Character du Jour: Wil Shadowlight, Vampire Paladin

Posted on July 29, 2011 by greywulf

By a forgotten oasis, a knight of Pelor lay dying. The heathen horde had come under cover of darkness, drawing it as a cloak around themselves to hide their approach. The sentries were first to fall, barely able to sound the alarm before their limp and torn bodies dropped to the hungry sand. The knights armed themselves as best they could and fought hard, but it soon became clear these were no ordinary foes. Wrapped in black robes, turban and scarf, their eyes burned with dead fury from desert-bleached leathery skin and they possessed a strength and power far beyond that of living man. The Pelorian’s blades barely wounded them, while they fought with harsh clawed hands that cut through armour as if it was mist.

All fell, save one. Wil was young and inexperienced, but full of life. This drew the desert vampires to him, but he kept them back by wrapping his blade with the holy chain and pendant of Pelor. He battled until he sank to his knees, exhausted and ready to meet his god. The vampires leapt, clawing him then fleeing as the dawn light touched the oasis’ edge.

As he lay dying he watched the sun rise, and heard a whispered voice on the desert wind.

“It is the light which makes the shadows, my son. Rise, walk on, and serve me.”

Wil Shadowlight is a Human Hybrid Vampire Paladin (oh yes!) who serves Pelor with unquestioning loyalty and fervour. Clad in Plate Armour and swathed in a turban and scarf, he made his way back from the desert lands and now seeks to do his god’s will in the places where the rays of the sun cannot reach.

Here’s Wil’s character sheet at both 1st and 5th level, all ready to run in Lair Assault.

Dirty little secret: Wil was not the only survivor of the desert vampire raid. His brother Danyal cursed Pelor for deserting them at the oasis, and rose as a full vampire three nights later. It is inevitable that their paths will cross once more.

wilshadowlight2 384x512 Character du Jour: Wil Shadowlight, Vampire Paladin

Do not mess with the scary glowing vampire paladin. Thank you.

Notes: Here’s one PC you don’t want to mess with: a desert-spawned vampire who also happens to be a Paladin of Pelor. That’s one heck of a study in opposites, and a total blast to play in-game. Thanks to his Divine Vampire feat he is not vulnerable to radiant damage, can’t be destroyed by sunlight and gains a healing surge if he hits with a Divine encounter power. That’s essential as he only starts the game with two surges!

At first glance, Wil looks like any other Paladin (albeit one with a turban and scarf rather a plate helmet) – until he turns into a shadowy swarm and flies straight through you (Swarm of Shadows ftw!). He has the Knight Hospitaler theme and Geography:Desert background, making him about at much of a classic Crusader in the Holy Lands as you can get. Bolt the whole “oh, and he’s a Vampire” thing and you’ve got a character with bags of play potential.

Wil is a PC all about hitting first and wading in to combat with no concern for his own safety. Aggressive Advantage gives him combat advantage against all foes in the first turn of combat, he gains regeneration when bloodied, and his Heedless Fury encounter power does a massive 3d10+6 damage but puts him at -5 defences for a turn. As it’s a Divine power he does gain a healing surge for using it (praise Pelor!). He can also really sink his teeth in by using Blood Drinker (his Vampiric encounter power) to add 1d10 damage to his Taste of Life at-will bite, doing 1d8+1d10+8 damage, gaining 4 hp and another healing surge, all in a single round. That ain’t bad at all. His two other at-will abilities are from his Paladin training; there’s Dominator’s Strike, which gains him yet more temporary hit points, and Vengeance Strike which can deal a shedload of additional damage if he’s surrounded by foes. That hearkens back to his backstory, right there.

When it comes to equipment, Wil wears the classic Dazzling Plate Armour favoured by Pelorian Paladins everywhere (even vampiric ones), and he wields a Challenge-Seeking Greatsword which does an extra 1d6 damage against foes who are at full hit points. Combine that with his Aggressive Advantage and Heedless Fury and he could potentially take out a level equivalent foe in the very first round of combat. Nice. He also wear an Amulet of Life which allows him to spend two healing surges whenever he could spend one (useful for that back from the brink Second Wind), and the frankly gory Gauntlets of Blood which give him +2 damage against bloodied foes. Messy.

