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Story Hour
Against the Shadows VII - A Faded Glory Story Hour (Re-Updated - 5/17)
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<blockquote data-quote="Old One" data-source="post: 205616" data-attributes="member: 83"><p><strong>Dramatis Personae (Updated 12/30/03)</strong></p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><span style="font-size: 15px"><strong>Dramatis Personae</strong></span> </span> </p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><u><em><strong>The Current Players - In Order of Appearence</strong></em></u></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Rowan</strong> <em>(Human Ranger 4/Rogue 3)</em> </span> - Born on a small farm outside of Glyden. He spent most of his youth shirking his responsibilities on the farm - fishing, hunting and playing in the woods instead. He took a nasty fall from a tall tree at the age of six, leaving him with a large scar on his forehead. He was tortured and almost slain by gnolls at the age of 10 and was rescued by a grizzled woodsman known to him only as "The Old Man". </p><p></p><p>Over the next 10 winters or so, the Old Man showed up from time to time, always unannounced, and taught Rowan the ways of the Ranger. Recently, he gifted Rowan with a battered short sword - the same one that had been used to save him from the gnolls many years before. The sword bears the faint outline of an eagle etched near the base of the blade, along with some undecipherable script. </p><p></p><p>No one else in town has ever actually seen the Old Man and some less kind souls whisper that he is a figment of Rowan's imagination, brought about by the blow to the head when he was a boy. Rowan scouts for the Glynden militia from time to time and spends the balance of his time doing as little as possible. </p><p></p><p>Rowan was deeply affected by the loss of Garrick and Marucs Tiro. He grieved silently for them until he was able to fashion a fetish, made of various components he gathered, for each of them and place them on their graves. After a rocky start, he and Quintus have become fast friends with a growing mutual respect. In fact, Quintus has steered Rowan towards one of his younger sisters, Maxima...an idea that Rowan has been most agreeable too! </p><p></p><p>Several recent events have complicated life for Rowan somewhat. During a disasterous battle with a mixed gnoll-human bandit group, several daughters of the Cassivius Family - prominent locals - were murdered. Only one daughter, Drusilla, managed to survive and she now travels with the group. The beautiful young woman has caught the attentions of Rowan, Quintus and Sextus. Quintus is quite cross with his friend, since the sorcerer sees Rowan's interest in the Cassuvius girl as an insult to his sister (and a threat to Quintus' own designs). </p><p></p><p>The second event was a chance meeting with the strange trader Lathan and his even stranger mule, Bogwell. The trader examined his battered short sword and said their was nothing remarkable about it save for a stylized "L" on the blade. The morning after the trader departed, the blade began to tingle and the faint outline of the double-headed eagle of Emor and the "L" became much more visible! Exactly what this means remains to be seen. </p><p></p><p>Due to the increasing danger of their travels and frequent ambushes, Rowan is now concentrating on his scouting abilities. The recent events in Oar have left a bitter taste in his mouth. He wants nothing more to be rid of the "cesspool that is Oar" and bigotry of the Berylian Edicts. </p><p></p><p><em>(DM's Note: Rowan chose to cross-class into "Rogue" the last time he levelled.) </em> </p><p></p><p>Rowan is protected by studded leather armor, wields his trusty short sword in hand-to-hand combat and uses a short bow for ranged attacks. </p><p></p><p><em>(DM's Note: Rowan's player chose to take the alternative pseude-feats I allow for rangers, which are point-blank shot and far shot, instead of ambidexterity and two-weapon fighting) </em></p><p> </p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Rosë</strong> <em>(Human Barbarian 7)</em> </span> - Rosë was born into the Brigantes, a fierce and proud tribe from the barbarian wilds. A soothsayer assured his mother that he would be born a girl, so his mother named him Rosë to spite the soothsayer for being wrong. Not only was he born a male, but he had a birthmark across his shoulders that resembled a great bird with outstretched wings - the totem animal of the Brigantes is a great eagle. </p><p></p><p>He endured many taunts as a youth, for he did not know his father and his mother was rumored to have a wandering eye. The taunts became fewer as Rosë entered puberty and grew into