Okay, here's the pitch. I tried to make a character that would have a lot of hooks for the plot. I have a few fluff things that I might tweak depending on how this is received. I did have two questions. Are you open to me using the Arcane Focus: Staff as a quarterstaff? And would you be open to us customizing the personality (ideal, bond, etc...) bit of backgrounds?
Caleb Radin
[SBLOCK=Stat Block and Details]
Height 5’10;
Weight 190lbs;
Hair: Sandy Blonde;
Age: 20;
Sex: Male
Race: Human (Variant)
Class: Cleric
Level: 1
Class: Wizard
Level: 1
Deity:Athena
Alignment: Lawful Good
Size: Medium
Type: Humanoid
Init: +1;
Passive Perception:13
Languages: Common, Elvish, Draconic, Abyssal, Infernal, Celestial
AC: 17 (Scale Mail [14] + Dex [1] + Shield [2]
HP: 16
HD: 1d8 and 1d6
Saving Throw Proficiencies: Wis, Chr
Speed: 30 ft.
Proficiency Bonus: +2
Combat gear:
Scale Mail (AC 14+ 1 Dex) : Disadvantage on Stealth
Staff (ATK: +1; Damage 1d6-1 Bludgeoning)
Light Crossbow (ATK +3; Damage 1d8+1 Piercing/80/320, loading, two-handed)
Abilities:
Str 8 (-1)
Dex 12 (+1)
Con 15 (+2) (Racial)
Int 16 (+3) (Racial)
Wis 13 (+1)
Cha 10 (+0)
Racial Traits:
Languages:Common and Elvish
Ability Score Increase: Intelligence and Constitution
Skill Proficiency: Performance
Feat: War Caster
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Background]
Background: Sage
Skill Proficiencies: Investigation and Perception (swapped out due to duplicate proficiencies)
Additional Languages: Draconic, Abyssal
Equipment: A bottle of black ink, a quill, a small knife, a letter from a dead colleague posing a question you have not yet been able to answer, a set of common clothes, and a belt pouch containing 10 gp.
Feature: Researcher
Personality Trait: I'm willing to listen to every side of an argument before I make my own judgment.
Bond: I owe everything I am to a cause that I no longer believe in.
Ideal: Self-Improvement. The goal of a life of study is the betterment of oneself.
Flaw: I am easily distracted by the promise of information.
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Class Features]
Class Features: Cleric Lvl. 1
Spellcasting:
- Three Cleric Cantrips
Can prepare Two Cleric spells
Cleric spell save DC:11
Cleric spell attack modifier +3
Ritual Casting of Cleric spells
Spellcasting Focus (Holy Symbol)
Divine Domain: Knowledge
Domain Spells: Level One: Command, Identify
Blessings of Knowledge:
- Learn Two Languages (Celestial, Infernal)
Proficient in Two Skills and double their proficiency bonus: Arcana and History
Proficiencies:
Armor: Light Armor, Medium Armor, Shields
Weapons: Simple Weapons
Tools: None
Saving throws: Wisdom, Charisma
Proficient Skills from class: Insight, Religion
Class Features: Wizard Lvl. 1
Spellcasting:
- Three Wizard Cantrips
Spellbook with six 1st level spells
Can prepare Four Wizard spells
Wizard spell save DC:13
Wizard spell attack modifier +5
Ritual Casting of Wizard spells
Spellcasting Focus (Arcane)
Arcane Recovery: May recover one expended first level spell slot during a short rest once per day
Familiar: A female owl named Lesya
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Skills and Feats]All Proficient Skills
- +7 Arcana (double proficiency bonus from Blessings of Knowledge)
+7 History (double proficiency bonus from Blessings of Knowledge)
+3 Insight
+5 Investigation
+3 Perception
+2 Performance
+5 Religion
Feats:
War Caster:
- Adv. On Con. Saving throws for Concentration checks
- perform somatic components when holding weapon and shield
- when creature provokes an OA can use reaction to cast spell at creature
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Magic]
Cleric Cantrips: Guidance, Sacred Flame, Thaumaturgy
Cleric Prepared Spells: First Level: Guiding Bolt, Bless, (Domain) Command, (Domain) Identify
Wizard Cantrips:Firebolt, Minor Illusion, Ray of Frost
