NPCs of Aera

[Cloudgatherer]

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Cloudgatherer

Physical Description: Height 6’; weight 165 lb; gray eyes; brown hair; young looking human; typically wears gray or white colored clothing.

Male human Ftr1/Wiz19: CR 20; Medium (human); HD 1d10+19d4+40; hp 115; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 30 ft.; AC 22 (+9 Armor, +3 Dex); Atk (Base +10) Summersword (+12/+7, 1d10+2, 19-20/x2), +10 touch attack, +13 ranged touch attack; SQ magic abilities; SR 30; AL NG; SV Fort +16, Ref +15, Will +20; Stat increases +1 to Intelligence at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, +1 to Wis at 20th; Str 10, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 22, Wis 16, Cha 12.

Skills (179 points) and Feats (12): Alchemy +16 (10), Appraise +7 (1), Concentration +21 (19), Hide +7 (8cc), Knowledge (arcana) +27 (21), Knowledge (religion) +20 (14), Knowledge (history) +20 (14), Knowledge (planes) +21 (15), Listen +10 (14cc), Move Silently +9 (12cc), Scry +20 (14), Spellcraft +29 (23), Spot +10 (14cc); Craft Magic Arms and Armor, Craft Portal*, Craft Rod, Craft Staff, Craft Wand, Craft Wondrous Item, Expertise, Extend Spell, Forge Ring, Maximize Spell, Quicken Spell, [Scribe Scroll], Spell Penetration.

Special Qualities: Magic Abilities: Through permanency and wish spells, Cloudgatherer has the following continuous abilities: protection from arrows, see invisible, detect magic (continuous), and resist elements (prevents 12 damage per round against fire, cold, and lightning).

Possessions: bracers of armor +9, ring of spell storing and sustenance, ring of teleport without error (3/day), Summersword (silver metal sun blade), amulet of spell resistance (30), cloak of resistance +6, orb of communication**, finely crafted wedding ring, and a continual flame masterwork silver dagger.

Wizard Spells per Day: 4/6/6/5/5/5/5/4/3/3. Base DC = 16 + spell level. Caster level 19th.

Spells: All 0-4th level spells in the Player’s Handbook plus a few others.
5th level: dismissal, dominate person, hold monster, leomund’s secret chest, passwall, permanency, prying eyes, sending, teleport, wall of force.
6th level: analyze dweomer, chain lightning, contingency, disintegrate, gate seal*, greater dispelling, guards and wards, legend lore, true seeing, veil.
7th level: banishment, greater scrying, limited wish, mordenkainen’s magnificent mansion, mordenkainen’s sword, plane shift, prismatic spray, sequester, shadow walk, simulacrum, spell turning, vanish.
8th level: binding, clone, discern location, greater planar binder, greater project image**, mind blank, prismatic wall, screen.
9th level: freedom, gate, imprisonment, meteor swarm, mordenkainen's disjunction, prismatic sphere, time stop, wish.

Languages: Abyssal, celestial, common, draconic, dwarven, elven.

The wizard Cloudgatherer rose to fame by defeating a band of devils attempting to destroy the free city of Mydrana. The grateful people of the city convinced him to become a permanent resident of the town and he has called it home ever since. He lives in a tower disguised in the illusion of a tree in the town’s northern forest area in order to keep a bit of privacy and discourage enemies and thieves.

In private, Cloudgatherer enjoys researching new spells, learning arcane secrets, and keeping an eye on potential threats to the people of Aera. He keeps tabs on potential problems through the Silver Swords and scrying, stepping in only when he feels it is necessary. He also spends a great deal of his time in Aenith with his wife, the paladin Katrina Purelight. It is rumored that he has developed the ability to be in multiple places at the same time, which may simply be a result of his frequent use of teleportation…

