We can certainly live without another cohort, but if Castellan is ready in time that'd be great (or if we want to let warclam upgrade). Either way, just a quick warning that I won't be able to post on friday, but I'll get in on the IC thread once the weekend is here.

Quote from: Justin Alexander;598537realized I had typed "Opaopjr" instead of "Josh", for which I have no explanation.

Common typo.  The keys are like right next to each other.

Heh, I was bequeathed Leadership by the god Typo, for much amuses Him.

This cohort/follower/hireling thing sounds more complicated than I remember. However going through all the little traits, types, and bonuses on items and feats does bring back how niggling the rules were for 3e. I also noticed how generous this was with penalties to combat flying all over the place -- someone better manage my AoO or I'll likely flip the virtual table.  


I can't say I missed these days. But with an enthusiastic group like this, all enemies will fall.

Quote from: Justin Alexander;598448And I know that I'll definitely want more details on Gileus and Haddon before doing a pass on them.

When Lady Jastian set out on her quest to defeat her family's curse, she confided in the scholarly Gileus.  He has accompanied her, and has been studying ancient texts for any information on the curse.  I'm thinking he found some lead that led them to Oakhurst.  I'm open to other ideas though.

Sorry, folks. I ended up not having any of the free time I was expecting to have yesterday. (Well, for me it's still "today" because I'm only just now getting to bed at 5 AM.)

I'll be doing my best to get the character backgrounds out today. Sorry for the delay.

Okay, I'm going to start the character backgrounds with Lady Jastian and her traveling companions. I'm hoping to have stuff for the Oakhurst locals shortly.

Here's the deal: Take a look over what I've written here. Veto whatever you don't like; elaborate on anything you do; and/or simply give the thumb's up to say that it's good to go.

LADY JASTIAN

When she who is last of the Wyverntongue
Shall stand alone, of heirs your only heir,
Her fellows all of breath-spent empty lung,
Their forlorn hope from forth her fingers tear
And leave her barren, clenched with endless doubt.
For she shall know her doom, to wed a mate
As foul within as he seems fair without;
A living nightmare laced with sweetest bait,
'Gainst which all mortal sense should give its care.
Yet from their cursed, conjoined loins shall spring
A thing of shadow's depth and queen's despair,
A blight in lands of blood to rule as king.
     This is the curse from which your fame is born;
     Let all your deeds forevermore be torn.

                    - The Curse of the Wyverntongues

In the distant lands which were their home, the Wyverntongues were a prestigious and honored family: Its mighty founders were famed in legend and heroic chansons. Its heirs rules prosperous and happy lands. But through the long centuries of their glory, the Curse of the Wyverntongues – a tradition passed down from the earliest days of the house – remained a persistent and never-forgotten blight.

When her elder brother lay upon his deathbed, Lady Jastian foresaw the dark clutches of the curse settling upon her soul: As Lady of the Wyverntongues, she was now the line's sole heir.

Rather than waiting for her fate to find her, the veteran warrior gathered whatitems she could and rode into the night, hoping to find clues about the curse's origins or how it could manifest. She kept her purpose secret to all but her most trusted associates, instead claiming to quest after long-forgotten treasures of her ancestors, items that might reverse the family's declining fortunes.

Only a scant handful of gold coins remain from the wealth Lady Jastian carried with her upon her departure. She must secure more soon, lest she be forced to humiliate herself by accepting employment as a mere sellsword or caravan guard.

AMINDA SCROPPINGS

Aminda Scroppings was the oldest servant of the Wyverntongue household: Midwife, nanny, herbalist, and whatever else might be needed. She has been old for all the years that Lady Jastian has known her, which has been all her life. She would do anything to protect the Lady and would never accept being far from her. She can be quite insistent in this respect.

In fact, when Lady Jastian left her ancestral home it was her intention to go alone. But somehow Aminda knew what she was planning and refused to be left behind.

It is perhaps well that she did: During Lady Jastian's many travels and adventures, Aminda has become something akin to the expedition's quartermaster. She arranges supplies, organizes the hiring of local muscle, and the like.

GILEUS

Gileus was a student at the University of Fawnhallow when he first learned of the legendary Living Library of Garth. He spent years dedicated to studying its lore, eventually concluding – on the basis of the strange marginalia found in the Ptaoth Manuscripts – that the Library must still exist. Leaving his studies in Fawnhallow, Garth traveled into the icy wastes of the north which are said to have once been home to a civilization of golden summer.

