Furries: The Warriors of Aldous Graybeard

DnDChick

Demon Queen of Templates
Can ya tell that I finally dug my old breifcase full of 1e notes and characters out of storage? lol

Anyway, for a few months back in the summer of 1995 or so, I ran a DnD 1e game set in a world I called Fauna. This was your basic medieval fantasy world, except that all the races were anthropomorphic animals...furries if you will. Here are the main NPC and the PCs of that short but very fun campaign!

If youre interested in more info about Fauna, check out my link:

http://members.aol.com/CountryGrrlHere/fauna.html

For more about the campaign I ran, there is a blurb on my homepage:

http://members.aol.com/CountryGrrlHere/dndchick.html

Sample Characters: The Warriors of Aldous Graybeard

The great wizard Aldous Graybeard had the need for retainers to act as his agents, bodyguards, and servants. Sending a call through the great city of Vantanni brought to his door the following adventurers. Many their adventures were within and without the great city, and much was the gratitude of Aldous Graybeard.

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Aldous Graybeard, male goat Wiz(Abj)10: CR 10; Medium Ungulate (Goat); HD 10d4+10; hp 42; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 17 (+2 Dex, +5 leather armor +3); Atk +4 melee (1d6–1, quarterstaff); AL CG; SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +8; Str 9, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 13, Cha 13.

Skills and Feats Alchemy +14, Concentration +14, Craft (Weaponsmith) +6, Craft (Armorer) +5, Knowledge (arcana) +16, Ride +3, Scry +16, Spellcraft +16; Combat Casting, Spell Focus (Abjuration), Spell Penetration, Brew Potion, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Wondrous Item.

Spells 0— 4; 1st— 5; 2nd—5; 3rd—4; 4th—5; 5th—2.

Special Qualitiy +2 to Fort saves to resist poison.

“Crotchety. Cantankerous. Foul-tempered. And these are his good qualities!” — Toren Ringtail

Aldous Graybeard is an old goat—in every sense of the phrase. Although he is a good man at heart, the years have not been kind to him. He walks with a limp, hunched in the back as if the weight of the world were on his shoulders. And the way he complains one might just think that to be true, although he is as spry today as he was decades ago when he began his studies.

Aldous Graybeard’s life has seen him crawl up from anonymity to become one of the greatest mages in Vantanni, well known and if not loved at least respected by all who know his name. He is on the ruling council of the great city, and his voice, croaking and cracked as it may be, is always heard by those in council chambers. Aldous Graybeard, it need not be said, usually gets his way, either through his power with the other councilmen or through his temper. Let it not be said, however, that Aldous Graybeard is a cruel or vindictive man, for he is honest, hard working, generous, and a fine leader. He simply feels that his advanced age grants him the right to do as he pleases and request what services he desires. He is right in that regard: a single request made by him in passing for a band of adventurers culled from the four corners of Fauna to act as his personal bodyguard was soon satisfied.

Graybeard has a single student, a youthfully exuberant squirrel named Amiya, who makes an almost comical counterpart to his grouchy and world-weary demeanor.

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Amiya Greenleaf, female squirrel Wiz2: CR 2; Small Rodent (Squirrel); HD 2d4+4; hp 11; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +3 leather armor +1); Atk +2 melee (1d6, quarterstaff); AL LG; SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +2; Str 11, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 14.

Skills and Feats Alchemy +5, Balance +6, Climb +2, Concentration +7, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Scry +5, Spellcraft +7, Tumble +6; Dodge.

Spells 0— 4; 1st— 3.

Spellbook 0— arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance; 1st— burning hands, mage armor, magic missile, obscuring mist, true strike.

Possessions Quarterstaff, adventurer’s gear, robe of pockets, leather armor +1, everlit torch (same as a wand of light, only its always on).