a strapping youth, easily beating tribesmen two or three winters his elder in tests of strength. </p><p></p><p>At the Gathering of Tribes, a very rare event, he had the misfortune to fall in love with Asralla, virgin daughter of Talorc, Warlord of the Allmani and sworn blood enemy of the Brigantes. Talorc was furious when he discovered that his daughter was no longer a virgin and that a Brigante had taken her flower. During the inquisition that followed, Rosë was stunned to learn that Vercinox, leader of the Brigantes, was his grandfather and that he was the bastard son of a "Steel Man", as the tribes referred to Emorians. </p><p></p><p>Sentenced to death, he escaped with the help of his mother and fled the lands of the Tribes - an outcast. He eventually made his way to Glynden as a caravan guard for a halfling trade caravan, but took sick soon after arriving. Cared for in the Abbey of Osirian, he met "Lew" and Garrick brought him food from the tavern. Through these, he met both Rowan and Marcus Tiro. </p><p></p><p>Rosë was stoic in his acceptance of the death's of Marcus Tiro and Garrick, but anxious to return to the field to avenge their deaths. He recently had a major run-in with Kothric, the betrothed of Asralla. </p><p></p><p>During the course of events, Asralla sacrificed herself to save Rosë and his companions, Rosë discovered he had an infant son and he learned that his father, Gordius, was actually the self-styled "Emperor of the North" for a few short winters. Rosë feels that his life is becoming entirely too complicated! </p><p></p><p>He placed his infant son, named Gordius Vercinox, after his father and grandfather, in the care of the Scipio family and regularly provides coin for the child's care. To date, he has not formed a strong bond with his son, but it is early yet. </p><p></p><p>Rosë is somewhat uneven in combat. During some encounters, he fights like a ferocious beast and none can stand in his way. During others, he can't hit a thing! In one recent combat, he was bested by a pair of puny human rogues and has been itching for revenge ever since. During the encounter with the trader Lathan, he bought a battered woodsman's axe which transformed the next day into a gleaming hand axe. He has yet to determine what its exact properties are.</p><p></p><p><em>(DM's Note: Rosë is cursed with some of the worst combat dice I have ever seen. More confirmed fumbles than the rest of the party combined!)</em></p><p></p><p>Rosë was slain by the <em>Pit-Fighter</em>, the PCs nemesis in the Shadowblade lairs. Miraculously returned to life by the Guardian of the Obsidian Path and Deathsgate, a cryptic prophecy now pulls at the young Brigante.</p><p></p><p>Rosë wears leather armor and fights with a variety of weapons, depending on the situation. His primary melee weapon is the great axe taken from Kothric and he uses a long bow for ranged combat. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>The Brothers Scipio - Quintus and Sextus </strong> </span> - The Scipio family has a long history of service in both the Emorian Military and the Imperial Service Bureau. Following the sack of Lords, the boys' father Lucius (the only surviving member of the family) relocated to Glynden and took a position with the Brathwaite Mining Company as a mining foreman. He married Julia Atticus, a distant cousin of the Cassuvius family. A virile man, he fathered two sons and seven daughters by the time he was 40. </p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, a mine cave-in left him permanently crippled four years ago. Based on his long years of service and excellent work, Boss Braithwaite allowed the family to continue living in their company housing rent free and even provided a small stipend. Lucius constant battle with pain has left him addicted to Krithroot, an herbal painkiller, and he is now bed-ridden and slightly unhinged mentally. </p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Quintus Scipio </strong> <em>(Human Sorcerer 6)</em> </span> - The eldest of nine, Quintus carries a heavy weight on his shoulders. He has worked in the mines since his father was injured on a crew under the ultimate supervision of Ned Gallway, with whom he does not get along at all. He feels he must act as the "Father Figure" for the family now, carrying for his younger siblings and findind suitable husbands for his seven sisters. </p><p></p><p>A stern and sober young man, he avoids drink and other excesses, since both his grandfather and great-grandfather died early after falling under the spell of the bottle. He has also watched with dismay as his father has declined physically and mentally. Despite his taciturn exterior, Quintus is handsome, has a strong personality and is looked to as a leader by those