And there, as he had predicted, he found the Library: A solitary edifice of granite thrust up through a shelf of ice and heated by vast flows of lava deep beneath the glacier. He was somewhat surprised, however, to discover that the Library was still active, tended by librarians maintaining traditions millennia old. Drawn to the vast stores of knowledge they curated, Gileus apprenticed himself to their ranks.

Decision time: The Librarians of Garth use a magical technique to scribe vast volumes of lore onto their bodies as living tattoos that swirl across their skin. If Gileus finished his apprenticeship and had his body tattooed with the lore of Garth, then you can choose one Knowledge skill and gain a permanent +2 bonus to checks using that skill because you literally have a reference library on the back of your hand. But this will inflict a -2 penalty to many Charisma-based checks and a hefty -8 penalty to Disguise checks. Alternatively, Gileus may have still been an apprentice when Lady Jastian arrived.

About a year ago, a beautiful woman named Jastian arrived at the Library. She sought knowledge of ancient draconic rites and lore, particularly as they pertained to prophecy. Following his oaths to the Library, Gileus sought to help her in any way that he could. But over time it became about more than just his oaths: He felt drawn to some deep and immense pain he sensed within the Lady; a pain which seemed inexorably linked to the bodies of lore they were exploring together.

Lady Jastian eventually confessed to Gileus her true purposes: The Curse which haunted her uncertain future and her desperate need to see it broken. He eventually broke his oaths to the Library and swore new oaths of fealty to Lady Jastian, pledging to join her in her journeys until her Curse had been lifted.

Unfortunately, there was nothing within the annals of the Library that Gileus could find that would help Lady Jastian. However, he was able to compile a list of sites which were said to have once been (or continue to be) locus points of draconic activity. Since leaving the Library, they have journeyed to several of these locations, often being met with disappointment. Now they have come to Oakhurst in the hope that the references to a "citadel" will bear some fruit.

Can I just give you a general outline and you fill in the and we leave most motivations nebulous?

I was thinking thus:

Cudberct was born in a land far away called . He worked as a farm boy and in his local militia in (name unimportant). They saw talent, he went to work for , traveled, met and fell in love with Ermengilda in land even further away called . Patron was ousted, Cudberct went back to marry Ermengilda, they moved to "the edge of the civilized world" to enjoy raising a family. He used his army money and Patron's parting proceeds to buy the Inn.

A few war buddies came to visit his little business and wrangle him up for some extra adventuring. Some were successful $$ (hence nice $$ cushion), others were wastes of time. Did a few visits to the ravine, but him and veteran buddies knew when to back off and wait for more help. They left. Cudberct stayed.

A few new adventuring groups came in, he tried to help at times. Many died, even some he liked and joined briefly, too. Sad, he now tries to keep the foolhardy away from the ravine. Runs the Inn, part of the town militia, and tends his home for local farmers to relax and hear the crazy tales of travelers. The End.

Probably a stupid question: does "3.5 books" literally mean books, or is, say, the Wild Cohort feat on the table?

Ok, this should be correct now.  I don't know what it is doing with the extra Swim listing, but I have 3 ranks of Swim listed at the top.  I deleted the extra line item, are you saying I still have three skill points to spend?

The Touch AC is calculated as you have it in the character screen of PCGen, but it keeps listing it as 13 when I export.  No biggie, it's corrected also.

Latest update:
Name:       Sgt Llewellyn
Race:       Human
Player:     StormBringer
Classes:    Warrior7
Hit Points: 45
Experience: 21000 / 28000
Alignment:  Chaotic Good
Vision:    
Speed:      Walk 30 ft.
Languages:  Common
Stat    Score   Mod
STR      17      (+3)
DEX      12      (+1)
CON      14      (+2)
INT      11      (+0)
WIS      11      (+0)
CHA      14      (+2)
-------------------------- Skills --------------------------
Skill                   Total   Rnk     Stat    Msc
Climb                    8        5.0      3        0
Gather Information       7        3.0      2        2
Intimidate               7        3.0      2        2
Jump                     7        4.0      3        0
Ride                     10       9.0      1        0
Swim                     6        3.0      3        0
Appraise                 0        0.0      0        0
Balance                  1        0.0      1        0
Bluff                    4        0.0      2        2
Concentration            2        0.0      2        0
Craft (Untrained)        0        0.0      0        0
Diplomacy                2        0.0      2        0
Disguise                 2        0.0      2        0
Escape Artist            1        0.0      1        0
Forgery                  0        0.0      0        0
Heal                     0        0.0      0        0
Hide                     1        0.0      1        0
Listen                   0        0.0      0        0
Move Silently            1        0.0      1        0
Search                   2        0.0      0        2
Sense Motive             0        0.0      0        0
Spot                     0        0.0      0        0
Survival                 0        0.0      0        0
Use Rope                 1        0.0      1        0
                                                   