“Bah! You’re a foolish dreamer, girl! The years will see your tail hang low, I’ll warrant.” — Aldous Graybeard

Grey squirrels tend to be a happy, chatty lot to start with, but Amiya Greenleaf takes that quality to heights never before imagined even by her kin! Amiya is an optimist to the nth degree. Her large eyes are always alert and twinkling, and her tail twitches with near constant excitement over the prospect of just living life. Nothing ever seems to get her down, and every setback is to her simply a chance to explore other routes not originally considered. The contrast she makes with her master Aldous Graybeard is quite the source of whispered humor in Vantanni, and many wonder how the two can even tolerate each other’s company. Amiya tolerates rather a lot from old Graybeard, as she is eager to follow in his hoof prints as a great mage and council member.

There was one occasion, however, which saw the love of life flow out of Amiya like water through a breach in a beaver dam: the deaths of two of her friends at the claws of a pack of owlbears in Ghoryan Forest near Vantanni. The deaths of Brother Maynard and Sela Lynxeye affected Amiya very profoundly, and she still lapses into moments of melancholy when their memory creeps back into her mind. These sad moments are short-lived, however, and Amiya is soon her effervescent self again. This is of no small concern to Aldous Graybeard, who fears that his young apprentice is harboring demons that will someday erupt beyond her capacity to control them.

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Borrah, female hippopotamus Ftr3: CR 3; Large Pachyderm (Hippopotamus); HD 3d10+9; hp 34; Init +0; Spd 20 ft.; AC 15 (-1 size, +2 large steel shield, +4 scale mail); Atk +11 melee (1d8+8, warhammer +2); AL LG; SV Fort +8, Ref +1, Will +0; Str 22, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 12, Wis 9, Cha 11.

Skills and Feats Climb +6, Handle Animal +1, Jump +5, Ride +4, Swim +11; Great Fortitude, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Warhammer).

Possessions Scale mail, large steel shield, adventurer’s gear, large belt pouch, warhammer +2.

“A large woman, aye, but lads I swear I’d want none but Borrah to my back in a fight!” — Sgt. Grantz

Little is known about the life of the woman known only as Borrah before she answered Aldous Graybeard’s call for hirelings. She speaks little, and even less of her past. Borrah is a dedicated warrior, however, and once set to a task she is resolute in her determination to see it through. She has little tolerance for the more fun-loving members of her group, often reduced to shaking her head in disapproval at Toren’s antics in particular. Old Aldous has a high degree of respect for Borrah, and she is one of the few members of the group about whom he says only positive things. Borra is reclusive in her private time, and certainly prefers the role of follower. Give her a target, and she will be merciless in the application of her war hammer.

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Sebastian “Snicker” Marris, male rat Rog2: CR 2; Small Rodent (Rat); HD 2d6+2; hp 14; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 19 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +1 buckler, +3 studded leather armor); Atk +6 melee (1d6, short sword), +6 ranged (1d4, thrown dagger); AL CN; SV Fort +1, Ref +7, Will +1; Str 10, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 13.

Skills and Feats Appraise +3, Balance +6, Bluff +3, Climb +1, Disable Device +1, Escape Artist +6, Hide +11, Jump +0, Listen +3, Move Silently +7, Open Lock +7, Pick Pocket +4, Search +2, Sense Motive +2, Spot +4, Tumble +3, Use Rope +5; Weapon Finesse (Short sword).

Possessions Studded leather armor, buckler, short sword, dagger bandolier, throwing daggers (6), lock pick kit, large agate gem, adventurer’s gear.

“Notice that none of the others has anything to say about me? I prefer it that way.” — Snicker

Sebastian Marris, preferring to be called “Snicker,” is a perpetual thorn in the side of Sergeant Grantz. Snicker was freed from the prisons of Vantanni by Aldous Graybeard, on the stipulation that he use his particular skills in service to the council. Always one looking to make the best of any opportunity presented, Snicker readily agreed. So far, despite his background and the occasional yelling matches with Sergeant Grantz, Snicker has proven to be a valuable member of the group. He says little about himself, instead letting his actions speak for him. Snicker’s very presence is a source of aggravation for the rigid Grantz, but ever the loyal soldier Grantz tolerates him as much as he can. Snicker is truly attempting to reform, having made friends in the group and even going so far as to see the beginnings of something more serious with Amiya Greenleaf. This alone has him curious enough to remain cooperative!