that know him best. </p><p></p><p>He discovered his sorcerous abilities two years ago when attacked by dire rats deep in the mines. The power came to him unbidden and he put the two rats to sleep. One of his fellow miners, Abigail Edelman, saw what happened, killed the rats, then revealed to him that she too had the "Gift". She tutored him in its use and the two grew close. Recently, however, she has shown an unhealthy interest in Necromancy and Quintus is concerned about this "dark" streak in her. </p><p></p><p>In the past several moons, Quintus' world has turned topsy-turvey. His two young cousins, Meikos and Wynda, have gone missing. He had a serious altercation with Ned Gallway, the Brathwaite Mining Company foreman. He caught his beautiful, but foolish sister Sebrina kissing Orsen Jucadius and put them both to sleep after a sharp argument. And his childhood friend, Tomas "Bull" Nacalius, refused to help him find his cousins - taking Orsen Jucadius' side and actually knocking his erstwhile friend down with his war-pony. </p><p></p><p>In desperation, Quintus turned to the only people who might know where his cousins are - Lew, Rowan and Rosë. </p><p></p><p>After a poor start, Quintus has emerged as somewhat a leader for the group. The successful retrieval of his cousins, the return of the barbarian Kothric to his people and the semi-successful clearing of several abandoned mines have elevated the sorcerer's standing in the group. </p><p></p><p>He is quite pleased that Rowan has taken a liking to Maxima, that her twin Luella is turning into a formidable trader and that he has affected the relocation of his entire family to a small caretaker's cabin near the Abbey of Osirian. </p><p></p><p>Quintus, however, is beset by problems on every side. Ned Gallway is out to get him, his one-time lover, Abigail Edelman has disappeared, his eldest sister Sabrina has taken up residence at the Castellan Jucadius as Orsen Jucadius' lover and he has just accussed Josephus of Bremerton, a close friend of Constable Kyndalyn, of poisening his father! </p><p></p><p>Following the "trial" in which Josephus was exonerated (at least in the eyes of the law), Quintus couldn't get out of town fast enough! </p><p></p><p>In the intervening weeks, following the disasterous battle at the ruined villa and the retrieval of Drusilla Cassuvius, Quintus has become more and more paranoid. He is drawn to the beautiful Drusilla, but finds himself competing with Rowan and Sextus for her attention. He is also quite alarmed by the potential involvement of the Cult of Ashai within the Cassuvius Family through the actions of Domita Sestius, Drusilla's stepmother. </p><p></p><p>The events in Oar brought out the best and the worst in Quintus. His silver tongue helped the party out in many situations and he finally called a familiar to his service. Severus, a majestic sea eagle (osprey) now rides on his shoulder. His power has also grown, but so have his problems. Portents and unsolved mysteries crowd in on every front and some allies almost seem to be enemies!</p><p></p><p>Quintus makes good use of his magic, both offensively and defensively. He uses a crossbow for ranged combat and a spear on the few occassions that he is called upon for hand-to-hand combat.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Sextus Scipio</strong> <em>(Human Bard 5/Ranger 1)</em> </span> - A year younger and two hand's breadths shorter than his brother, Sextus is as care-free as Quintus is serious. He has yet to find any real direction in life - he studied briefly under Father Thomas, spent a season or two with the militia and even managed to persuade "Uncle" Claudius to teach him a bit about magic, showing an inner apptitude like his brother, only not as focused. </p><p></p><p>For one of such small stature, Sextus has a suprisingly booming voice. He can easily make himself heard over a crowd and has used that ability to become somewhat of a fixture at Nan's Tavern. He is skilled with the hand harp, knows lots of stories and is a fairly talented entertainer when he puts his mind to it. He managed to avoid service in the mines, but picks up a few denarii entertaining or doing odd jobs. Although he is cabable of earning coin, he spends it even faster, so he regularly comes to Quintus seeking "loans"! </p><p></p><p>His father's illness has impacted him very hard and he often plays soothing music and sings softly to him, which seems to calm the elder Scipio and ease his pain. He is devoted to his older brother and usually follows his lead on issues regarding the family. He is aghast at Sebrina's involvement with the Jucadius boy and just as determined as Quintus to see that put to an end! </p><p></p><p>His knowledge of local legend and history have proved