mithal ore and that produces mithal items including weapons and armor. Trumore is rumored to be one of the largest underground cities spanning 3-4 leagues down.
Allies
The Flying LizardFire- With the loyal crew and one of the best sailors as first mate (Nadarr Goldscale) Usjach has became one to be feared on and off his ship.
Dragon Skyco Merchant guild-The guild that Usjach works for and oftain takes mission for the personal army of assassins the Shadow’s Claw. The Leader now is Marcus Fireband who took control after the Triad kill the past guild leader Ishatill Fireband.
Dragondown’s Council- Usjach has done a few favors for the famed Council of Wryms, the leaders of the city and region.
Vondal Shiningmine- He is the prince of one of the clans of Trumore and runs more than a few shops. Usjach sometimes bring him a few “special” goods for him to sell that most in Trumore would look down on.
Enemies
Moon Sea Triad- This evil guild of pirates have discovered that Usjach is the Shadow dragon assassin that has been killing their leaders. The last two leaders have gone into hiding and are trying to Contact their patron for help in dealing with the Usjach and the Flying LizardFire.
Trinock MoonSea guild-A opposing guild that has been losing money to the Dragon Skyco Merchant guild more than 5 years now. These have been known to work with the Pirates of the area including the Triad.
Astalish Moon Sea Council- Someone/s on the council has been working against Usjach and the Dragon Skyco Merchant guild. The Council is soon to vote on take their Trade license. The guild has just been informed and has yet to tell Usjach. Action may be taken to prevent this.
Usjach
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
Usjach, level 18
Kobold, Rogue, Shadow Assassin
Rogue Tactics: Artful Dodger
Alignment: Good
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 22, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 18.
Starting Ability Scores
Str 14, Con 10, Dex 15, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14.
AC: 32 Fort: 26 Reflex: 31 Will: 27
HP: 110 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 27
TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth+26(15 ½ level and ability+5trained+6 Misc), Thievery+22(+15 ½ level and ability+5 Trained+ 2 Misc), Insight+16(+11 ½ level and abitiy+5 trained), Acrobatics+20(+15 ½ level+5Trained), Streetwise+18(+13 ½ level +5 trained), Perception+16(+11 ½ level +5 Trained), Diplomacy+21 (+13 ½ level and ability+5 trained+3 Misc).
FEATS1: Skill Training (Diplomacy)
2: Skill Focus (Diplomacy)
4: Backstabber
6: Weapon Focus (Light Blade)
8: Weapon Expertise (Light Blade)
10: Quick Draw
11: Danger Sense
12: Rogue Weapon Mastery
14: Seize the Moment
16: Distant Shot
18: Far Throw
POWERS1, At-Will: Deft Strike
1, At-Will: Sly Flourish
1, Encounter: King's Castle
1, Daily: Blinding Barrage
2, Utility: Fleeting Ghost
3, Encounter: Trickster's Blade
5, Daily: Walking Wounded
6, Utility: Chameleon
7, Encounter: Cloud of Steel
9, Daily: Knockout
10, Utility: Shadow Stride
13, Encounter: Tornado Strike (replaces King's Castle)
15, Daily: Slaying Strike (replaces Knockout)
16, Utility: Hide in Plain Sight
17, Encounter: Hounding Strike (replaces Trickster's Blade)
ITEMSVicious Shuriken +4 65,000gp 17th
Shadowflow Feyleather Armor +4 85,000gp 18th
Sailing Ship, the Flying LizardFire 10,000gp
Adventurer's Kit 15gp
Potion of Vitality (paragon tier) (10) 10,000gp 15th
Bracers of Defense (paragon tier) 65,000gp 17th
Elven Boots (paragon tier) 9,000gp 11th
Dreamstone Amulet +4 65,000gp 17th
Rope of Climbing (heroic tier) 5,000gp 10th
Magic Shuriken +2 1,800gp 6th
Magic Shuriken +1 (2) 720gp 1st
Shuriken (50) 10gp
Dagger (2) 2gp
Climber's Kit 2gp
Everburning Torch 50gp
Pouch, Belt (empty) (3) 3gp
8PP 78gp Left
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
Usjach, level 18
Kobold, Rogue, Shadow Assassin
Rogue Tactics: Artful Dodger
Alignment: Good
FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 22, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 18.
Starting Ability Scores
Str 14, Con 10, Dex 15, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 14.
AC: 32 Fort: 26 Reflex: 31 Will: 27
HP: 110 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 27
TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth+26(15 ½ level and ability+5trained+6 Misc), Thievery+22(+15 ½ level and ability+5 Trained+ 2 Misc), Insight+16(+11 ½ level and abitiy+5 trained), Acrobatics+20(+15 ½ level+5Trained), Streetwise+18(+13 ½ level +5 trained), Perception+16(+11 ½ level +5 Trained), Diplomacy+21 (+13 ½ level and ability+5 trained+3 Misc).
FEATS1: Skill Training (Diplomacy)
2: Skill Focus (Diplomacy)
4: Backstabber
6: Weapon Focus (Light Blade)
8: Weapon Expertise (Light Blade)
10: Quick Draw
11: Danger Sense
12: Rogue Weapon Mastery
14: Seize the Moment
16: Distant Shot
18: Far Throw
POWERS1, At-Will: Deft Strike
1, At-Will: Sly Flourish
1, Encounter: King's Castle
1, Daily: Blinding Barrage
2, Utility: Fleeting Ghost
3, Encounter: Trickster's Blade
5, Daily: Walking Wounded
6, Utility: Chameleon
7, Encounter: Cloud of Steel
9, Daily: Knockout
10, Utility: Shadow Stride
13, Encounter: Tornado Strike (replaces King's Castle)
15, Daily: Slaying Strike (replaces Knockout)
16, Utility: Hide in Plain Sight
17, Encounter: Hounding Strike (replaces Trickster's Blade)
ITEMSVicious Shuriken +4 65,000gp 17th
Shadowflow Feyleather Armor +4 85,000gp 18th
Sailing Ship, the Flying LizardFire 10,000gp
Adventurer's Kit 15gp
Potion of Vitality (paragon tier) (10) 10,000gp 15th
Bracers of Defense (paragon tier) 65,000gp 17th
Elven Boots (paragon tier) 9,000gp 11th
Dreamstone Amulet +4 65,000gp 17th
Rope of Climbing (heroic tier) 5,000gp 10th
Magic Shuriken +2 1,800gp 6th
Magic Shuriken +1 (2) 720gp 1st
Shuriken (50) 10gp
Dagger (2) 2gp
Climber's Kit 2gp
Everburning Torch 50gp
Pouch, Belt (empty) (3) 3gp
8PP 78gp Left
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
One question: Is fluff from 4e books like Manual of the Planes allowed?
Generally speaking, yes this is allowed (both here and the 3.5 version). For example, I once entered an Eberron-flavored character into one of the 3.5 contests, even though the Eberron books weren't on the "permitted" list.
Sjach was shadow in the 3.5 draconomicon, yes?
I don't know. It has been awhile since I used that book. I did the random thing till a name come up that I liked.