This is an ideal character for a player who likes to do a load of damage and isn’t afraid to take damage. Between his powers and regeneration ability he should survive pretty much anything thrown at him. Or die (again) trying.

Desert Vampires
These are the bane of many a nomadic tribe. Desert Vampires sleep beneath the sands by day and rise at night to terrorize anyone who is unfortunate enough to have set camp on their territory. If an otherwise healthy oasis looks appears untouched and avoided by nomads, it is likely that Desert Vampires lurk beneath, waiting for their next meal to set camp. Many a band of wandering knights from more civilized lands have learned this, to their cost.

Desert Vampire stats are as per regular vampires, but they also have the Sandwalk feature and ignore difficult terrain caused by shifting sands and dunes. They are affected by sunlight and radiant damage as normal – Wil gained his immunity thanks to the intervention and blessing of Pelor himself.

Character du Jour: Ethurielle Waystrider

Posted on July 27, 2011 by greywulf

“We left that rotten tomb in a worse shape than when we entered, but at least there was one less evil stalking the land. That mattered not to Ethurielle Waystrider though. She’d already shouldered her pack, fixed her eyes on a distant hill and started heading off. After a few hundred paces she turned and waved. ‘Be seeing you!’ she called out, and we heard her clear as if she were standing next to us. I knew we wouldn’t see her again though. That one’s not for settlin’ down with one group o’folks. Not now, not ever.”

Prelude: In preparation for D&D Lair Assault I am going to post a handful of 5th level 4e D&D characters which you’re welcome to print out and use. They are all generated to the full extent of 4e chargen with both a Theme and Background Option to round out their backstory. These are not optimised characters, but are designed to be optimally interesting. This is a far, far better thing, imho.

Some would say that Ethurielle Waystrider is cursed, but if that is true it’s a very good curse to have. She has the wanderlust – a rare trait in Elves who generally prefer to spend hundreds of years lurking around the same patch of forest. She cannot settle down in one place or stay with one group of people for more than a couple of days. She is first up and first to be out, urging her current companions to explore the next dungeon or climb the next hill.

Dirty little secret: Some whisper that Ethurielle is not wandering, but fleeing from a darkness that nips at her heels. Quite what that darkness is, or if it even exists, is something which Ethurielle is uncharacteristically silent about.

Download Ethurielle’s character sheet, right here.

Play Notes: Ethurielle, like most 4e Bards, is a premier jack-of-all-trades skill monkey. Along her many journeys she has endeavoured to learn something from everyone she meets, to the point where she is all but Trained in every single skill in the list (Skill Versatility, Bardic Knowledge and Bard of All Trades = +4 to +6 on most skills). She can inspire her companions to travel further than they believed possible (Traveller’s Chant, Light Step, lvl 5 Explorer Theme = +4 overland travel speed), and her Song of Rest gives the whole party +4 hp when they use a healing surge during a Short Rest.

None of this will likely come up during an organized play event, but it shows that it’s more than possible to create solid, well rounded characters with Fourth Edition D&D.

That’s not to say Ethurielle is a slouch in combat – far from it. Her abilities balance between both Melee and Ranged, with the Guiding Strike melee at-will imposing a -2 to one defense until the end of her next turn (“Look! Hit him just here! It’s a weak spot”), and the Vicious Mockery ranged at-will imposing a -2 penalty on attack rolls (“Your mother was a troll and your father was a forum post!”) as you annoy and distract from a distance. The Surefooted Stride movement encounter power (from her Explorer Theme) means she laughs in the face of difficult terrain, and can use it to gain Combat Advantage – perfect against those egomanic villains standing atop a pile of rubble. Her Compulsion daily is a terrific ability; she speaks enchanted words which toss her foe around like a ragdoll, sliding it up to 5 squares at the beginning or end of their turn until they make a save. Use it at the beginning of the climax battle and put the poor boss mook wherever you want him. The rest of Ethurielle’s abilities show her aiding and encouraging her allies. Majestic Word is her healing power (“Get off your ass and fight back!”), Song of the New Dawn gives them two changes to make a saving throw (useful against Solo monsters which could lock down a whole party), Stirring Shout drives the party on by giving them +4 hp every time they hit a foe for the entire encounter (another daily to use early in a major battle) and the Song of Courage daily gives a +1 to hit in a 5 square zone around you. It doesn’t stack with Inspiring Refrain, which is the encounter version of the same with a shorter duration. Use one or the other.