DM's Notes: While this NPC is the name I use most often online, he has not participated in my campaign in any direct sense. He originally "gated" (by accident) the party to Aera, but was imprisoned in the same combat round and the party has never seen him since. One of the over-arching goals is to free the wizard, so he can send them home. Those who read up on the story hour might recognize the Summersword (just a sun blade), which has been the focus of one adventure and possibly another in the near future.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

Grimwall Kronka

Physical Description: Standing six and a half feet tall, his skin appears slightly scaly and has an almost black hue to it, yet he is not a drow elf. His sharp claws, fanged teeth, and glowing green eyes give an indication to Grim’s parentage. He wears a black cloak to conceal his bat-like wings and an emblem of a black star encircled with fire on his dark gray full plate shows his allegiance is with the God of Fire and Death, Balahnin.

Male Half-Fiend elven Ftr7/Blk4: CR 13; Medium (elven outsider); HD 11d10+33; hp 112; Init +3 (+3 Dex); Spd 20 ft., fly 20 ft.; AC 26 (+1 Natural, +1 Dex, +10 full plate, +4 shield); Atk (BAB +11) with adamantine battle axe (+21/+16/+11, 1d8+10/x3), with bite and 2 claws (+19/+14/+14, 1d6+8, 1d4+4, 1d4+4); SA fiendish abilities, sneak attack +1d6, command/rebuke undead as 2nd level cleric; SQ half-fiend traits, elven traits, detect good, poison use, dark blessing, smite good, aura of despair; AL CE; SV Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +10; Stat increases: +1 Str at 4th and 8th; Str 26 (24), Dex 15, Con 16, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 14.

Skills (70 points) and Feats (8): Craft (weapon-making) +13 (10), Handle Animal +12 (10), Heal +10 (8), Intimidate +16 (14), Knowledge (planes) +10 (14cc), Listen +11 (14cc, racial Bonus), Search +4 (racial bonus), Spot +4 (racial bonus); Blind-Fight, Cleave, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Sunder.

Special Attacks: Fiendish abilities: darkness 3/day, desecrate 1/day, unholy blight 1/day, poison 3/day, and contagion 1/day (Cast as an 11th level sorcerer).

Special Qualities: Elven traits: immune to sleep effects, +2 save versus enchantment, low light vision 120 ft., +2 to Listen, Search, and Spot checks, automatic Search check when within 5 feet of hidden door, only needs 4 hours of “trance”. Half-fiend traits: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to poison, and acid, cold, fire, lightning resistance 20. Dark blessing: Grim adds his Charisma bonus to his saving throws (already included above). Smite good: Once per day Grim can add his Charisma bonus (+2) to his attack roll and his blackguard level (4) to his damage. Aura of despair: enemies within 10 feet of Grim suffer a –2 morale penalty to saving throws.

Possessions: full plate armor +2, cloak of resistance +1, adamantine battle-axe, lion’s shield (+2 large steel shield, 2d6/x2 attacks at bearers base attack bonus 3/day), gloves of ogre power +2, two doses of poison (deathblade, DC 20, 1d6/2d6 Con).

Blackguard Spells per Day: 2/1. Base DC = 12 + spell level. Caster level 2nd.

Languages: Abyssal, Common, Elven, Infernal

The product of an elf and a balor, Grim has had a life of pain, misery, and a lust for power. He is among the highest ranking members of the Mithral Blades, only a level or two below Doombringer himself in the organization. He often works alone or with a specialized group only after getting to know them for at least a month’s time.

Grim is tight lipped and quick to solve his problems with a good fight. He won’t hesistate to resort to stabbing someone in the back to accomplish his mission and dreams of one day fighting alongside other demons against the celestials. He has the occasional contact with his father, a balor by the name of Gerimthas.

DM's Notes: Grim has gone against the party twice, and been killed both times. Not as effective as he looks I'm afraid, but he was operating under less than optimal circumstances. If you read the story hour, Grim is the "green-eyed" villain who was slain in the hostage situation along with the hostages. He was later brought back to life by Armathon Enforo, and slain again when the party defeated Armathon while he attempted to revive the arch-devil Namarra.