Feel free to spread the word, of course. The more, the merrier. :D
So if you must, blame the time frame.
We were so late because we didn't start until after Labor Day and had way too many days off during the school year. So we were always in school until somewhere between June 20th and June 23rd or so. Though there was the one year the teachers went on strike, and we didn't get out until June 30th -- and only had one day for Christmas, and nothing off in the Spring.
Whats the record for the short number of entries? Does anybody know?
I didn't go through everything, but [thread=1055774]HC 17[/thread] and [thread=1114397]HC 19[/thread] both had seven entries. A few other Hero Craftsmans had nine entries.
Good luck to everyone who has entered, there are some good entries here.
Good luck to the Four entrants.
I hope. Because otherwise, the wire is about to intersect with my neck.
Everyone's got a story these days. I suppose I'd have to take the cliché route. Mine starts with a girl.
The three of them are sitting together, staring up at the night sky, talking about their dreams. The red-haired one proclaims that he will one day become the mayor of the city, nay, the ruler of the world, and he'll be just and powerful and great. The girl declares that she'll make magnificent discoveries, that she'll become the best archmage the world has ever seen. The tall one, he's quiet. When he speaks, his voice is mellow, stating that one day, he would just like a good home to call his own, a wife with whom to share it, maybe a kid or three. The others laugh a bit, tell him to dream bigger, that he has to be something legendary. Yet even as they chuckle over it, he isn't looking at the moon, just someone sitting next to him.
Everyone these days seems to have something special they can do, breath fire, turn into a shrew, summon teakettles. Me? I find people.
Not very glamorous, not very flashy. But I can tell where someone is. Well, one person at a time, after I've met them, gotten near them, faked being drunk to stumble into them, flicked their hair while sitting behind them, whatever. Point is, pick a person, and after I've been near them, I know where they are.
Anywhere.
I once tracked a seagull for twelve hundred miles. Turns out no one knew exactly where they went for the winter. It's a small island chain down south, nice place, according to the maps. Turns out if you know where you are, know the direction and distance of another being, you can place their location perfectly on a chart. Anyway, once I come into contact with someone, if I choose to, I can locate him anywhere in the world. It's not amazing, it's not spectacular, but it's my ability, mine and mine alone, and I'm rather fond of it.
It's three years later, everyone's grown and grown up a little bit, and he's looking at her again. Well, specifically, looking in her direction. Twelve degrees north, thirty five upward, about forty feet from where he's standing. Forty one and twelve eights, to be a bit more precise. His best friend's bedroom, to be a bit more general.
He only stands there for a while. Just thinking. Then he turns around and strolls away.
The wedding is in a week.
It's an obvious statement, but still worth saying. Unrequited love bites.
You try to tell yourself it's a good thing. They're happy, that's what matters, as long as she lives a great life, that's what is important. You smile, you toast their wellbeing, you stand tall at the wedding and try to look like you're proud and caring. You hug them both with equal fondness, you grin and joke with them to share a laugh, and you try not to scream as you watch them walk away together. And you hate yourself every time you wish things were different, every time a nagging thought of spite or envy worms its way through, every time you wonder if one thing, one sentence, one action would have meant you would be there at her side. It doesn't really work. But you pretend it helps, and you carry on. Because that's what you do, that's what you have to do for the people you care about.
The happy couple step aboard the wedding carriage, radiant and grinning. Their friend shuts the side door, exchanges one last quip with them. They all laugh together, and then the rider cracks his whip, the wheels start turning, and they're off. Waving to the crowd behind them, the newlyweds make their way into their honeymoon together.
On the temple steps, their friend stands tall, waving until they turn the corner. He waits for just a moment after they pass out of sight, then walks to the corner of the chapel, hefts the bag he left there over his shoulder, and sets off for the docks. It's time to go.
........................
"Hey, kid.”
Reflexively placing his hand on his dagger, he turns to the speaker. Tallest damn dwarf he's ever seen, hulking and massive, his forearms as thick as a man's leg, with a beard that could strangle a sea serpent.
"Simple job. Back corner, scruffy-looking half-elf, walks with a bit of a limp. Keep an eye on him. If he moves, follow him.” He places two coins on the table, silver and gold. “And that twice again next time I see you if you've kept with him, got it?”
Nodding, the lad sweeps the metal quickly under cover, it doesn't do well to have anything that glimmers out in these parts. The dwarf leaves, and the young man watches the half-elf for a while. As the flea-ridden man leaves the corner, the lad casually slips into his path, brushing against him as they pass. Mumbling an apology, he continues on, staggering to the bar as if drunk, as they half-elf makes his way from the bar.
As the dwarf rants and screams at him, the young man stands absolutely still, focusing. As the shouting stops for a moment of catching breath, he interjects swiftly, “He's one hundred and forty-three feet in that direction.”
Trembling in fury, the dwarf catches the next horrible insult right before it passes his lips. Angrier still for the interruption, yet seeing no lie in the young man's face, he bursts out, “How in the seventh hells do you know that?”
Grinning, the lad leads him along the road, his finger always pointed towards some point to the east. Ducking down an alley, they emerge near the marketplace, and there, right in the path of the pointing digit, is the same scruffy half-elf, currently getting slapped by an angered lady of the evening.
The two stand very still for a moment, the dwarf's expression moving from surprise, amazement, then eager calculation. As they hide behind a stall, watching their quarry, he whispers, “Kid, you looking for a job?”
The young man raises one eyebrow in amusement. “That depends, you hiring?”
Both grinning, they watch their prey leave the market.
The privateering business isn't not exactly the most cozy of occupations. It's like piracy with a dose of ethics, which means all the scurvy, none of the freedom.
But I took to it like a duck first discovering a pond.
See, there's a funny thing about cartography. If, for some supernatural reason, you know exactly how far away something is, and in exactly what direction, and you know your own position on the chart, you can map out exactly where the target is, and from changing position, where it is going.
Within a month, I was an apprentice cartographer, assisting in hunting down individuals of note. Find me a member of someone's crew, and I could tell you where the ship sailed and where it docked next time it's out to sea. Catch a seagull, and I'll tell you where we can find land it we're lost. Or, if we simply need greater accuracy for exploring, find me a barnacle in port, and I'll tell you to the fraction of an inch how far we've gone from land.
I sailed with Durbere the Wolfhand for over a decade. The old dwarf was born to sail, could tell everything about his ship simply from listening to it rock on the waves. He had perfect instincts, could dance his stout and sturdy ship across the waters in ways that made elves and men stand in awe.
The rest of the crew were good sorts. Janice, the first mate, was a priestess of Melora, with the temper of an ocean storm and the fickle laughter of the ocean tide, who could kill a man with merely an insult, let alone her sharktooth club. Old Ezekial, fish out of water, a wizard and scholar studying the seas, who seemed like he was just along for the ride, at least until he set a pirate ship aflame at three hundred yards. Pix and Pax, twin halflings with a knack for ropes and acrobatics, in it for the thrill of chasing down and tormenting prey more than anything. Derik, a proud and kind goliath served as our healer, dutifully stitching up anyone injured and injuring anyone who wouldn't stay in bed to heal.