When is comes to equipment, Ethurielle is no fool. She is wearing Mithral Chainmail +1 (daily power to take half damage from one hit), Cape of the Mountebank +1 (daily power to Teleport as an immediate reaction if hit) and a Songblade Longsword +2 (usable as an implement for Bard powers). That’s her by-the-rules 4th, 5th, and 6th level items sorted, and I spend her 840gp allowance on a kickass Flameburst Longbow +1 (Burst 1 ongoing 5 fire damage? Yes please!) and a Potion of Water Walking, which always comes in handy.

As befits a 5th level character I added a few Rituals to her spellbook. There’s Animal Messenger, Traveller’s Chant, Endure ~~Elephants~~ Elements and the ever useful Lullaby. Job done.

Notes: I never did like Bards. Back in Third Edition they were a nowhere class which resided in the space between other classes, nothing more than a spellcasting rogue who carried a lute. Beyond a few lame-ass abilities (countersong? oh please) they didn’t have any special features or abilities that made them stand out from the crowd.

Then came the Fourth Edition Bards. And they are awesome.

One thing that Bards do is get right to the heart of what Hit Points are in 4e D&D. They’re not just “wound points” that represent the physical damage a creature can withstand before dying, but are much more than that. 4e Hit Points represent a monster’s (or PCs) ability to carry on. It’s their physical bulk, health, adrenalin, determination and grit, all wrapped up into one numeric value.

Bards don’t wound or injure a monster by cutting it with a blade, but by sapping it’s will to fight with taunts, tricks, jokes and tales. A foe down to 0hp and defeated by a Bard is as likely to be knelt on the floor sobbing or rolling around with laughter. He’s not dead – far from it – but he is every bit as defeated as one that has been pulped by a beardy dwarf with an axe.

Incidentally, this also explains a lot about Minions too. Minions are just as healthy as any other level-equivalent creature, but the fight’s just not in them. The first sign of real trouble (ie, they take one hit), and they’re out of action, fleeing or otherwise out of combat. This might well mean that they are dead, but that’s up to the DM and dramatic license.

And dramatic license, let’s face it, is what Bards are all about.

Character du Jour: The Fantom

Posted on June 14, 2011 by greywulf

The car sped through the city as quiet as night, unlike it’s quarry which fled, guns blazing and occupants cursing their luck. They swerved, narrowly missing the oncoming truck and their fender buckled as they hit the side-walk. The Fantom’s car met the truck head-on.

And passed straight through.

The Fantom. His very name is a bogeyman to the crooks of 1930s New York. They glance fearfully, not at the doors and windows, but at the walls which offer no protection against the roar of his ghostly auto-mobile. All too often mooks and bosses alike have been run to ground by this unstoppable force for good, only to meet justice at the barrel of a pale white gun.

All that is known about the Fantom is this: he wears a pallid white suit and scarf covering his face, fights as well with pale fists as with his trademark all-white Webley Revolver. And he drives a car that can pass through walls.

And this is how The Fantom likes it. This is how it should be. Organised crime in the city needs something to fear, and the fear should have a name.

It is…… The Fantom!

Notes: Who is The Fantom? None other than British-born gad-about-town (and reputed heir to millions) Sir Henry Faubes. He settled in New York following the dastardly murder of his wife, the late Lady Penelope Faubes. Rumour has it he killed her himself, but in truth Sir Henry believes the killer is somehow linked to a New York-based crime syndicate, and is on a quest to take them down one by one until her real killer is unmasked.

And the Pontiac? Accidentally left by The British Research Division in Sir Henry’s ancestral home where they were based during the Last Great War. Who knows what else remains there yet to be discovered gathering dust under tarpaulin?