-------------------------- Feats ---------------------------
Endurance
Improved Initiative
Investigator
Persuasive
Armor Proficiency (Heavy)
Armor Proficiency (Light)
Armor Proficiency (Medium)
Martial Weapon Proficiency
Shield Proficiency
Simple Weapon Proficiency
Tower Shield Proficiency

-------------------------- Combat --------------------------
    Total / Touch / Flat Footed
AC: 13    / 11    / 12
Initiative:   +5
BAB:          +7/+2
Melee tohit:  +10/+5
Ranged tohit: +8/+3

Fortitude:    +7
Reflex:       +3
Will:         +2

Unarmed attack:
to hit:       +10/+5
damage:       1d3+3
critical:     20/x2

Axe, Throwing:
to hit:       +10/+5
damage:       1d6+3
critical:     20/x2

Axe, Throwing (Thrown):
to hit:       +8/+3
damage:       1d6
critical:     20/x2
range:        10 ft.

Dagger:
to hit:       +10/+5
damage:       1d4+3
critical:     19-20/x2

Dagger (Thrown):
to hit:       +8/+3
damage:       1d4
critical:     19-20/x2
range:        10 ft.

Handaxe:
to hit:       +10/+5
damage:       1d6+3
critical:     20/x3

Shortspear:
to hit:       +10/+5
damage:       1d6+3
critical:     20/x3

Shortspear (Thrown):
to hit:       +8/+3
damage:       1d6
critical:     20/x3
range:        20 ft.

------------------------- Equipment ------------------------
Name                                            QTY    LBS
Axe (Throwing)                                   4    8lbs
Short Sword +2 (Adamantine)
Handaxe
Dagger
Shortspear

Helmet                                          1    5lbs
Mithral Heavy Shield                             1    7lbs    Special: 30hp/inch and 15 hardness
Masterwork Chain Shirt  

--------------------------- Magic --------------------------
Name                                            QTY    LBS
Potion (Cure Light Wounds)                       2    0lbs
Potion (Cure Moderate Wounds)                    1    0lbs
Potion (Neutralize Poison)                       1    0lbs
     
------------------------ Description -----------------------
Height: 5'8"            Weight: 212 lbs.                Gender: Male    


Outfit (Explorer's)
Axe (Throwing)
Handaxe
Dagger
Mithral Heavy Shield
Potion (Neutralize Poison)
Potion (Cure Light Wounds)
Potion (Cure Moderate Wounds)
Helmet
Shortspear
Masterwork Chain Shirt
Short Sword +2 (Adamantine)
Backpack
Holy Symbol (Wooden)
Pouch (Belt)
Trail Rations (6 Days)
Rope (Silk/50 Ft.)
Warhorse (Heavy)
Mace (Heavy)
Saddle (Military)
Saddlebags
4064 gp, 5 sp
EDIT:  I think this is right for the horse:
Name:       Justice
Race:       Warhorse, Heavy
Player:      
Classes:    Animal4
Hit Points: 44
Experience: 0 / 10000
Alignment:  True Neutral
Vision:     Low-light
Speed:      Walk 35 ft.
Languages:  
Stat    Score   Mod
STR      24      (+7)
DEX      16      (+3)
CON      22      (+6)
INT      2       (-4)
WIS      12      (+1)
CHA      6       (-2)
-------------------------- Skills --------------------------
Skill                   Total   Rnk     Stat    Msc
Listen                   6        3.0      1        2
Spot                     7        4.0      1        2
Appraise                 -4       0.0      -4       0
Balance                  -1       0.0      3        -4
Bluff                    -2       0.0      -2       0
Climb                    3        0.0      7        -4
Concentration            6        0.0      6        0
Craft (Untrained)        -4       0.0      -4       0
Diplomacy                -2       0.0      -2       0
Disguise                 -2       0.0      -2       0
Escape Artist            -1       0.0      3        -4
Forgery                  -4       0.0      -4       0
Gather Information       -2       0.0      -2       0
Heal                     1        0.0      1        0
Hide                     -5       0.0      3        -8
Intimidate               -2       0.0      -2       0
Jump                     3        0.0      7        -4
Move Silently            -1       0.0      3        -4
Ride                     3        0.0      3        0
Search                   -4       0.0      -4       0
Sense Motive             1        0.0      1        0
Survival                 1        0.0      1        0
Swim                     -1       0.0      7        -8
Use Rope                 3        0.0      3        0
                                                   