to be quite valuable and his charming personality has helped the group several times. The barbarian Kothric took a liking to the diminutive bard and that affection probably helped save the group from almost certain death. The band can count on Sextus to raise their spirits when things look bleakest! </p><p></p><p>Sextus can be quite brave (Quintus calls it foolhardy). Numerous times, he has either charged the enemy unsupported or stood his ground when any sane man would run. He also sings stirring ballads during combat, inspiring his comrades to greater feats of arms. That inspiration has turned the tide during several battles! </p><p></p><p>Since the rescue of Drusilla, Sextus has been quietly trying to win her affections. Rowan and Quintus are fairly straight-forward, but Sextus use small magic tricks, sleight-of-hand and other tricks to make the young lady laugh. The ultimate results of his efforts remain to be seen! </p><p></p><p>Impressed by the combat abilities and general "woodslore" of his friend Rowan, Sextus has been trying to emulate the ranger's movements and has been pestering the ever-patient Rowan about the finer points of tracking! </p><p></p><p><em>(DM's Note: Sextus chose to cross-class into "Ranger", but chose the more traditional two-weapon fighting to wield a pair of gladii)</em> </p><p></p><p>Sextus's spirit has been somewhat sapped by their time in Oar. His death and return at the hands of the Dwarven priest Volakir (inhabiting Lew's body), the oppressiveness of the Oar's sewers, the constant battles with the Shadowblades and the burning of Maythrax's library by Rosë have the Bard longing for the open road and a return to Glynden.</p><p></p><p>Sextus is protected by studded leather armor and uses a pair short swords in melee combat. He relies on a crossbow for ranged attacks.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Cragen</strong> <em>(Dwarven Cleric 4/Fighter 1)</em> </span> - Cragen is a walking legend...the first full-blooded dwarf seen in the lands of the Empire in over 150 years. He awoke from his long slumber as a statue in an ancient dwarven shrine to find his brethern shattered into rubble and his shrine overrun. The spirit of the Dwarven priest Volakir ordered him to accompany the upworlders and assured him that Moradin would show him the way.</p><p></p><p>Cragen is slowly working his way into the band and has proved to be a ferocious fighter. He is still unsure about his way in this strange land bereft of his kin, but is determined to uncover the secret of the dwarves disappearence. A great foe of evil, he tends to swing his consecrated hammer first and ask questions later. Stout dwarven lorica squamata and a large shield protect this doughty dwarf.</p><p></p><p>He wants to be quit of Oar for no other reason than he is tired of being a curiousity. In addition, he is deeply suspicious of Abbott Patroclian's motives and figures the more leagues between he and the Berylian adherent, the better.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><u><em><strong>The Graveyard</strong> </em> </u> </span> </p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Garrick</strong> <em>(Halfling Rogue 1) </em> </span> - Slain and partially eaten by dire rats in the abandoned Western Mines (Session 2). </p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Marcus Tiro</strong> <em>(Human Fighter 1)</em></span> - Killed by falling into a 15-pace deep pit - twice (Session 2).</p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><u><em><strong>The Missing</strong></em></u></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: RoyalBlue"><strong>Gandlewyn (Lew) Fritinius</strong> <em>(Human Cleric 5)</em> </span> - A Cleric of the Church of Light, Lew has advanced to an Acolyte of the Second Mystery of Osirian. Lew was born and raised in the frontier town of Glynden. His parents were killed in a bandit attack when he was 18 winters old and he left Glynden for three years to wander the Lost Northern Provinces and minister to the sick and suffering. He has recently returned to Glynden and has taken up with some childhood friends. </p><p></p><p>His younger brother, Marcus, is also a cleric of the Church of Light and has advanced to the rank of Acolyte of the Second Mystery. He secretly blames Lew for the death of their parents and relations between the brothers are cool, at best. Marcus recently departed Glynden to travel to Oar in the company of Brother Patroclian, a cleric of Osirian from the Jewel Cities. </p><p></p><p>Lew has been troubled by strange dreams of late, primarily related to his recently deceased friends, Garrick and Marcus Tiro. He is a kind-hearted and truthful soul and is sometimes distressed at the barbaric and/or underhanded actions of his compatriots - particularly Quintus and Rosë.