Picture The Punisher crossed with The Shadow, 1930s style, and you’re there.

Inspiration for characters comes from many sources. This particular one comes from this utterly gorgeous transparent Pontiac from the 1940s World Trade Fair. If there’s ever a car which deserves to be driven by a 1930s pulp hero, this is it.

And thus, The Fantom was born. Inspired by the car he was meant to drive.

The Fantom, AKA Sir Henry Faubes, PL6 90pp
STR 3, STA 4, AGL 2, DEX 1, FGT 4, INT 3, AWE 3, PRE 4
Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fort 4, Tough 8, Will 5, Init +2

Athletics +6, Close Combat:Unarmed +8, Deception +6, Expertise:Criminal Psychology +6, Insight +6, Intimidation +8, Investigation +9, Perception +8, Ranged Combat:Webley Revolver +6, Stealth +10
Benefit:Wealth 3, Benefit:Status, Daze:Intimidation, Favoured Environment:Urban Night, Favoured Enemy:Organized Crime, Equipment 9

Heavy Pistol (+8 DC 19), Bulletproof Vest

Fantom Mobile: Car, STR 6, Tough 8, Size:Large, Speed 5 (60mph), Insubstantial 4 (Incorporeal, Affect Others)

Complications: Identity: Sir Henry Faubes, Enemy: Morgan Childes

Character du Jour: Sir Grey

Posted on May 22, 2011 by greywulf

Following on from last post, here’s an example showing that Interesting Characters don’t necessarily have to mean bizarre mashups of unusual Character Classes or Races (Revenant Shaman/Swordmage, anyone?). The easiest to play Classes can often produce the most enjoyable and memorable characters too. Meet Sir Grey.

The old Dwarf’s voice echoed through the dark of the barn. "Aye children. We keep this night in memory o’ the Great Overrun when the Shadow Orcs came down from the hills in their hundreds, sweeping aside all the defences of Castle Crag like matchstalks. That was the night they took Lady Aester herself. ‘Twas some months afore we found her again, and she was wi’ child, poor woman. Lord Aester could ha’ put the bairn to the knife as soon as it was born, and some still say he should ha’. But he din’t. Took him as his bastard he did, just as if he’d sired him hisself. He din’t give him a name though, said he’s not getting anything from him, not even a name. Everyone jus’ called him Grey ‘cos of his skin. Proved hisself last tourney he did, and now he’s Sir Grey. Who’d have thought it – a bastard Half-Orc gettin’ Knighted, eh? I’ll be the first to admit though. I’d rather have him by mi side than ten o’ those city bred Knights from down South. Now, off to bed wi’ yer."

Outside in the rain, Sir Grey stood guard against the low parapet walls. A tear drop fell as he pictured this night of twenty years ago, the night that had framed his entire life – a night from before he was even born. His four elder half-brothers, truebloods to the Aester line, still scorn and chide him even though he’d bested all of them in the tourney, and was a better man than each of them by far. Only Ossette, his little half-sister sees past the colour of his skin and treats him with anything close to love. Even she still fears him a little.

Was it a tear, or was it just a drop of rain?

Download Sir Grey’s pdf character sheet, here.

Notes: In game terms, Sir Grey is a 1st level First Generation Half-Orc Noble Knight. Let’s break that down to show how each element hangs together to create a unique character with abilities and traits that reflect and build upon his backstory.

He is a fairly straight Essentials Knight build with the Shield Finesse option to reflect his familiarity with sword and board. With few friend or allies in Castle Crag, the only way to prove his worth as a person is with prowess at arms. I don’t usually give an attribute of 20 to a character at 1st level (call me old-school but I still like the idea of 18 being a high result in my D&D) but in this case I’ll make an exception and give Sir Grey a STR 20 score – his Half-Orc physique is stronger and tougher by far than anyone else in the castle walls. His other stats are CON 14, DEX 13 – he’s quick and healthy, but not remarkably so – INT 10, WIS 10, CHA 8. Sir Grey is as smart as most humans, but he pays the price for his Shadow Orc heritage.