-------------------------- Feats ---------------------------
Alertness
  You get a +2 bonus on all Listen checks and Spot checks.
 
Armor Proficiency (Barding)
-------------------- Special Abilities ---------------------

------------------------ Templates -------------------------

-------------------------- Combat --------------------------
    Total / Touch / Flat Footed
AC: 20    / 12    / 17
Initiative:   +3
BAB:          +3
Melee tohit:  +9
Ranged tohit: +5

Fortitude:    +10
Reflex:       +7
Will:         +2

Unarmed attack:
to hit:       +5
damage:       1d4+7
critical:     20/x2

Hoof:
to hit:       +9/+9
damage:       1d6+7
critical:     20/x2

Bite:
to hit:       +4
damage:       1d4+3
critical:     20/x2
--------------------- Special Abilities --------------------
 
------------------------- Equipment ------------------------
Name                                            QTY    LBS
Barding (Scale Mail)                             1    30lbs
Bit and Bridle                                   1    1lbs
Blanket (Winter)                                 1    3lbs
Total weight carried:
Current load:         Light
Encumbrance
Light:  700  
Medium: 1400  
Heavy:  2100


Haddon the Vagrant, 2.0:

Spoiler

Haddon Bania; CR 1; Male Forest Gnome Adept1; True Neutral Small Humanoid (gnome)
Init +1; Senses Listen +4, Spot +2, Low-light vision; Languages Common, Elven, Gnome, Sylvan, forest animal
AC 14/18 vs. giants, touch 12/16 vs. giants, flat-footed 13
HP 6 (1 HD)
Fort +0, Ref +1, Will +4/+6 vs. illusions
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)
Melee spear +0 (1d6-1/20x3) or club +0 (1d4-1/20) or silver sickle +0 (1d4-2/19-20)
Ranged light crossbow +2 (1d6/19-20x2) or thrown spear +2 (1d6-1/20x3)
Base Atk +0; Grapple -5
Adept Spells Prepared (CL 1st)
* * 1st—Cure Light Wounds, Sleep
* * 0th—Create Water, Cure Minor Wounds (2)
Abilities STR 8, DEX 13, CON 10, INT 12, WIS 15, CHA 14
Feats Wild Cohort
Skills Concentration 4 (4 ranks), Handle Animal 7/9 with whistle or Ashur/11 with both (4 ranks), Heal 4 (2 ranks), Hide 9/13 wooded area (0 ranks), Ride 3/5 with Ashur (0 ranks), Survival 4 (2 ranks)
Racial Traits Pass without Trace (Su); +1 attack vs. kobolds, goblinoids, orcs, reptilian humanoids; 1/day–dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation
Possessions Carried by Haddon silver beast spirit amulet [holy symbol, +1 competence Handle Animal] (125gp), explorer's outfit (free worn), leather armour with riding straps (210gp), light crossbow (35gp), 3 cases crossbow bolts (3gp), silver sickle (26), spear (2gp), club (free), backpack (2gp), waterskin (1gp), training whistle (+2 Handle Animal tool, 50gp), bell (1gp), 50' roll of twine (1sp), 50' candle wick (2sp), empty sack (1sp), magnifying glass (100gp), 10 tindertwigs (10gp), 20-piece box of chalk (2sp), 8 flour pouches (8sp), 3 empty vials (3 gp), flask of acid (10gp), liquid sunlight bead (20gp)
Remaining Gold 60gp

Stats for Ashur:

Spoiler

Ashur; CR 2; Male Warbeast Wolf
Init +2; Senses Listen +3, Spot +3, Low-light vision, Scent
AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15
HP 25 (3 HD)
Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +3
Speed 60 ft. (12 squares)
Melee Bite +6 (1d6+4)
Base Atk +2; Grapple +5
Tricks Attack & attack all, Come, Down, Perform, Track
Abilities STR 16, DEX 15, CON 18, INT 2, WIS 14, CHA 6
Feats Improved Natural Armour, Track, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Listen +3 (0 ranks), Spot +3 (0 ranks), Survival +8/12 tracking by scent (6 ranks)
Racial Traits Trip (+3)
Possessions Carried by Ashur self/warbeast template (150gp), leather barding (20gp), riding saddle (10gp), saddlebags (4gp), 3 waterskins (3gp), 4 flasks of acid (40gp), tent (10gp), 5 square yards of canvas (5sp), winter blanket (5sp), 50' silk rope (10gp), bronze grappling hook (1gp), bedroll (1sp), bronze pot (5sp), spare traveler's outfit (1gp)

Here's the updated version of Haddon. Ashur is now a wolf, because I realized that forest gnomes speak to forest animals, which an elven hound is not (seriously, magical beast?), and with the the warbeast template purchased because what else am I going to spend my cash on. Swapped around my skills and weapons a little too based on some character decisions I've made. Should be no iron anywhere, please tell me if I accidentally left some in (I looked it up, crossbows can be made without metal components).

I'll put up Ashur's stats soon, got a bit of stuff to take care of. I'll also finally be able to pop into the IC thread, hooray!

EDIT: Ashur's stats now up.

EDIT 2: Twiddled to reflect some background stuff, and swapped feats for Wild Cohort. Boosted Ashur's Survival skill to be actually useful.

Quote from: Justin Alexander;598943When she who is last of the Wyverntongue
Shall stand alone, of heirs your only heir,
Her fellows all of breath-spent empty lung,
Their forlorn hope from forth her fingers tear
And leave her barren, clenched with endless doubt.
For she shall know her doom, to wed a mate
As foul within as he seems fair without;
A living nightmare laced with sweetest bait,
'Gainst which all mortal sense should give its care.
Yet from their cursed, conjoined loins shall spring
A thing of shadow's depth and queen's despair,
A blight in lands of blood to rule as king.
This is the curse from which your fame is born;
Let all your deeds forevermore be torn.

                    - The Curse of the Wyverntongues

A sonnet in Iambic Pentameter! Now THAT'S a quality curse!

That really made my day!

Still working on character backgrounds. I've got a wedding to attend this afternoon, but I'm really, really hoping I can find the time to wrap these up before the day is done.

Quote from: Warclam;598980Probably a stupid question: does "3.5 books" literally mean books, or is, say, the Wild Cohort feat on the table?

Wild Cohort works for me if you want to play with that.

Your background still lists the elven hound: I'm fine with either allowing you to speak to your elven hound with speak with animal (either because it should be an animal or because magical beasts are "similar to animals" and the spell doesn't seem to be using the word "animal" as a term of art) or simply referring to your wolf as an elven hound.

Quote from: Sir Wulf;599052A sonnet in Iambic Pentameter! Now THAT'S a quality curse!

That really made my day!

I was hoping you'd get a kick out of it.

Character backgrounds coming up as soon as I copy-and-paste them into my next message.

And some more background info for the locals:

THE GOBLIN APPLES

Each midsummer, a small group of goblins arrives in Oakhurst. Everyone assumes they must belong to the tribe that lives in the ravine off to the west, but they're not seeking trouble: They're seeking trade. Each year they bring with them a perfect, ruby-red apple that grants vigor, health, and life. It cures the ill and rejuvenates the injured. Over time, the people of Oakhurt have come to prize these fruits and are willing to enter fierce bidding wars to win the rights to it. In recent years, Mayor Vurnor and Kerowyn Hucrele have quashed the more violent squabbles by offering a very high price and then apportioning the fruit according to need.

Attempts have been made to cultivate more of the fruit by planting the seeds, but the goblins are apparently jealous of their monopoly: Although the seeds germinate in their proper season and produce a twiggy mass of twisted sapling stems, the goblins always manage to steal into town and steal the saplings.

EVERYBODY: I recommend reading through everybody's backgrounds. Most of you have been entangled to each other in one way or another.