Fifteen years, we sailed. We chased pirates, explored ruins, fought monsters, saw the world. Met new friends, lost some good ones, chased down terrible villains, made horrible enemies. Ours was the world, and the open ocean was our home. And upon the waters, I was the Seawolf, who could track the smell of blood on the hands of the wicked anywhere on the waves. We struck fear into the hearts of innumerable foes, saved entire towns in pitched battle, fought and sweat and bled out there on the sea. It was our life, and we lived it well.
...............
"...So I tell him, that's not a hydra, that's my wife!”
Laughter roared around the oaken table, an old salvage now commissioned for gambling. Although technically not an officer only event, few others have the stomach for the game, loosing their pay to Janice would be too pricey. The eight of them chuckle together, then another round begins.
"So, Ryan, I notice that your spear is looking--”
"Pax, if this is another Freelance and pole pun, I will stop loosing this game to you on purpose.”
"Bah, can't have that,” he chuckles. “Some people have no sense of humor.”
"And yet they still try telling jokes.”
The next bout of banter is interrupted as a midshipman rushes inside. “Deepsign.” The officers are already in motion the before the word is through. An alert is issued, all hands go to stations. The captain heads for the helm, the halfings scramble up top for positions, someone goes to fetch the Seasoother. Something is beneath them.
"There she is.”
The new girl, a replacement for Jared, the old adept who needed to retire on account of his lungs, stepped cautiously to the side. A natural prodigy, she was nonetheless inexperienced with the art. Calming the deep beasts was a very strange sort of spellcraft, part empathy, part understanding, part force of will. It was delicate work, but she was good at it, despite her youth.
"Sorry, sir, I was--”
"Yes, yes, practicing your knots with young Ensign Zackery, we know, we soundproof the forward hold for a reason.” The group laughed as the blush traveled all the way up Amanda's face.
"Now, Janice, don't be too hard on the kid, we were all that young once.”
"A few centuries, for some of us,” came a mutter.
The first mate paused, turned carefully around. Everyone scrambled for cover.
In the commotion, he walked up beside the girl as she prepared herself. Patting her on the shoulder, he whispered a word of encouragement, and she smiled, then cast her senses down into the depths.
Down below, he could see the subtle motions, the undulations of a beast below. A big one, by the looks of it, and fairly rounded. That ruled out leviathan, fortunately, for they were far angrier, more than a single Soother could deal with, especially a kid. He looked down at the railing, then, at his own calloused hands, beginning to show the wear and tear of age and rugged life. When did he get so old?
Beside him, the girl gave a start, her eyes flying open. Confusing flickered on her face as she turned to him.
"I can't do it!”
"Easy, there, what do you mean?”
"I mean I can't connect to anything down there,” her tone turning frantic.
"Calm down, alright? You can do this, we know you--”
"No sir, I mean, there's nothing there! There's nothing alive down there!”
He froze, his eyes slowly opening in horror. Staring down into the depths again, he saw the dark shape rising upward, and pockmarked along its sides, the tiny lights, the glowing of magic.
"Exarchs preserve us,” he whispered, then his weapon was in his hand, a warning call on his lips.
"SEA WITCH!”
Even as the shout echoed across the decks, the sea erupted in a spray of foam and flaying limbs. The smell hit the ship like lead, the stench of decay, of filth, of rotting. The sickly gray tentacles of the undead kraken slammed across the decks, and the horrible cackling of its summoner pierced the air. The battle had begun.
It ended fairly quickly. We lost the sails and half the crew in the first minute. We tore into the beast, thunder and steel and fire, but the ***** had every advantage. Pix was pulled beneath the waters, his twin diving down after him in a frenzy. Janice took a hit that shattered her left leg, but she kept on fighting, cursing even harder all the while. I did everything I could to take care of Amanda, a harpoon doesn't work well on undead flesh, it seems. When the cry to abandon ship echoes across the din of battle, we made our way back to midship, where Ezekial was priming the portal.
That was when a tentacle fell across our path, crushed two crewman in the process. The portal was fading, everyone else was out. There wasn't anything else to be done. I grabbed the girl, threw her over, she landed on Ezekial, the two of them winked across reality to the other side, and I was alone on the deck. But I could still hear the cackling, and I wasn't going down alone.
Up the mast. Dodge the flailing beast. Shimmy along the sidebar. Get the right angle. There she is, floating off to the side on her anchor, laughing. Got to get this right. Tentacle reaches for the main mast, it begins cracking. Going to tip soon. Will have only one chance, have to make the jump right.
Find the center. Find the focus. Take the power, the ability to find, expand it outwards. See the target. Hunt the target. Slay the target. The prey is mine.
It was all too easy. Clapping her hands in laughter, she watched her pet demolish the remainder of the vessel. She'd have to comb the bottom for its treasure, but for the moment she relished in victory. The main mast snapped like a twig and fell toward her. Then a dark shape threw itself into motion, running along the falling beam and leaping out into the open sky, and then spear and sailor fell screaming upon her like a thunderbolt. She barely dove aside at the last instant, the blade carving deep into her thigh. Lashing out in fury, she threw all the force of her magic against the insolent whelp, and the two grappled atop the floating anchor. Martial and magical might met as one, and only one of them survived.
And then I died.
Quit looking at me like that, this isn't dwarven ale, I'm hours away from getting sloshed. I'm telling you, flat out, honest to Erathis and swear to Sehanine, I died that day. Flew the raven coup. Bought the cottage, kicked the chamberpot, gave up the mortal coil, breathed the ocean.
Drowned.
When people hear that, those that actually believe me, they always ask me what it was like. Was there a bright light? Did I meet the gods? See the afterlife? Were their little angels with a chariot made of gold singing cheery little songs? The usual meaningless questions.
I remember one thing.
Now, I know a lot more than that. I know I was on the bottom, the abyss, the deepest depths, Melora's crypt. I know that wondrous, horrible things lurked in the shadows, barely a silhouette of fang and spine on the edge of the glow. I know it should have been freezing, yet there was no sensation, no feeling of the crushing cold of the water or the arms encircled around me. I know the hair that danced lightly in the swirling current was...unnatural, scintillating azure and opal in the amulet light. I know the skin was pocked and scattered with scales, that tiny ridges of bone and barb grew along the back and shoulders, that beneath the navel there was coil and carapace and fin, that the teeth of her enigmatic grin shown with perfect, delicate points, elegantly lethal and feminine. I know that there was only one heartbeat there, on the sea floor, and it wasn't mine.
But all I remember were her eyes.
Shining depths of starlight and oblivion. The first light of dawn across the tidal ripple. The storm wave's shadow in the glare of lightning in a squall. The darkness beneath the darkness when you stare downwards, through the open ocean. Eyes of the abyss, of the deep, of that which lies beneath. I remember eyes that were young and curious, ancient and wise, eyes that had never known the sun yet bore witness to wonders unimaginable, eyes that held loving affection and alien hunger, predatory fury and perfect serenity. Eyes that stole my soul and gave me life.