Wizard Known Spells (in spellbook): First Level:Find Familiar, Sleep, Shield, Magic Missile, Feather Fall, Detect Magic
Wizard Prepared Spells: First Level: Sleep, Shield, Magic Missile, Feather Fall
Spell Slots:[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Equipment]
From Cleric:
Mace
Scale Mail
Light Crossbow
20 Bolts
Explorer's Pack:
- Backpack
A bedroll
A mess kit
A tinderbox
10 torches
10 days of rations
A waterskin
50ft of hempen rope strapped to the side of the pack
Shield
Holy Symbol – an amulet emblazoned with an owl
From Background:
A bottle of black ink
A quill
A small knife
A letter from a dead colleague posing a question you have not yet been able to answer
- A cryptographic puzzle posed to Caleb during the early days of his studies at Gabal's school by Tonskurn Granhammer, an elderly dwarven evoker. He had discovered the puzzle in a journal in the library of the Lyceum in Seaquen. The journal was written by Rastalil Cranstell, a gnomish archmage who lived centuries ago. The puzzle was supposed to reveal an aracane secret, but it has not been deciphered.
A set of common clothes
A belt pouch containing 10 gp.
Additional Equipment:
Spellbook: 50gp
Arcane Focus (Staff) – Can I use this as a quarterstaff as well?: 5gp
Find Familiar Casting - 10 gp
Coins:
45 gold
[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Back Story]
Caleb Radin had been taught to hate Ragesia since before he could walk. His father, Daniel, was a member of the resistance against the Ragesian occupation forty years ago. Caleb's youth was filled with his father telling him stories of daring night time raids and narrow escapes. Of course, the hardest story to hear was when his father's luck ran out. Shortly before the occupation ended, Daniel was caught by a Ragesian patrol. He escaped, but not before a poisoned arrow struck his thigh. There was no cleric to help him and his friends feared what the poison would do if allowed to spread. Daniel lost his leg that night and with it went any chance of a normal life.
Daniel never said an ill word about Caleb's mother, but only because he refused to speak about her. Whoever she was, she had never been a part of Caleb's life. He and his father lived on the streets begging for whatever scraps they could get. It was a hard life and Caleb's father had been old when he was born. Daniel could feel his health slipping from him and fear for his son began to consume him. Caleb was only eight years old when his father managed to attract the attention of an elven priestess of Athena that was passing through the city. Daniel begged for her to have mercy on his son and help him to have the life that he deserved. Perhaps the desperation in Daniel's voice spoke to her because she stopped and asked to see Caleb. She spoke with both of them and even took them to a nearby tavern for a meal. She told Daniel that she saw something in the boy and offered to take Caleb as an apprentice. With a tearful goodbye, he sent his son away in the hope of a better life for him.
That hope would be misplaced. Nisalin was a kind and good woman, but she did not become Caleb's benefactor out of kindness. She had been sent into Gate Pass to recruit someone just like him. A young child of Gate Pass with a talent for magic, a hate for Ragesia, and a pliable mind. Nisalin took her young charge with her to begin his training for the Shining Land of Shahalesti. It was a subtle beginning as he began his training in the temple of Athena. He sang hymns during worship services. He was taught new languages and treated incredibly well. The rhetoric of the evils of Ragesia and their infernal helpers rang true with his father's stories. He would spend the next ten years learning the wisdom of Athena and beginning his arcane studies. He was even blessed to one day have Athena answer his prayers and grant him some of her power. Nisalin saw this as a sign to acclerate his training.