DON ESTEBAN: I sent you a PM regarding Aminda. Check it out and PM me back, please.

TOM: Haven't heard back from you regarding the decision on Gileus' tattoos. Hit us up.

CUDBERCT

Cudberct was born in a small village within the Garland Emerald, a vast swath of rich, independent duchies loosely aligned far to the east. He escaped his life as a farm boy by joining the Amaranthine Legion and was fortunate enough to garner the favor and respect of the local septenant. He was recommended and accepted into the entourage of the duchy's general, allowing him to leave the vale which had been his home all of his life. He traveled, he served, and in a corner of the Garland Emerald he had never even heard of only a year earlier he met and fell in love with a girl named Ermengilda.

But then the Doppelganger Wars reignited. This time, the doppels had suborned the entirety of the Karth Valley before they were detected. The fighting was fierce and dirty and bloody, even before it reached the cities. Paranoia was rampant.

By the time the war ended, Cudberct's general had been slain. Cudberct resigned his commission, took his pension, and married Ermengilda. They left the Garland Emerald and traveled to the edge of the civilized world. When they came to Oakhurst, they knew they had gone far enough: Cudberct spent much of his remaining coin on the Ol' Boar's Inn and he and Ermengilda settled down to the joys of raising a family.

... for the most part. A few years back, some of Cudberct's buddies from the Doppelganger Wars passed through town. They wrangled him up for some extra adventuring and they journeyed into the Ashen Plains and up into the Bone Hills and even poked around in the Witch's Hallow down to the south. Some of these ventures were successful; others were busts. Eventually, Cudberct's buddies grew tired of Oakhurst and moved on to "bigger and better things". Cudberct stayed: He'd found the best things and he felt no wanderlust. He settled down to run the inn, serve as frequent deputy to Sgt. Llewellyn, and keep an open hearth and an open door the local farmers to feast their fill on food, drink, and old tales. During this time, Cudberct also became the head of the town's militia, such as it is.

A few years later, though, some youngsters came to town: They'd heard about Cudberct's exploits and wanted to "learn from the best". He taught 'em what he could, but they went out into the Ashen Plains against his best advice. And most of them died.

The sadness of that is a burden indeed. Cudberct does his best to turn the foolhardy away from such follies now. He was mightily distressed a few weeks back when a prideful knight named Sir Braford rode into town with his companion Karakas. They talked big. Got the youth of the town stirred up. And when they heard about the goblin apples they got excited, too. Braford and Karakas talked the Hucrele kids – Talgen and Sharwyn – into signing up to head out to the old ravine where the goblins were thought to live.

They haven't been heard from since. And Cudberct has a sinking feeling about that.

EMPLOYEES AT THE INN
Stablehand: Hasor Turrell
Baker: Certh
Chambermaid:
Errand Boy:
Night Manager:

Query: Do you and Ermengilda have kids? How many? How old are they?

SGT. LLEWELLYN[/u]

There have been Llewellyns in Oakhurst for as long as anyone can remember or the stacks of tombstones in the church basement can attest. And more than a few of them have been charged with the protection of the little village and the surrounding farms. But now there's only one: Sgt. Llewellyn.

(It's said that there are a few Llewellyns working as weavers in Southcourt, of course. But Sgt. Llewellyn has never paid much heed to the city and its paid little heed to him.)

Over the years, Sgt. Llwellyn has faced a fair share of troubles: The winterfire skeletons that rose from the old cemetery (which is why the tombstones are stacked in the church basement now and the town doesn't keep a cemetery any more). The dark Entmoot that chanted its way through Witch's Hallow. A nip of lycanthropy out on the east farms. But he's always found a way to rally the people around to make a stand against that sort of thing when a standings been necessary.

He's a comfortable sight for the folk of Oakhurst: He makes his thrice daily walk-abouts 'round the village and rides out through the farms at least twice a week. He carries carrots and lets the kids feed his warhorse Justice. Everyone knows his mithril shield and shirt of chain (both signs of the sergeant's office; the title "sergeant" in these parts being used by any chief lawman for reasons of history that no one gives much thought to). The sword he keeps strapped to his side is his, though: A family heirloom that everyone knows will never lose its edge and remains spotless after several generations. Just like the spotless Sgt. Llewellyn never loses his edge.