When I awoke, I was lying on the beach, in the middle of island worthy of no note. A little slip of sand out eastwards, nothing special. And I was breathing, which I suppose was a plus, heart beating and all that. Very healthy, in fact. Not a single wound, not even a scar.
That was the day I decided to retire.
He's been standing at the doorway for an hour. Sometimes he paces, sometimes he raises his hand as if to knock, then he'll just pause, reminiscing. Suddenly his hand shoots forward, to quick to retract or halt through uncertainty, and raps upon the solid oak once, twice.
"Just a minute,” a familiar feminine voice calls out.
The door creaks open, and there they are. A little older, a little wiser, but happy and happily together. His red hair has receded a bit and his face has grown more gaunt, she has a line or two of worry around her forehead, but far more creases around her eyes from laughter. They've changed some, but then, so has he. For just a moment, there is confusion, then surprise, then with a cry of joy, two pairs of arms grapple him in a tight embrace. Their brother has come home.
It was good to see them again. And I mean that, flat and honest good. No awkwardness, no dark feelings, just being able to be with them again, those I can call my family. They'd done well for themselves, worked their way up to seats on the city council. Had a kid, smart, cute, completely hyperactive, and she'd have a sibling fairly soon. Got to play the crazy uncle bit, telling stories, becoming a partner in crime, showing her little bits of magic and mystery from my time abroad.
It was domestic, mundane, a simple life. I liked it.
It's the middle of the night. The youngster has been put to bed, having finally fallen asleep in her uncle's lap to the story of one of his grand adventures.
The adults are sitting on the roof again, staring out at the harbor sky. And that's when he tells them about everything. About his friends, about their job, about the kraken and the witch, and most of all, about her. It's an insane story. He hardly believes it himself, it sounds like the sort of thing born of hallucinations and fevered dreams.
Yet those two believe him. They can see the way he looks out at the ocean, and more than that, they know him. They are family, and they are there for him.
“You're staring again.”
He starts, pulls his gaze away from the ocean, back to the conversation around the table. What were they talking about? Yes, the council, the harvest, that was it. Yet even has he rallies his part of the conversation, husband and wife share a knowing look.
They watch him approach, that shifty way he meanders up when he's grappling with a decision. Both suppress a grin, they've seen that look quite a bit. It would seem they all know each other better than they know themselves, they've been expecting this for a week.
He thanks them for everything, his words a bit awkward, that half practiced, half improvised tumble that comes from trying to work out how to phrase something important. Eventually, he just stops for a minute, then whispers, “I need to go.”
Both of them nod, then pull out two packages that have been waiting for the moment. One's a collection of food, supplies, plus a an item that's only half a joke, a small gem granting the ability to breathe water, which she has been working on for a quite a while. The other's a commission, a privateering mission on one of the finest ships in port, something he managed to wrangle for his friend and brother through the council.
They watch the emotions of their friend's face, and despite the bittersweetness, know this is the right thing. She hugs him again, then places her hand on his shoulder and whispers, “Go find her.”
The two men walk together briefly outside the house. They muse a little about the past and present and what is to come. As they say their goodbyes, the husband laughs ruefully. “You know, your adventures, your mysteries, the excitement, I must admit I envy it a little.”
His friend cocks his head quizzically for a moment, then turns with purpose back towards the house, the light in the corner room where the wife puts the children to sleep, and places his hand on his friend's shoulder.
"My brother, you need envy no one.”
The husband smiles proudly then, and the two clap arms about each other in that awkward way men hug.
"Come back soon, your niece will miss her favorite storyteller.”
"Well then, I'll just have to find some new material so I don't disappoint her.”
The two grin and wave, then he heads down to the docks. It's time to go.
Why do I sail? Because there is someone I must find. Ironic, I know, given that I am known as the one who can located anyone. Because every time I see the ocean, I remember a pair of eyes in the deep, every time the waves meet the short, I hear her breath, every time the wind whispers through a shell, she is singing. I still have family, and I try to be with them whenever I can. They are doing well, and I'd do anything for them. But I can't stay. The land life just doesn't suit me. So I sail. And I search. And one day, I'll find her.
Ryan
Level 18 Rageblood Barbarian/Adroit Explorer
320,000 gp
Str: 18 (16) Dex: 12 Con: 14 Int: 10 Wis: 14 Cha: 9
Str: 23 Dex: 13 Con: 19 Int: 11 Wis: 15 Cha: 10
Skills: Nature, Religion, Acrobatics, Athletics, Bluff, Perception, Streetwise
-Religion (MC Avenger feat)
-Background: Streetwise, information gathering, to be precise. Also drinking.
HP: 141, 12 healing surges per day
AC: 26 (9 level, 3 armor, 2 Class, 1 feat, 1 mod)
Fort: 30 (9 level, 2 class, 1 feat, 4 mod, 4 item)
Ref: 29 (9 level, 2 class, 1 feat, 1 mod, 4 item)
Will: 26 (9 level, 1 feat, 2 mod, 4 item)
Feats
1) Multiclass feat: Disciple of Divine Wrath (Avenger)
1) Action Surge
2) Weapon Expertise: Polearm
4) Weapon Focus: Polearm
6) Toughness
8) Acolyte Power: Oath of the Relentless Hunter (Utility 6)
10) Polearm Gamble
11) Spear Push
12) Charging Rampage
14) Armor Specialization: Hide
16) Paragon Defenses
18) Rageblood Recovery
Powers
At-Will
-Howling Strike
-Pressing Strike
-Recuperating Strike
Encounter
7) Curtain of Steel
11) PP- Tide of Blood
13) Storm of Blades
17) Devastating Blow
Daily
5) Thunder Hawk Rage
9) Oak Hammer Rage
15) Hunting Lion Rage
Utility
2) Tiger's Leap
6) Swapped: Oath of the Relentless Hunter
10) Wellspring of Renewal
12) PP-Destined for Greatness
16) Spur the Cycle
Armor: Trollskin Hide +3, 25000. Seatroll, to be precise. Nasty bugger who decided to sample the local sailor cuisine, bit off a wee bit more than he could chew.
Weapons: Thundering Weapon Longspear +4 85000 Ulfgeirr, Wolf's Spear, his signature harpoon. Mahogany handle, dwarven steel, broken and reforged countless times. Runes from three different languages compete across its surface, teeth of several different species strung tight across its guard, handle wraps worn, sunbaked and tattered. A gift from a captain now lone gone.
bracers of mighty striking 13000
boots of striding and springing 21000
gauntlets of ogre power 1000
amulet of protection +4 45000
ring of protection 65000
belt of giant strength 25000
Handy haversack 5000
290000 total, saving up to upgrade armor.
Although the AV isn't on the list, I'm stealing its price range to “construct” this magic item.
Coral Pin
Level 10, Head Slot, 5000 gold.
A gift from the family for seeking in the sea.
Grants the ability to breathe water as easily as air when worn.
A few notes: Barbarian is a bit of a misnomer, in terms of fluff, he is far more akin to a two-handed wielding ranger. Raging is a certain trance where he extends his finding ability outward, which does very interesting things for seeking the hearts of one's opponents. The MC avenger and power swap, despite the level, is supposed to represent his inborn talent for finding a specific individual. Stats are a bit rushed due to time misconceptions, sorry about that.