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Sergeant Horace Grantz, male wolf Ftr3: CR3; Medium-size Canine, Strong (Wolf); HD 3d10+9; hp 29; Init +2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (+2 Dex, +4 chain shirt, +2 large wooden shield); Atk +7 melee (1d8+3, longsword), or +5 ranged (1d12, musket); AL LN; SV Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 17, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 13, Cha 9.

Skills and Feats Climb +3, Craft (Gunsmith) +4, Handle Animal +0, Jump +1, Ride +7, Swim +6; Alertness, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Firearms), Great Fortitude, Weapon Focus (Longsword).
Special Quality Scent.

Possessions Chain shirt, large wooden shield, musket, powder, 20 musket balls, longsword, adventurer’s gear.

“Sergeant Grantz is a career military man. The only woman I ever see him talking to lovingly is his musket. Ye gods lets hope she never leaves him for another!” — Toren Ringtail

Sergeant Horace Grantz is a 5th generation military man. His father, and his father’s father, and on back as far as his family records were all members of the proud and strong Vantanni Old Guard. It is said that the Grantz family freehold has more medals than the rest of the army combined. No one is quite sure why the loyal fire burns so strongly in his family, but Sergeant Grantz is no less dedicated a soldier than any in his line. The army is the only life he has ever known, and he finds comfort and solace in its rigid organization and daily routine. Grantz was somewhat taken aback when the Vantanni city council selected him from among the Old Guard to travel with Aldous Graybeard and his rag-tag band of civilians. As a good soldier, however, he is carrying out the duties of his assignment with textbook military precision. Had he the power to do so, he would dismiss that loose cannon Toren Ringtail.

The longsword Sergeant Grantz carries is a family heirloom, the pommel stone of which he kisses every night in a ritual that seems strange to outsiders. This is the sword of the Grantz clan, the weapon passed down from father to eldest son as it has been for over 5 generations. Perhaps the reason why Grantz engages in the peculiar ritual is because he is a widower with but one child: a daughter. He has no son to take up the sword upon his death, and this worries him. What’s to become of the family name? Little does he know that his young daughter is even now training with her grandfather in the skills of swordplay.

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Toren Ringtail, male raccoon Rgr2: CR 2; Medium-size Mammal (Raccoon); HD 2d10+4; hp 17; Init +4; Spd 30 ft.; AC 18 (+4 Dex, +4 chain shirt); Atk +1 melee (1d6+1, short sword [two-weapon primary]), +1 melee (1d4, punching dagger [two-weapon secondary)), or +3 melee (1d6+1, short sword), or +6 ranged (1d6, composite shortbow); AL NG; SV Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +1; Str 13, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 16.

Skills and Feats Animal Empathy +5, Climb +1, Concentration +3, Craft (Bowyery) +3, Handle Animal +4, Heal +3, Hide +5, Intuit Direction +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +5, Ride +5, Search +5, Spot +2, Swim +2, Use Rope +5, Wilderness Lore +6; Point Blank Shot, Tracking.

Possessions Chain shirt, short sword, dagger (5), composite short bow, adventurer’s gear.

“Pfaugh! Scoundrel! Ruffian! Bandit! Masked ignoramus! Nice as I can be when his name’s bandied about!” — Aldous Graybeard

Toren Ringtail grew up in Ghoryan Forest several leagues outside of Vantanni. The son of a woodsman and a druid, Toren has always held the forest close to his heart. He is something of a local celebrity in Ghoryan, being a brash and headstrong youth full of life and certainly full of himself! At times it seems that Toren Ringtail is completely incapable of taking anything seriously. He makes rude jokes at inopportune times—the ruder the better!—and is always ready to flash his cocky grin at the ladies. It seems that every other week, at least, he is talking about some other girlfriend or paramour. One can’t help but wonder just how many of his exploits are really true. It is his arrogant self-assuredness and bravado that very quickly led him into odds with Aldous Graybeard, and only his skills as a ranger and tracker have kept the aged wizard from dismissing him altogether.
 
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