The First Generation Background Option adds Bluff to his Class Skill list. It’s an unusual skill for an otherwise honourable Knight to have, but says something about the scrapes and situations Grey has found himself in while growing up. Sometimes a white lie is better than no lie at all. His other Trained Skills are Athletics and Diplomacy to reflect his physical prowess and knightly studies. I intentionally didn’t give him Intimidate as this is a side of his nature Sir Grey has struggled to contain. Unless you meet him on the field of battle, Sir Grey is possibly the most unintimidating Half-Orc you’re likely to encounter.

I give him the Noble Theme to say something about his mother’s side of his nature. He is a natural leader of men, and despite his low Charisma there’s something about him which marks Sir Grey out as possessing a noble bloodline. This gives him the Noble Presence ability: with just a Move Action he can order up to two allies to shift their position, and his confidence bolsters their spirits (Shift 2 as a free action, and +2 defences until the end of his next turn once per Encounter). It’s a great theme-based ability which speaks volumes about the easily-voiced commands of Nobility. As Sir Grey gains levels, I envisage him taking more of the Noble theme’s Powers until he eventually becomes rightful and recognised Lord of Castle Crag. I have high ambitions for this PC!

Sir Grey’s combat abilities reveal more of the duality between his knightly training and inner savage nature. Combat is the only time he can really let rip with his orcblood rage, and other knights have learned the hard way that he is truly a fighter to be feared.

He wears Scale Armour and wields a large Broadsword in preference to the more common Longsword, pairing it with a Heavy Shield that he wears as if it’s made of silk (Scale Armour + Heavy Shield + Shield Finesse = no armour check penalties, AC 19 and +2 Ref too, all for just a -1 to Speed. Great stuff.). His eagerness to fight gives him the Thirst for Battle feat – +3 Initiative and an extra Healing Surge – and the combination of both Furious Assault and Power Strike mean that he could, if he wished, channel all of that inner rage into a single devastating 3d10+5 attack once per Encounter, or use them separately for 2d10+5 each. Not having Daily Abilities is a small price to pay when you can do that kind of damage consistently every single Encounter. Ouch.

For his Stances, he has Battle Wrath (of course) and Hammer Hands. The former gives him +2 damage with every attack (1d10+7 with his Broadsword) while the latter trades that damage potential for pushing power. Each time he hits from the Hammer Hand stance, he can push the foe 1 square, and move into their old space as a free action. Add in his Fighter abilities to ensure he’s the focus of the enemy’s attention with Battle Guardian and Defender Aura, and this is one Half-Orc Knight the bad guys won’t forget in a hurry.

Dirty little secret: This is Game of Thrones, with Orcs. There’s his status as a Lord’s Bastard (and not even a real bastard for that matter), his rivalry with his elder half-brothers and loyalty to his younger half-sister, not to mention his as-yet-unknown Orc father and the threat of another Shadow Orc raid. At the back of Sir Grey’s mind though is his need to perform a Name Quest, to set out and find his own true name and place in the world – even if that place ends up being right back at Castle Crag.

Character du Jour: Warrant

Posted on May 6, 2011 by greywulf

Far above the Earth’s atmosphere, a starship exploded. The occupant’s body vaporized immediately, but immortal Ilirya are far harder to kill than that. Its soul took flight in search of a new host.

Meanwhile, a police officer lay dead. His body was twisted and broken by the fall from the bridge onto the hard concrete far below, his last memories of the greenscaled villain that laughed while he dangled him over the edge before letting go. His hand still held the Warrant for the villain’s arrest, crushed tight as rigor began to set in.

A body without a soul, and a soul without a body. They were destined to meet.

The alien soul entered silently and set to work, rebuilding and reforming the body into the perfect host. It tapped into the latent memories of the brain, discovering much about the man he was now to become, and of the world which he now had to call home until he found a way to return to the stars.

He found that Officer Shane Burton is a noble man, proud of his country and dedicated to serving others. The soul took these traits, and saw the opportunity to turn his time on this earth to productive use. That night, Shane Burton became Warrant, supercop guardian and protector of the common man.

Notes: Take two parts Guardian, one part Superman/Martian Manhunter, one part Judge Dredd and one part Captain America. Shake, and serve.