And apologies for making yet another long one. :D
All right! Odds are in my favor I won't get fourth again! *chuckles*.
I'm a bit late with announcing it, but time for official entries has passed. Of course, anybody is welcome to still post a character - it just won't be eligible for the coveted medals.
Please feel free to critique and comment on one another's entries while the judges do their thing.
edit: and list updated!
Yep, dragoncat slipped in just under the wire. Sorry, sw, but you seemed to get the time conversion wrong.
I'm a bit late with announcing it, but time for official entries has passed. Of course, anybody is welcome to still post a character - it just won't be eligible for the coveted medals.
Please feel free to critique and comment on one another's entries while the judges do their thing.
edit: and list updated!
I think you made some typos updating the list, Zherog.
I think you made some typos updating the list, Zherog.
I dunno, url=http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=18487475&postcount=85 is an awesome character name. :D
I dunno, url=http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=18487475&postcount=85 is an awesome character name. :D
True, but I don't know that it's a great name for your character. Some sort of psychic warforged that patrols a marketplace of ideas in the Astral Sea, on the other hand...
True, but I don't know that it's a great name for your character. Some sort of psychic warforged that patrols a marketplace of ideas in the Astral Sea, on the other hand...
Hmm, page-tome wizard warforged who focuses on linking via portal magic...
I think you made some typos updating the list, Zherog.
I don't know what you're talking about...
And now the second round of waiting begins...
I assume you mean for the judging, Tylara "I don't like winning" 67. ;)
I assume you mean for the judging, Tylara "I don't like winning" 67. ;)
I like winning, I just don't like how long it takes people to admit that I won. :P
Seriously though, the entries actually all look really solid this time despite how few of them there are. I could totally see this taking longer to judge than contests with more entries.
Break into song!
Spent fifteen years / gettin' loaded /
fifteen years till his liver exploded /
Now what's Bob gonna do /
now that he can't drink?
The doctor said, "Whatcha been thinkin' bout?" /
Bob said, "That's a point /
I won't think about nuthin' /
Now I gotta do somethin' else." /
Oy oy oy!
To pass the time he had someone shave his head /
got a new identity /
sixty-two holed air-cushioned boots /
and a girl who rides a scooter /
are gonna take him out, uptown /
they would get away, riding around /
as the trucks drive by you can hear the mother-truckers go:
*truck horn leads into trumpet solo*
A couple of lines, an extra thermos of joe /
He'll be kickin' in heads at the punk rock show /
Yeah, Bob's the kind of guy he knows just what /
Bob's the kind of guy he knows just what to do /
When the doctor tells him to /
"Quit your drinking, now's the time" /
Will he ever walk the line?
To all my friends: "I feel just great!" /
But will he ever walk the line? /
Will he ever walk the line? /
Will he ever walk the line? /
Oh will he ever walk the line? /
Shoo-bee-doo-bee-doo-bop-dada /
Bop-dada-dah-doo-bee-doo-bee-doo-doop Bob!
Edit: It's kinda sad that I have that song memorized despite not having listened to it more than once or twice in the past couple years.
Best of luck to those who did, however. I think I've got a good concept for the Detective one though.
green.I spy with my little eye something ............
Orks! "Bring out da bigga shootas!"
I spy with my little eye something ............ green.
Dragoncat's toe cheese?
Dragoncat's toe cheese?
Hey, I got the damn cream for it, thank you very much.
.......It turned orange.
Tiamat's other other other other half?
Hey, I got the damn cream for it, thank you very much.
.......It turned orange.
Tiamat's other other other other half?
You should contact the customer service number for that cream. I bet they'll be very helpful:
Dragoncat's toe cheese?
No.
Hey, I got the damn cream for it, thank you very much.
.......It turned orange.
Tiamat's other other other other half?
NO.
I was stating up the Dread Pirate Fang, a kobold conquistador of all things nautical. Master of wielding The Bad Juju, he would curse anyone who caught his ire, which resulted in terrible misfortune following the poor victim until they ultimately succumbed to a horrible doom.
Mechanically, a wild sorcerer, with the utility from the Invoker that allowed one to project one's voice for 500 feet, used only to yell out "BAD JUJU!!!!" All of his powers were flavored as mishaps and misfortunes befalling the victim; push effects from falling/spilling/breaking objects, knocked prone tripping over things, set on fire by random sparks, and taking every possible power that deflected enemy attacks onto another target.
Collectively, an angry little kobold out to inspire fear and terror across the world, the runt of the litter given a sinister ability, and enjoying it to the fullest.
Beware the Bad Juju!
Nothing really to talk about. No judges have posted comments, and no one else really has anything to say.
I've got lots to say, but the mods keep telling me I'm not allowed to argue about RL religion/politics here.
We could try to flesh out the character known as url=http://forums.gleemax.com/showpost.php?p=18487475&postcount=85 some more...
We could make the player statistics for Modrons!
OK but it has to be shape like a d20 die. Ten arms and ten legs each one with a different number of fingers and toes.:D
I promise that I won't fall down,
I promise that I won't skin my knee.
Like you promised that you'd always be around
to take good care of me.
And I remember
You standing behind that white picket fence
with a white peaked face
trying hard to embrace my youth
before it's too late
before it escapes.
And clutching the fence she said,
"How have I hurt you?
What have I done?
Did I desert you,
or spite with my tongue?
Was I too eager,
or love you too much?
I love you too much."
And now that I'm all grown
I'm feeling so alone.
Why have you brought me here?
You say all these things I say
but it's not the same.
I'm feeling so alone today, alone and numb.
I'll ice my thoughts,
I'll ice my mind for now.
It's not your fault,
you did what you could do.
For this I will love you for always.
You hold my heart and my tiny hand.
Thank you for all these things.
:bounce:He'll do it, he's crazy!
something
Sarcastic reply to something.
Sarcastic reply to something.
RAWs related response to point out something wrong with the sarcastic reply to something.:D
RAWs related response to point out something wrong with the sarcastic reply to something.:D
Argue that RAI supports the sarcastic reply to something. :P
Anybody have comments on any of the entries?
I thought they were all great. With the small ammount of entries this time it will be tuff for the judges. I'm just looking for better then last time.
Were you 5th or lower last time? If so, things are looking good!
Were you 5th or lower last time? If so, things are looking good!
Next to last. I have that switching letters thing and it gets me in the rear every contest. Half the time I read my post 15+ times and not even see the mistakes till after the time limit is up. Drives me nuts.
Note: Do you have any of the scores yet? I just ask cause the one judge said he was almost done, have you heard from the others yet?
Next to last. I have that switching letters thing and it gets me in the rear every contest. Half the time I read my post 15+ times and not even see the mistakes till after the time limit is up. Drives me nuts.
Note: Do you have any of the scores yet? I just ask cause the one judge said he was almost done, have you heard from the others yet?