Over time, Caleb became convinced that the only way to truly have peace in the land was for Ragesia to be toppled and Lord Shaaladel be allowed to bring his beneficent reign to the embattled nations around them. Athena's wisdom would allow the flower of peace to grow in the salted lands of Ragesia through the radiant might of the Shahalesti. Caleb had been blessed by Athena and had begun to practice the arcane arts to further the goals of the Shahalesti.
Those goals were made clear to Caleb on his eighteenth birthday. Nisalin told him that he would be returning to Gate Pass to serve Lord Shaaladel. Caleb was elated. His mission was to spy on the happenings of Gate Pass and look for ways to make the city ready for liberation to Shahalesti. As a cover, he would be enrolled at Gabal's School to train as a war mage. Gabal's students were often used in the defense and fortification of the city. It would be a perfect place to discover the strengths and weaknesses of the city and report them back.
Caleb's training had prepared him well for Gabal's classes, and he quickly excelled. To his great joy, he was the first student in his class to successfully summon a familiar. His came in the holy form of his goddess. The owl, Lesya, became a constant companion and encouragement to pursue wisdom in his tasks. If he was to be covert, perhaps he should not excel. Heeding the wisdom of his new partner, Caleb worked hard to remain average among his classmates despite loving his studies. He didn't want to draw attention to himself by being a joke or a threat to the other students. Instead, his goal was to befriend as many people as possible.
His strategy was more successful than he imagined as he developed a friendship with a girl attending the school, Naromi. In the close confines of the school day after day, their friendship blossomed into an attraction that grew into a relationship. While Caleb tried to convince himself that he was just protecting his cover, that lie didn't make it to his heart. Over the months that they were together, he grew to love her and her words carried more and more weight to him. She spoke horribly of Ragesia which he understood, but she was also critical of Shahalesti. She spoke of freedom as being worth fighting for... even dying for. Caleb realized that she sounded just like his father used to and slowly started to question his mission.
Caleb was only beginning to question himself when Naromi revealed something else. She had been invited to a meeting with the Resistance. Apparently, the people of Gate Pass had never stopped their vigilance after Ragesia drew back more than thirty years ago. They had prepared for the day that the truce would fail and either Ragesia or Shahalesti would try to take the city. With an infectious joy, she invited Caleb to join her. With a smile, he agreed and proceeded to silently catalog every scrap of information he could pick up from the meeting. Caleb was torn. Athena was silent on where his loyalty should lie. His heart and his mind were in turmoil. In desperation, he fell back on his training and reported the news to his superiors. His heart sank as the orders cambe back to further infiltrate the group.
With a mole inside the Resistance, the Shahalesti grew bolder and began sneaking in more agents to Gate Pass, even further infiltrating the school. Caleb began to feel trapped by the Shahalesti. His independence was gone as his handlers were now constantly near him except when he would go to the Resistance cell. Every Resistance meeting that Caleb went to, he listened to the stories and passion of the people. He remembered his father's stories and the seed of doubt in his heart sprouted to rebellion. He was too scared and ashamed to reveal the truth to the Resistance and Naromi. Instead, he planned to flee the city and contact Naromi later. He diligently prayed to Athena for wisdom as he developed his plan. He had heard of the Lyceum in Seaquen and thought that might provide a place to lay low and grow in his abilities.
As he was preparing to flee, news came of an approaching Ragesian army. The immortal emperor, Coaltongue, had apparently been assassinated. His throne had been seized by Leska who had called for the Scourge, a rounding up of every magic user they could find in the name of security. The Scourge was coming to Gate Pass and the city sealed their gates. Caleb was at a loss for how to get away. He heard news through the Resistance that something big was happening and that a group might have to flee the city afterwards. Caleb leapt at the opportunity.
He quickly scrawled a vague note for Naromi telling her only that he loved her, but that he had to leave and would contact her when he could. He appealed to his handlers to let him take his urn alone to the shrine for the Festival of Dreams with the story that it was custom to go alone. The excuse seemed to work and he left to carry his urn to the shrine. He quietly placed his wish for peace among the land inside the urn and ran away into the night to make his way to the Poison Apple Pub. [/SBLOCK]