Warrant can fly up to 500mph (Iliyran souls are stronger than gravity, don’t you know) and lift up to 100 tons. It goes without saying that he also packs quite a punch. His alien-improved physique has Olympic-class agility, can regenerate, is immune to critical hits, disease and poison and he doesn’t need to breath, eat, drink or sleep.

Fun fact: Iliryans never mastered faster than light travel. Instead they perfected the science of immortality through soul transference. They can regenerate and repair their host’s bodies but when they wear out they can hop into another body and continue crossing the stars with infinite patience and calm. Other species know them by another, darker name: Star Vampires.

Dirty little secret: What (or who) caused the starship to explode? Will Warrant really leave Earth if given the opportunity? What happens when the Star Vampires invade in search of new hosts and Warrant is forced to pick sides? Stay tuned to find out!

Quote: Petty crook: “Don’t hit me! I’m unarmed!”. Warrant: “That’s ok. So am I.”

Warrant AKA Officer Shane Burton
STR 10, STA 8, AGL 4, DEX 4, FGT 8, INT 1, AWE 2, PRE 2
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fort 10, Tough 12, Will 8, Init +4

Acrobatics +10, Athletics +16, Expertise:Law +5, Insight +4, Perception +8, Persuasion +6, Ranged Combat:Throw +8
Inspire 2, Leadership, Teamwork, Close Attack 2, Diehard

Flight 8 (500mph), Immunity 10 (Life Support), Immunity 2 (Critical Hits), Power Lifting 2 (100tons), Protection 4, Regeneration 3

Unarmed +10 DC25

Complications: Motivation:Justice, Honour

Character du Jour: Asbo

Posted on February 9, 2011 by greywulf

Some would argue that all Halflings are nasty little creatures at the best of times, and they may well be some truth to that. There are some few, thankfully few, Halflings that are so bad that even other Halflings give them a wide berth.

Asbo is one such Halfling, and all folks regardless of height or hairiness of feet would be wise to avoid him, or at least make sure you are not looking at the pointy end of his arrows. His real name is unknown; it’s doubtful he ever had one at all as his parents abandoned him when he was just a bairn and he was found and raised by a local tribe of Wood Elves.

They called him “child” until he was old enough to wield a weapon. When we received his own Shortbow he held it high and yelled “‘As Bow!” and the elves laughed. Thenceforth, his name was Asbo.

You would think that a Halfling raised by Elves would gain the best qualities of both races; a potent mixture of a Halfling’s gleeful curiosity and Elven grace and love of beauty.

You would think that, and you would be wrong. Asbo is the worst of his breed and upbringing; a sneaky thieving ambusher with little or no concept of personal possessions or hygiene. The Elves finally despaired (or became bored, as Elves often do) and deposited him beyond their forest and set up wards to prevent his return.

Asbo was now an outcast of two races. Unloved and unlovable, he took the only path open to him.

He joined an adventuring party.

Asbo’s reputation precedes him and the Goblins flee.

Dirty Little Secret: He is dirty, little and secretive. What more do you want?

Notes: Here in the UK, ASBO is a common abbreviation for Anti-Social Behaviour Order, a civil legal order issued to people who carry out disruptive behaviour such as playing loud music at 3am, spraying graffiti and generally doing things that Right Minded Folk disapprove of. Perfect name for a Halfling, then.

Here is Asbo’s pdf character sheet at 3rd Level. Note that despite all of his faults (and they are many indeed) his Charisma is 10; there’s always foolish folk who find something appealing about the worst of cases. Such folks might even call him cute, in the same way that the ugliest nastiest dog in the litter is often the cutest.

Good luck with this one.

Character du Jour: Molly Underroot

Posted on December 2, 2010 by greywulf

"I…… am a purple person. People. I am a purple people." — Molly Underroot

Ah, Molly. Dear sweet charming drunken Molly. Those who know her generally agree that she is a disaster that has already happened, and is still happening. Her first foray into the dungeon delving business came when she (in her words) "fell down a hole" and resurfaced two days later still tipsy and clutching a solid gold jewellery box. Quite how she got it, or what happened down there no one knows – least of all Molly.