</p><p></p><p>Lew recently decided to add some physical armor to the protection provided by the had of Osirian and now wears studded leather armor. He is primarily a defensive fighter and uses a quarterstaff for close fighting and a crossbow at range. </p><p></p><p>During the events in beneath the city of Oar, Lew was possessed by the strange dwarven spirit Volakir and <em>windwalked</em> away from the party. His current whereabouts and condition are unkown.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Old One, post: 205616, member: 83"] [b]Dramatis Personae (Updated 12/30/03)[/b] [COLOR=RoyalBlue][SIZE=4][B]Dramatis Personae[/B][/SIZE] [/COLOR] [COLOR=RoyalBlue][U][I][B]The Current Players - In Order of Appearence[/B][/I][/U][/COLOR] [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Rowan[/B] [I](Human Ranger 4/Rogue 3)[/I] [/COLOR] - Born on a small farm outside of Glyden. He spent most of his youth shirking his responsibilities on the farm - fishing, hunting and playing in the woods instead. He took a nasty fall from a tall tree at the age of six, leaving him with a large scar on his forehead. He was tortured and almost slain by gnolls at the age of 10 and was rescued by a grizzled woodsman known to him only as "The Old Man". Over the next 10 winters or so, the Old Man showed up from time to time, always unannounced, and taught Rowan the ways of the Ranger. Recently, he gifted Rowan with a battered short sword - the same one that had been used to save him from the gnolls many years before. The sword bears the faint outline of an eagle etched near the base of the blade, along with some undecipherable script. No one else in town has ever actually seen the Old Man and some less kind souls whisper that he is a figment of Rowan's imagination, brought about by the blow to the head when he was a boy. Rowan scouts for the Glynden militia from time to time and spends the balance of his time doing as little as possible. Rowan was deeply affected by the loss of Garrick and Marucs Tiro. He grieved silently for them until he was able to fashion a fetish, made of various components he gathered, for each of them and place them on their graves. After a rocky start, he and Quintus have become fast friends with a growing mutual respect. In fact, Quintus has steered Rowan towards one of his younger sisters, Maxima...an idea that Rowan has been most agreeable too! Several recent events have complicated life for Rowan somewhat. During a disasterous battle with a mixed gnoll-human bandit group, several daughters of the Cassivius Family - prominent locals - were murdered. Only one daughter, Drusilla, managed to survive and she now travels with the group. The beautiful young woman has caught the attentions of Rowan, Quintus and Sextus. Quintus is quite cross with his friend, since the sorcerer sees Rowan's interest in the Cassuvius girl as an insult to his sister (and a threat to Quintus' own designs). The second event was a chance meeting with the strange trader Lathan and his even stranger mule, Bogwell. The trader examined his battered short sword and said their was nothing remarkable about it save for a stylized "L" on the blade. The morning after the trader departed, the blade began to tingle and the faint outline of the double-headed eagle of Emor and the "L" became much more visible! Exactly what this means remains to be seen. Due to the increasing danger of their travels and frequent ambushes, Rowan is now concentrating on his scouting abilities. The recent events in Oar have left a bitter taste in his mouth. He wants nothing more to be rid of the "cesspool that is Oar" and bigotry of the Berylian Edicts. [I](DM's Note: Rowan chose to cross-class into "Rogue" the last time he levelled.) [/I] Rowan is protected by studded leather armor, wields his trusty short sword in hand-to-hand combat and uses a short bow for ranged attacks. [I](DM's Note: Rowan's player chose to take the alternative pseude-feats I allow for rangers, which are point-blank shot and far shot, instead of ambidexterity and two-weapon fighting) [/I] [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Rosë[/B] [I](Human Barbarian 7)[/I] [/COLOR] - Rosë was born into the Brigantes, a fierce and proud tribe from the barbarian wilds. A soothsayer assured his mother that he would be born a girl, so his mother named him Rosë to spite the soothsayer for being wrong. Not only was he born a male, but he had a birthmark across his shoulders that resembled a great bird with outstretched wings - the totem animal of the Brigantes is a great eagle. He endured many taunts as a youth, for he did not know his father and his mother was rumored to have a wandering eye. The taunts became fewer as Rosë