Dyslexia. I feel your pain, I do dyscalculia (spelling?) so I switch numbers around (don't worry, I have someone else read the scores to me before submitting). But it was a nightmare in the 3e contests.
Edit: I'll have free time tomorrow. My scores will be in, or I'll have suffered a horribly agonizing accident and be in the ER, puffing out random numbers for the doctor to submit on my behalf.
Don't worry, I'll be impartial. :angelhide
Take Care,
Nani?
Want to appolgise for my my delay, as I just wrote Zherog, I was in the Hospital. I will have my results to Zherog tomorrow
Ack!
No worries about the time, are you doing alright?
Want to appolgise for my my delay, as I just wrote Zherog, I was in the Hospital. I will have my results to Zherog tomorrow.
Take Care,
Nani?
Even without details that sounds like a pretty good excuse. Hope you're OK. Take more time if you need it.
Even without details that sounds like a pretty good excuse. Hope you're OK. Take more time if you need it.
I suggest you go find Zherog's excuse for lateness in Hero Craftsman #18. (I think it was 18)
Short summary: Cats. In walls.
And, frankly, as annoying as kittens in the walls was, I think a hospital trip trumps it.
Well, "cats in the walls" wasn't for HC18. It was for delaying the start of this very contest. ;) You can read about it here.
And, frankly, as annoying as kittens in the walls was, I think a hospital trip trumps it.
In severity, yes, I agree. But in just plain crazy? You win, my friend, hands down.
In severity, yes, I agree. But in just plain crazy? You win, my friend, hands down.
I dunno, we don't actually know the reason for the hospital trip...
I dunno, we don't actually know the reason for the hospital trip...
Car being sideswiped by other car with me in passanger seat.
All the Best,
Nani?
Car being sideswiped by other car with me in passanger seat.
All the Best,
Nani?
Gah! Hope you and everyone else in the car are OK. Veok is right, though, Zherog's excuse wins the zaniness contest.
*sings*
Way back when I was just a little bitty boy living in a box under the stairs in the corner of the basement of the house half a block down the street from Jerry's Bait shop
You know the place
well anyway, back then life was going swell and everything was just peachy
Except, of course, for the undeniable fact that every single morning
My mother would make me a big bowl of sauerkraut for breakfast
Awww - Big bowl of sauerkraut
Every single morning
It was driving me crazy
I said to my mom
I said "Hey, mom, what's with all the sauerkraut?"
And my dear, sweet mother
She just looked at my like a cow looks at an oncoming train
And she leaned right down next to me
And she said "IT'S GOOD FOR YOU"
And then she tied me to the wall and stuck a funnel in my mouth
And force fed me nothing but sauerkraut until I was twenty six and a half years old
That's when I swore that someday
Someday I would get outta that basement and travel to a magical, far away place
Where the sun is always shining and the air smells like warm root beer
And the towels are oh so fluffy
Where the shriners and the lepers play their ukuleles all day long
And anyone on the street will glady shave your back for a nickel
Wacka wacka doodoo yeah
Well, let me tell you, people, it wasn't long at all before my dream came true
Because the very next day, a local radio station had this contest
To see who could correctly guess the number of molecules in Leonard Nimoy's butt
I was off by three, but I still won the grand prize
That's right, a first class one-way ticket to
Albuquerque
Albuquerque
Oh yeah
You know, I'd never been on a real airplane before
And I gotta tell ya, it was really great
Except that I had to sit between two large Albanian women with excruciatingly severe body odor
And the little kid in back of me kept throwin' up the whole time
The flight attendants ran out of Dr. Pepper and salted peanuts
And the in-flight movie was Bio-Dome with Pauly Shore
And, oh yeah, three of the airplane engines burned out
And we went into a tailspin and crashed into a hillside
And the plane exploded in a giant fireball and everybody died
Except for me
You know why?
'Cause I had my tray table up
And my seat back in the full upright position
Had my tray table up
And my seat back in the full upright position
Had my tray table up
And my seat back in the full upright position
Ah ha ha ha
Ah ha ha
Ah
So I crawled from the twisted, burnin' wreckage
I crawled on my hands and knees for three full days
Draggin' along my big leather suitcase and my garment bag
And my tenor saxophone and my twelve-pound bowling ball
And my lucky, lucky autographed glow-in-the-dark snorkel
But finally I arrived at the world famous Albuquerque Holiday Inn
Where the towels are oh so fluffy
And you can eat your soup right out of the ashtrays if you wanna
It's OK, they're clean
Well, I checked into my room and I turned down the A/C
And I turned on the SpectraVision
And I'm just about to eat that little chocolate mint on my pillow
That I love so very, very much when suddenly, there's a knock on the door
Well now, who could that be?
I say "Who is it?"
No answer
"Who is it?"
There's no answer
"WHO IS IT?"
They're not sayin' anything
So, finally I go over and I open the door and just as I suspected
It's some big fat hermaphrodite with a Flock-Of-Seagulls haircut and only one nostril
Oh man, I hate it when I'm right
So anyway, he bursts into my room and he grabs my lucky snorkel
And I'm like "Hey, you can't have that"
"That snorkel's been just like a snorkel to me"
And he's like "Tough"
And I'm like "Give it"
And he's like "Make me"
And I'm like "'Kay"
So I grabbed his leg and he grabbed my esophagus
And I bit off his ear and he chewed off my eyebrows
And I took out his appendix and he gave me a colonic irrigation
Yes indeed, you better believe it
And somehow in the middle of it all, the phone got knocked off the hook
And twenty seconds later, I heard a familiar voice
And you know what it said?
I'll tell you what it said
It said
"If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again"
"If you need help, hang up and then dial your operator"
"If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again"
"If you need help, hang up and then dial your operator"
In Albuquerque
Albuquerque
Well, to cut a long story short, he got away with my snorkel
But I made a a solemn vow right then and there that I would not rest
I would not sleep for an instant until the one-nostrilled man was brought to justice
But first, I decided to buy some donuts
So I got in my car and I drove over to the donut shop
And I walked on up to the guy behind the counter
And he says "Yeah, what do ya want?"
I said "You got any glazed donuts?"
He said "No, we're outta glazed donuts"
I said "Well, you got any jelly donuts?"
He said "No, we're outta jelly donuts"
I said "You got any Bavarian cream-filled donuts?"
He said "No, we're outta Bavarian cream-filled donuts"
I said "You got any cinnamon rolls?"
He said "No, we're outta cinnamon rolls"
I said "You got any apple fritters?"
He said "No, we're outta apple fritters"
I said "You got any bear claws?"
He said "Wait a minute, I'll go check"
"No, we're outta bear claws"
I said "Well, in that case - in that case, what do you have?"
He says "All I got right now is this box of one dozen starving, crazed weasels"
I said "OK, I'll take that"
So he hands me the box and I open up the lid and the weasels jump out
And they immediately latch onto my face and start bitin' me all over
(rabid gnawing sounds)
Oh man, they were just going nuts
They were tearin' me apart
You know, I think it was just about that time that a little ditty started goin' through my head"
I believe it went a little something like this . . .