Despite (or perhaps because of) her apparent ineptitude, Molly is a surprisingly effective delver. She somehow manages to lean just where the secret door happens to be, and has opened trapped chests by sneezing into the locking mechanism. Her combat style has been likened to the Drunken Monkey martial art style, only without the monkey. While holding only a half full bottle of Dwarven Elfkiller Vintage Port and a rusty dagger has been known to eliminate an entire roomful of Goblins single handed. Without even realizing it.

Dirty little secret: Molly drinks to forget. Forget what? No idea. She’s forgotten.

Notes: Bridget Jones, dungeon delver. Need I say more?

Here is Molly’s character sheet (pdf), all ready to play at 1st level.

Character du Jour: Theros Cordellian, the Godsthief

Posted on September 27, 2010 by greywulf

The greying sergeant scratched his head while the merchant raved. Last night, his store had been raided. This in itself wasn’t unusual, especially with the trollwar making generally honest men turn to illegal activities just to survive. What was odd was how little was taken.

While the merchant wrung his hands and moaned that the gods themselves had deserted him, his staff busied themselves taking stock of the losses. A scribe patiently tallied their findings, cross-referencing everything with the last months’ figures.

His calculations complete, the scribe lowered his quill.

"10%. Exactly 10%, and not a sou more."

Theros Cordellian is a Godsthief, a rare and secretive calling that specializes in taking the church’s tithe from those who do not give it willingly. He carries out his work with professional detachment, working as secretively as possible so as not to embarrass his targets. The church gains what is rightfully theirs by law and proclamation, and the parishioner often receives a quiet visit from the local clergy, suggesting that the "theft" was natural justice due to their immoral greed.

In the end, everyone wins.

Occasionally, Theros is called for more unusual duties, assisting in the church’s investigation of rumours regarding lost tombs, relics and the like. In those times, he joins an adventuring troupe as a relic hunter on orders from the church. In return, he asks for nothing more than a fair share, plus the safe return of any holy relics they may find.

Dirty little secret: Theros answers to Prelate Maliss, a vile man who passes none of Theros’ recovered tithes back to the church of Erathis, and has built up considerable wealth and power as a result. And if he is ever found out, he has a ready-made fall guy….

Notes: Theros is a 3rd level hybrid Rogue/Cleric. That’s one awesome combination – a one-man adventuring party who can stab you in the back one round then heal you the next. He is a professional burglar who firmly believes that what he is doing is right. He feels no compassion for his victims at all – in fact, he considers it is they who are the god’s thieves, not him. They’ve kept what rightly belongs to the church. He’s just putting it back.

One day though, he will steal the wrong 10% from the wrong person.

Love this character. He’s a one-man disaster action movie, all waiting to happen.

Here’s his character sheet, all ready to play. I dig his Lullaby Mace!

If forced to fight, his favoured tactic is to clasp his Holy Symbol of Good Fortune and use his Gaze of Defiance against his opponent from a distance, invoking the Good Fortune at the same time. This gives him +2 to his next attack as well as a +1 bonus to his allies against the same target (+3 if he attacks Theros back). Follow that up by moving if necessary then spending an Action Point for a Setup Strike, pretty much guaranteeing Sneak Attack damage next round. Follow up by using Stunning Blade Leap (a total of +11 to hit!) with his Lullaby Mace to send the poor mook to Sleep. Or dead.

That’s a total damage over two rounds of 5d8+2d6+11 with allies at +1 to hit and the poor bozo Slowed and well on the way to unconsciousness. Not too shabby for a fun, story focused, non-optimized rogue with a mace.

Of course, he’s burned through all his Dailies in just two rounds, but doing it just once is worth the look on the other player’s faces :D

Dungeons & Disney du Jour: Princess Pauline

Posted on July 25, 2010 by greywulf

“Jest look at her. Prancing through this stinkin’ dungeon like it’s some fairy tale palace, all singin’ and dancing’ fit to burst. It’s no surprising the monsters hear us comin’ a mile away. What I want to know is how come she never gets hit. I mean, look at what she’s wearin’! A ball gown! D’you see, Sir Gallant? D’you see?”. Five steps behind the dwarf the paladin sighed, an unmistakable look of adoration on his face, “Yes goodfellow Bain, I see….”