entered puberty and grew into a strapping youth, easily beating tribesmen two or three winters his elder in tests of strength. At the Gathering of Tribes, a very rare event, he had the misfortune to fall in love with Asralla, virgin daughter of Talorc, Warlord of the Allmani and sworn blood enemy of the Brigantes. Talorc was furious when he discovered that his daughter was no longer a virgin and that a Brigante had taken her flower. During the inquisition that followed, Rosë was stunned to learn that Vercinox, leader of the Brigantes, was his grandfather and that he was the bastard son of a "Steel Man", as the tribes referred to Emorians. Sentenced to death, he escaped with the help of his mother and fled the lands of the Tribes - an outcast. He eventually made his way to Glynden as a caravan guard for a halfling trade caravan, but took sick soon after arriving. Cared for in the Abbey of Osirian, he met "Lew" and Garrick brought him food from the tavern. Through these, he met both Rowan and Marcus Tiro. Rosë was stoic in his acceptance of the death's of Marcus Tiro and Garrick, but anxious to return to the field to avenge their deaths. He recently had a major run-in with Kothric, the betrothed of Asralla. During the course of events, Asralla sacrificed herself to save Rosë and his companions, Rosë discovered he had an infant son and he learned that his father, Gordius, was actually the self-styled "Emperor of the North" for a few short winters. Rosë feels that his life is becoming entirely too complicated! He placed his infant son, named Gordius Vercinox, after his father and grandfather, in the care of the Scipio family and regularly provides coin for the child's care. To date, he has not formed a strong bond with his son, but it is early yet. Rosë is somewhat uneven in combat. During some encounters, he fights like a ferocious beast and none can stand in his way. During others, he can't hit a thing! In one recent combat, he was bested by a pair of puny human rogues and has been itching for revenge ever since. During the encounter with the trader Lathan, he bought a battered woodsman's axe which transformed the next day into a gleaming hand axe. He has yet to determine what its exact properties are. [I](DM's Note: Rosë is cursed with some of the worst combat dice I have ever seen. More confirmed fumbles than the rest of the party combined!)[/I] Rosë was slain by the [I]Pit-Fighter[/I], the PCs nemesis in the Shadowblade lairs. Miraculously returned to life by the Guardian of the Obsidian Path and Deathsgate, a cryptic prophecy now pulls at the young Brigante. Rosë wears leather armor and fights with a variety of weapons, depending on the situation. His primary melee weapon is the great axe taken from Kothric and he uses a long bow for ranged combat. [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]The Brothers Scipio - Quintus and Sextus [/B] [/COLOR] - The Scipio family has a long history of service in both the Emorian Military and the Imperial Service Bureau. Following the sack of Lords, the boys' father Lucius (the only surviving member of the family) relocated to Glynden and took a position with the Brathwaite Mining Company as a mining foreman. He married Julia Atticus, a distant cousin of the Cassuvius family. A virile man, he fathered two sons and seven daughters by the time he was 40. Unfortunately, a mine cave-in left him permanently crippled four years ago. Based on his long years of service and excellent work, Boss Braithwaite allowed the family to continue living in their company housing rent free and even provided a small stipend. Lucius constant battle with pain has left him addicted to Krithroot, an herbal painkiller, and he is now bed-ridden and slightly unhinged mentally. [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Quintus Scipio [/B] [I](Human Sorcerer 6)[/I] [/COLOR] - The eldest of nine, Quintus carries a heavy weight on his shoulders. He has worked in the mines since his father was injured on a crew under the ultimate supervision of Ned Gallway, with whom he does not get along at all. He feels he must act as the "Father Figure" for the family now, carrying for his younger siblings and findind suitable husbands for his seven sisters. A stern and sober young man, he avoids drink and other excesses, since both his grandfather and great-grandfather died early after falling under the spell of the bottle. He has also watched with dismay as his father has declined physically and mentally. Despite his taciturn exterior, Quintus is handsome, has a strong personality and is looked to as a leader by those that know him best. He discovered his sorcerous abilities two years ago when attacked by dire rats deep in the mines. The power came to him unbidden and he put the two