Doh
Get 'em off me
Get 'em off me
Oh
No, get 'em off, get 'em off
Oh, oh God, oh God
Oh, get 'em off me
Oh, oh God
Ah, (more screaming)
I ran out into the street with these flesh-eating weasels all over my face
Wavin' my arms all around and just runnin', runnin', runnin'
Like a constipated weiner dog
And as luck would have it, that's exactly when I ran into the girl of my dreams
Her name was Zelda
She was a calligraphy enthusiast with a slight overbite and hair the color of strained peaches
I'll never forget the first thing she said to me.
She said "Hey, you've got weasels on your face"
That's when I knew it was true love
We were inseparable after that
Aw, we ate together, we bathed together
We even shared the same piece of mint-flavored dental floss
The world was our burrito
So we got married and we bought us a house
And had two beautiful children - Nathaniel and Superfly
Oh, we were so very very very happy, aw yeah
But then one fateful night, Zelda said to me
She said "Sweetie pumpkin? Do you wanna join the Columbia Record Club?"
I said "Woah, hold on now, baby"
"I'm just not ready for that kinda commitment"
So we broke up and I never saw her again
But that's just the way things go
In Albuquerque
Albuquerque
Anyway, things really started lookin' up for me
Because about a week later, I finally achieved my lifelong dream
That's right, I got me a part-time job at The Sizzler
I even made employee of the month after I put that grease fire out with my face
Aw yeah, everybody was pretty jealous of me after that
I was gettin' a lot of attitude
OK, like one time, I was out in the parking lot
Tryin' to remove my excess earwax with a golf pencil
When I see this guy Marty tryin' to carry a big ol' sofa up the stairs all by himself
So I, I say to him, I say "Hey, you want me to help you with that?"
And Marty, he just rolls his eyes and goes
"No, I want you to cut off my arms and legs with a chainsaw"
So I did
And then he gets all indignant on me
He's like "Hey man, I was just being sarcastic"
Well, that's just great
How was I supposed to know that?
I'm not a mind reader for cryin' out loud
Besides, now he's got a really cute nickname - Torso-Boy
So what's he complaining about?
Say, that reminds me of another amusing anecdote
This guy comes up to me on the street and says he hasn't had a bite in three days
Well, I knew what he meant
But just to be funny, I took a big bite out of his jugular vein
And he's yellin' and screamin' and bleeding all over
And I'm like "Hey, come on, don't you get it?"
But he just keeps rolling around on the sidewalk, bleeding, and screaming
(screaming sounds)
You know, just completely missing the irony of the whole situation
Man, some people just can't take a joke, you know?
Anyway, um, um, where was I?
Kinda lost my train of thought
Uh, well, uh, OK
Anyway I, I know it's kinda been a roundabout way of saying it
But I guess the whole point I'm tryin' to make here is
I hate sauerkraut
That's all I'm really tryin' to say
And, by the way, if one day you happen to wake up
And find yourself in an existential quandary
Full of loathing and self-doubt
And wracked with the pain and isolation of your pitiful meaningless existence
At least you can take a small bit of comfort in knowing that
Somewhere out there in this crazy mixed-up universe of ours
There's still a little place called
Albuquerque
Albuquerque
Albuquerque, Albuquerque
Albuquerque, Albuquerque
Albuquerque, Albuquerque
Albuquerque, Albuquerque
I said "A" (A)
"L" (L)
"B" (B)
"U" (U)
"querque" (querque)
Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque
Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque
Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque
Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque, Albuquerque
From page 1: Our judges for this contest will be Johnathan_Vagabond, Nani?, and SaintKeeleon. Zherog will be serving as coordinator.
So SaintKeeleon. Zherog, have you heard anything from him/her since the contest started?
Just checked, he last visited the website April 14. I think he dropped.
Sounds like new judge time to me.
Or a two judge contest. Zherog, whos eligible? I'd also be willing to judge.
We'd likely go with two judges, assuming Johnathan can get his scores done.
As for who is eligible: the list is in the first post. In addition to those listed there, any Hero Craftsman judge is eligible up until the start of the 5th Hero Artisan contest.
Johnathan: I'm sorry to hear about your pet. I know from personal experience how difficult it can be. And the rest of the stuff you mentioned doesn't sound too pleasant either.
My recommendation for filling in time while we wait on Johnathan is for folks to comment on one another's entries. I don't recall too many comments yet, but that's really a great way for folks to improve their character building skills - which, really, was the whole point of this contest way back when Hero Craftsman started. You don't have to get as detailed as some judges. Just a quick note about what you liked or didn't like; some build options that could've improved the character, and so on.
Let's get some character chatter going on!
*sings*
In this culture I am just the meat for vultures to pick until
My beauty shows for your glossy covers and in the glassy circles smother
Have I nothing more to give?
And I would rather starve than lose this body
I would rather starve than lose your acceptance
I need your love, I just need someone's approval
To put me back again
Is this skin all you want?
Are aesthetics all you need?
Is this where I stand?
My eyes will always show my empty soul
As you divert your eyes to my body
(It's nothing to you, but it matters to me)
I'm nothing to you but this shell that you see
Rotting flesh for your eyes
Wilting beauty for every g0dd@mn girl to compare to
Dear God why can't I be
Why I can't I be more like him, more like her
More or less like you
encore!
Failed coercion leads to intrusion and the blood forever runs
In her head into her hands between her legs where his mind lies
Power drives him to slaughter innocence
On the rack of his devices, vices, and designs
She will never scrub the stains from her arms, from her neck
From her legs, the dirt will remain as a reminder of his hateful face
Break in! Rip apart the inner fibers of her soul
And boy you'll never know how it feels: the fear, the shame
Feel free to walk down any dark street without fear
Without shame no one is gonna touch you
And you don't need protection; she shouldn't need protection!
And you can sit there with that stupid smile on your face
And try to convince me that you care, defined by your power
Defined by her body, the innocence she feels everybody else contains
It's gone it's lost, but I guess it doesn't matter anyway
Break in! Rip apart the inner fibers of her soul
And you can sit there with that stupid smile on your face
And try to convince me that you care, defined by your power
Defined redefined
, tortured, and discardedAnd if he ever cares, maybe he will feel ashamed
For everything he's stolen, for all the trust she gave
Possessed and broken she cries, but it's not our problem
Pull down your
blinds!She will never think he's wrong
She will never feel quite right
He will never think he's wrong
She will never feel quite right
You will never think he's wrong
You will never think you're wrong
She will never feel quite right
Not to be off topic but what is "masking"?
Things like using a $ instead of an S in the word that describes feces. It is still recognizably the word, but it senaks through the auto-censor.
There's hope for having it done on Monday. Of course, given the judge's curse, that could just mean that something rotten and horrible is about to happen...
Jinx.
Rikthalik the Clubber
Show
Thematic Creativity (10): Good use of “ice goliaths” rather then goliaths. Orca was a good use for a link. Great reflavoring of panther to Orca, yet on the other hand he was a little simple minded, but then, hey this is perfect for a hack and slash game. I’ve seen a lot of “Rikthaliks” in my time. However you adapted him to fit the theme fairly well.