Once upon a time, Princess Pauline lived in a huge castle atop a hill surrounded by an enchanted wood populated with all manner of friendly animals. Then the orcs came and Princess Pauline was forced to escape with the aid of a gruff dwarf and a love-struck paladin. They had a series of hilarious adventures (most of which involved Princess Pauline singing and looking immaculate) and now find themselves questing through dungeons in search of the Key to True Love which will banish the orcs from Princess Pauline’s kingdom forever. Then they will all live happily ever after.

Except maybe the dwarf.

Dirty Little Secret: The power behind the orc invasion is none other than Princess Pauline’s evil stepmother, a wicked Night Hag intent on claiming the tiny kingdom as her own. In order to do that she needs to ensure that Princess Pauline dies in as gruesome a manner as possible. Or eat an apple. Either works.

Notes: 4e D&D Bards make excellent Disney Princesses. In fact they might as well have just called it the Disney Princess character class. With a fine singing voice and the ability to get friends and foes alike into all sorts of japes in battle (not to mention lullabies at bedtime), your Bard Disney Princess is a worthy (if frustrating) addition to any adventuring party. As your Rituals, take Animal Messenger and Create Campsite and your woodland friends will only be too eager to help with your domestic chores.

Here is Princess Pauline’s character sheet at 1st level.

Enjoy!

Character du Jour: Ratman

Posted on July 4, 2010 by greywulf

When nerdy insular Drew Duayne saw his wealthy socialite parents gunned down by a laughing criminal, he ran. After several months the search was called off and he was declared missing, presumed dead. Ten years later, he returned.

Drew had fled into the sewers, hiding in the comforting darkness. Silence enveloped him as he considered his fate and the evil he had faced that day. That was when they came. The Rats.

They brought him food and water, kept him warm in the cold dark. Their chatter filled his mind as they showed him the secrets of the Under City. He learned the most forgotten sewer routes, the ancient caves that speak of a time before civilised man. They showed him how to use the shadows, and when to choose the right moment to attack. He also saw what it means to go against the law of the pack; justice should be swift, absolute and without mercy.

When the time was right, they showed him the way back into the light.

Drew reclaimed his heritage as head of Duayne Industries, secretly funnelling off the R&D budget to craft a secret base and array of vehicles, weapons, armour and equipment. When the darkness falls, Ratman roams the streets bringing justice – swift, absolute and without mercy.

Not the best render in the world. Picture Batman but skinny, brown and no cape. Got that? ‘Kay.

Dirty little secret: At the centre of it all in the deepest dark sits The Rat King, immortal, silently plotting, using the weakest and most vulnerable of human children to unknowingly forge an army of conquest. And as for the laughing criminal who killed Drew’s parents – well, every King needs a Jester……

Notes: Much as I like Batman, his origin story is a bit crap, isn’t it? I mean – he sees a bat from his bedroom window and decides to become Batman; what’s that about? He could have seen a tree and become Treeman, or the Moon and turned into Moon Knigh… I mean, Moonman. Heck, we could have Cloudman running around catching the crooks if he’d looked up five minutes earlier. The bats did nothing for him except provide a fashion theme. Big woo. So here’s my take where the Rats aid poor Drew, care for him, nurture him and become (should he ask it of them) and entire frickin’ ARMY for him. Bats? Bats are for wusses.

Supporting characters: Colin (weedy sidekick wannabe); Nighthawk (an earlier Colin, now fully grown), Arnold (butler, secretly in the pay of the Rat King), Ratgirl (teenager, also taken in by the Rats); Ratwoman (slightly mad lady with a rat fetish); The Jester (arch enemy), Ratmite (don’t ask).

Stats as per Costumed Adventurer archetype, Mutants & Masterminds, Second Edition page 18. Here’s the direct link to the whole of Chapter One (which includes these stats, and more), for free!

(Note to self: Getting behind on my ICONS and Risus Superheroes versions. Must fix that.)

Greywulf's Lair

Category Archives: Character du jour