rats to sleep. One of his fellow miners, Abigail Edelman, saw what happened, killed the rats, then revealed to him that she too had the "Gift". She tutored him in its use and the two grew close. Recently, however, she has shown an unhealthy interest in Necromancy and Quintus is concerned about this "dark" streak in her. In the past several moons, Quintus' world has turned topsy-turvey. His two young cousins, Meikos and Wynda, have gone missing. He had a serious altercation with Ned Gallway, the Brathwaite Mining Company foreman. He caught his beautiful, but foolish sister Sebrina kissing Orsen Jucadius and put them both to sleep after a sharp argument. And his childhood friend, Tomas "Bull" Nacalius, refused to help him find his cousins - taking Orsen Jucadius' side and actually knocking his erstwhile friend down with his war-pony. In desperation, Quintus turned to the only people who might know where his cousins are - Lew, Rowan and Rosë. After a poor start, Quintus has emerged as somewhat a leader for the group. The successful retrieval of his cousins, the return of the barbarian Kothric to his people and the semi-successful clearing of several abandoned mines have elevated the sorcerer's standing in the group. He is quite pleased that Rowan has taken a liking to Maxima, that her twin Luella is turning into a formidable trader and that he has affected the relocation of his entire family to a small caretaker's cabin near the Abbey of Osirian. Quintus, however, is beset by problems on every side. Ned Gallway is out to get him, his one-time lover, Abigail Edelman has disappeared, his eldest sister Sabrina has taken up residence at the Castellan Jucadius as Orsen Jucadius' lover and he has just accussed Josephus of Bremerton, a close friend of Constable Kyndalyn, of poisening his father! Following the "trial" in which Josephus was exonerated (at least in the eyes of the law), Quintus couldn't get out of town fast enough! In the intervening weeks, following the disasterous battle at the ruined villa and the retrieval of Drusilla Cassuvius, Quintus has become more and more paranoid. He is drawn to the beautiful Drusilla, but finds himself competing with Rowan and Sextus for her attention. He is also quite alarmed by the potential involvement of the Cult of Ashai within the Cassuvius Family through the actions of Domita Sestius, Drusilla's stepmother. The events in Oar brought out the best and the worst in Quintus. His silver tongue helped the party out in many situations and he finally called a familiar to his service. Severus, a majestic sea eagle (osprey) now rides on his shoulder. His power has also grown, but so have his problems. Portents and unsolved mysteries crowd in on every front and some allies almost seem to be enemies! Quintus makes good use of his magic, both offensively and defensively. He uses a crossbow for ranged combat and a spear on the few occassions that he is called upon for hand-to-hand combat. [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Sextus Scipio[/B] [I](Human Bard 5/Ranger 1)[/I] [/COLOR] - A year younger and two hand's breadths shorter than his brother, Sextus is as care-free as Quintus is serious. He has yet to find any real direction in life - he studied briefly under Father Thomas, spent a season or two with the militia and even managed to persuade "Uncle" Claudius to teach him a bit about magic, showing an inner apptitude like his brother, only not as focused. For one of such small stature, Sextus has a suprisingly booming voice. He can easily make himself heard over a crowd and has used that ability to become somewhat of a fixture at Nan's Tavern. He is skilled with the hand harp, knows lots of stories and is a fairly talented entertainer when he puts his mind to it. He managed to avoid service in the mines, but picks up a few denarii entertaining or doing odd jobs. Although he is cabable of earning coin, he spends it even faster, so he regularly comes to Quintus seeking "loans"! His father's illness has impacted him very hard and he often plays soothing music and sings softly to him, which seems to calm the elder Scipio and ease his pain. He is devoted to his older brother and usually follows his lead on issues regarding the family. He is aghast at Sebrina's involvement with the Jucadius boy and just as determined as Quintus to see that put to an end! His knowledge of local legend and history have proved to be quite valuable and his charming personality has helped the group several times. The barbarian Kothric took a liking to the diminutive bard and that affection probably helped save the group from almost certain death. The band can count on Sextus to raise their spirits when things look bleakest! Sextus can be quite brave (Quintus calls it