Rules Use (10): You went overboard on the homebrew. Where you went with the reflavoring you were wonderful and spot on. When you went a little too far in the homebrewing department IMHO. That hurt.
Background Content10: I suspect you’ve seen “Whale Rider”. But a very good description of shamanistic elements. Like your naming. I love his sense of diplomacy (say something bad, I club you). They suggested he travel back to the lands of warmer waters in order to decimate a different seal population, or perhaps, try his hand at clubbing otters, those delicious otters, those cute, cuddly, juicy morsels. Love that line, but it suggested the rational for a low level character rather then a high level character. Basically the background is appropriate for a heroic level character rather then 18th. level.
Clarity (5): Ice goliaths are reserved, solitary, and to some degree oppressive in nature. Oppressive seem like the wrong word here. Reserved? Had a few difficulties with the order. Other then a few little things like that, easy to read.
Thematic Creativity (10): Good use of “ice goliaths” rather then goliaths. Orca was a good use for a link. Great reflavoring of panther to Orca, yet on the other hand he was a little simple minded, but then, hey this is perfect for a hack and slash game. I’ve seen a lot of “Rikthaliks” in my time. However you adapted him to fit the theme fairly well.
Rules Use (10): You went overboard on the homebrew. Where you went with the reflavoring you were wonderful and spot on. When you went a little too far in the homebrewing department IMHO. That hurt.
Background Content10: I suspect you’ve seen “Whale Rider”. But a very good description of shamanistic elements. Like your naming. I love his sense of diplomacy (say something bad, I club you). They suggested he travel back to the lands of warmer waters in order to decimate a different seal population, or perhaps, try his hand at clubbing otters, those delicious otters, those cute, cuddly, juicy morsels. Love that line, but it suggested the rational for a low level character rather then a high level character. Basically the background is appropriate for a heroic level character rather then 18th. level.
Clarity (5): Ice goliaths are reserved, solitary, and to some degree oppressive in nature. Oppressive seem like the wrong word here. Reserved? Had a few difficulties with the order. Other then a few little things like that, easy to read.
Hope this helps with the wait.
Ifalla of Deathknell, Storm Witch of the RavenShow
Thematic Creativity (10): Nice idea, slave seeking revenge and adjusting to a new world. The focus on revenge against the pirate works well but not as tight as might have liked.
Rules Use (10): Good use of multiclassing. I did hit you a little for a non standard race. On the other hand I think we were too restrictive looking back.
Background Content (10): You kicked butt here. This is well written, well presented. I can see Ifalla. You have a wonderful reason for the multiclassing fitting into your background. And good reasons for her being who she is.
Clarity (5): Well designed, well thought out.
Well... the Monster Manual is listed as one of the books allowed, and the Shadar-Kai are in there. >.>
I knew it might be slighty contentious, but I did try to avoid all the Dragon magazine specific shadar-kai feats/paragon paths.
To wit:
I'm glad you liked her. It was a surprisingly hard theme.
Your right, it was a hard theme and I think, this being the third contest we made some mistakes. As for the race thing, I made that mistake. But I did look over my rankings after you pointed this out to me and overall, it didn't change any of my rankings. This was also my first "Hero Artisan/Craftsman" contest and bluntly, I know what to do better now.
All the Best,
Nani?
I just got back from the emergency room with my daughter. She's fine, thankfully. But scores didn't get tabulated and the final post didn't get composed. Consider it an open "to-do" item, and I'll not be giving a timeframe as to when I expect to finish -- hopefully for obvious reasons. :D
For all time.
wow, that sucks. i hope she's alright. best wishes
Thanks to everybody for the well wishes. She's fine today. My daughter has a condition - I forget the name of it - that basically causes her stomach to convulse when she gets sick, so that nothing stays down. That includes water and medicine. For the last two years or so, she's been able to break out of it on her own after a day or so of being sick. But this time around, she needed some help. Usually* they give her an IV with some medicine and fluids. But this time they just gave her medicine that she had to put under her tongue, then let her sleep, then made her drink 8 ounces of apple juice to prove she could keep something down. She's bouncing around like normal today.
* yes, usually. This is our 5th or 6th trip to the ER with her for this in her life. (she's 8 1/2)
Man, hopefully it's just kittens in the walls again next time the jinx strikes, Zherog. That's probably a lot easier on the blood pressure, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was cheaper as well. Glad your daughter is OK.
Actually, the ER is significantly cheaper. With my insurance, the co-pay is only $50. Getting the kittens and mother cat out of the walls and repairing the hole Mommy Cat came through cost us around $500. And that doesn't include the cost to repair the holes the exterminator had to cut in the walls to get the cats out. That little repair job snowballed into painting the entire room, replacing the carpeting with hardwood floors, replacing the sliding door out to the patio, replacing the window, and all the little things that go into that sort of remodeling. Oh - and new furniture, too.
So that's life's little adventures for me lately. I'll be getting back to compiling scores shortly; I have to get some work done first. My boss is sort of fussy that way.
It seems this apology is appearing more often than not, and I know it's something we judges need to do a better job of in future contests.And with that bit of business out of the way, let's move on to the scores for HA3!
Coming in third place and winning a BRONZE medal, with a final average score of 25.00:
Bronze Medal Winner
Ifalla of Deathknell, storm witch of the Raven Queen, by Veok
Ifalla of Deathknell, storm witch of the Raven Queen, by Veok
Man sounds like Chrones Disease or Colitis. I've got that. It was a major bummer for a while, but i got on some good meds and now i'm perky as a peacock. Glad to hear she's doing ok. That has got to be worrisome. I'm having my first baby in about 5 months or so, must be tough being a parent. I've got all kinds of stuff going through my mind right now.... i feel ya
The last time we were there, the doctors had a name for it, and it wasn't either of those. They said that it's something common enough in young children, especially ones that super-skinny - which my daughter is. The docs said she'll outgrow it eventually. This was our first ER trip in about 2 years, so we're hoping she's started to outgrow it.
Congrats to you on your pending offspring. It's a crazy amount of work and effort, but it's also far more rewarding than I ever imagined.
I'm just amused that the winning entry was that of a warforged found derelict by the crew of a ship -- the exact situation Ifalla's closest ally occupied.
Perhaps I should have focused on Ironsides instead, hey? Ha!
shinobicow, I don't think I've ever seen an entry more deserving of the Best Thematic Creativity award.
My handycap got me again! Maybe I'll have one of my players read over the next one first. Great job all.
Zherog sorry to hear about that.
Any ideas on the next contest?
So... lets get #4 a rolling...
Dragoncat, it was darn close, and I have to admit that once all the entries were submitted I strongly suspected you would win.
Don't sell yourself short, your entry was wonderful. I will have to settle for burning with jealousy over that .25 points. :D
*assumes defeated villain pose* Next time, Tylara! Next time!
:P
In all serious, though, a good time all around. Glad to have everything finally done, was quite worried that the horrors of the jinx would continue.
Congrats to the other winners, and thanks to everyone for a nifty read.
Hopefully we can get the next one rolling out soon, and perhaps avoid the bad juju of the past.