foolhardy). Numerous times, he has either charged the enemy unsupported or stood his ground when any sane man would run. He also sings stirring ballads during combat, inspiring his comrades to greater feats of arms. That inspiration has turned the tide during several battles! Since the rescue of Drusilla, Sextus has been quietly trying to win her affections. Rowan and Quintus are fairly straight-forward, but Sextus use small magic tricks, sleight-of-hand and other tricks to make the young lady laugh. The ultimate results of his efforts remain to be seen! Impressed by the combat abilities and general "woodslore" of his friend Rowan, Sextus has been trying to emulate the ranger's movements and has been pestering the ever-patient Rowan about the finer points of tracking! [I](DM's Note: Sextus chose to cross-class into "Ranger", but chose the more traditional two-weapon fighting to wield a pair of gladii)[/I] Sextus's spirit has been somewhat sapped by their time in Oar. His death and return at the hands of the Dwarven priest Volakir (inhabiting Lew's body), the oppressiveness of the Oar's sewers, the constant battles with the Shadowblades and the burning of Maythrax's library by Rosë have the Bard longing for the open road and a return to Glynden. Sextus is protected by studded leather armor and uses a pair short swords in melee combat. He relies on a crossbow for ranged attacks. [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Cragen[/B] [I](Dwarven Cleric 4/Fighter 1)[/I] [/COLOR] - Cragen is a walking legend...the first full-blooded dwarf seen in the lands of the Empire in over 150 years. He awoke from his long slumber as a statue in an ancient dwarven shrine to find his brethern shattered into rubble and his shrine overrun. The spirit of the Dwarven priest Volakir ordered him to accompany the upworlders and assured him that Moradin would show him the way. Cragen is slowly working his way into the band and has proved to be a ferocious fighter. He is still unsure about his way in this strange land bereft of his kin, but is determined to uncover the secret of the dwarves disappearence. A great foe of evil, he tends to swing his consecrated hammer first and ask questions later. Stout dwarven lorica squamata and a large shield protect this doughty dwarf. He wants to be quit of Oar for no other reason than he is tired of being a curiousity. In addition, he is deeply suspicious of Abbott Patroclian's motives and figures the more leagues between he and the Berylian adherent, the better. [COLOR=RoyalBlue][U][I][B]The Graveyard[/B] [/I] [/U] [/COLOR] [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Garrick[/B] [I](Halfling Rogue 1) [/I] [/COLOR] - Slain and partially eaten by dire rats in the abandoned Western Mines (Session 2). [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Marcus Tiro[/B] [I](Human Fighter 1)[/I][/COLOR] - Killed by falling into a 15-pace deep pit - twice (Session 2). [COLOR=RoyalBlue][U][I][B]The Missing[/B][/I][/U][/COLOR] [COLOR=RoyalBlue][B]Gandlewyn (Lew) Fritinius[/B] [I](Human Cleric 5)[/I] [/COLOR] - A Cleric of the Church of Light, Lew has advanced to an Acolyte of the Second Mystery of Osirian. Lew was born and raised in the frontier town of Glynden. His parents were killed in a bandit attack when he was 18 winters old and he left Glynden for three years to wander the Lost Northern Provinces and minister to the sick and suffering. He has recently returned to Glynden and has taken up with some childhood friends. His younger brother, Marcus, is also a cleric of the Church of Light and has advanced to the rank of Acolyte of the Second Mystery. He secretly blames Lew for the death of their parents and relations between the brothers are cool, at best. Marcus recently departed Glynden to travel to Oar in the company of Brother Patroclian, a cleric of Osirian from the Jewel Cities. Lew has been troubled by strange dreams of late, primarily related to his recently deceased friends, Garrick and Marcus Tiro. He is a kind-hearted and truthful soul and is sometimes distressed at the barbaric and/or underhanded actions of his compatriots - particularly Quintus and Rosë. Lew recently decided to add some physical armor to the protection provided by the had of Osirian and now wears studded leather armor. He is primarily a defensive fighter and uses a quarterstaff for close fighting and a crossbow at range. During the events in beneath the city of Oar, Lew was possessed by the strange dwarven spirit Volakir and [I]windwalked[/I] away from the party. His current whereabouts and condition are unkown. [/QUOTE]
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Against the Shadows VII - A Faded Glory Story Hour (Re-Updated - 5/17)
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