Cudberct, the local innkeep, works as a frequent deputy for Sgt. Llewellyn. Llewellyn's learned to trust his expertise, although there's a number of other young lads who work deputy duty as the need arises.

Llewellyn's also got a good working relationship with Mayor Vurnor. They both take great pride in making Oakhurst the best little village it can be.

Decision Time: Do you want Sgt. Llewellyn to be involved in the Old Ways. Or are the Old Ways just some strange hillfolk beliefs that you tolerate / hate?

WINTHROP PORTER[/u]

Winthrop owns a small hut in the hills several miles outside of town, where he stores a collection of books he believes to be the finest this side of Ashardalon's Teeth.

He's a familiar face around the town, as he comes in from now and then to restock, replace a lost axe, and tell tall tales in Cudberct's tavern. The rest of the time he spends in his home in the hills, hunting, drinking tea, and reading. It's well known that he knows the area around Oakhurst as well as any, and he's willing to lead exploratory expeditions, so long as his charges don't mind the danger, and the occasional lively literary discourse. Like many of the hill-folk, he speaks draconic, and has an off-handed interest in dragon lore. Whenever in town, he takes the opportunity to look up Dern, and see if he can lend her a hand. He also frequent's Rurik's weapon shoppe exclusively, and when there makes sure to brush up on his dwarven.

He is fascinated with old lore, books, and exploration. His prized possession, besides his warhorse Barnaby and his boomerang axe, is his Folding Boat, gifted to him by his father, cabin boy on the first ship to cross the Krakenwake. He carries it with him wherever he goes, in hopes that he may have the opportunity to follow in his father's footsteps, and himself be the first to cross an unknown body of water. Unfortunately, he has chosen to live in the middle of a barren plain, seemingly leagues from any sizeable pond. He has also never sailed before, and the grand total of his sailing skills come out of a somewhat fanciful book on pirates he owns. And he's deathly afraid of swimming.

HASOR TURELL

As a young boy, Hasor became fascinated by the tales told by Winthrop Porter. Despite the best efforts of his parents, he would frequently sneak off to Porter's hut to hear his tales of far-off lands and enigmatic knowledge. Hasor became particularly enamored of tales concerning the god of travel, Fharlanghn, and the ancient Pearlescent Knights who honored their god by carving out the vast pilgrim tracts across the civilized and uncivilized world.

Hasor eventually came to think of himself as a follower of Fharlanghn and dreams of traveling the world some day, witnessing for himself the great natural beauties and helping the common man. A few years back he became the Cudberct's stablehand at the Ol' Boar's Inn in order to earn some extra coin to fund his future travels.

He longs to bring his childhood love with him on those travels, but Keria has spurned all his advances on account of his extreme cowardice and puny physique. Hoping to win her heart through bold adventure, Hasor has joined with the Lady Jastian, a newcomer to town, and waits anxiously to prove his mettle.

HADDON

Haddon has a very particular set of skills and he's made a life for himself exercising those skills in the only sorts of jobs that seem appropriate for them: Performing small mercenary jobs. Protecting caravans passing through long stretches of wilderness. Hunting down rogue wildlife of the monstrous sort.

He's never really gotten along well with the idea of adhering closely to a chain of command. Or even a link of command. If he did, he might have gotten himself tied up in one of the skirmishing wars between the Feald Duchies. Instead, he's found himself pushed further and further to edges of civilization.

On the other hand, if he was the sort of fellow to take orders without question he wouldn't have gone off-contract three years ago. And if he hadn't gone off contract, that young elven maid would probably be dead. And if that had happened, her father would not have gifted him with his elven hound, Ashur, in that strange ceremony of starlight-brought-to-forest-glade.

And Ashur's the best companion anyone could ask for. So it's probably all worked out for the best.

More recently, Haddon's been working guard contracts for Hucrele caravans. That's been good-paying work. When he saw the last caravan into a squabble of a town named Southcourt, though, the Hucrele representatives gave him new orders: Someone named Kerowyn Hucrele in the town of Oakhurst had sent a plea for help. Her kids had gone missing and she needed someone to help.

CERTH THE BAKER[/u]

Certh is the village baker, a stout fellow who makes a brisk trade in delicious baked goods. Technically, he works for a fellow named Cudberct at the Ol' Boar's Inn, but that's only until he can afford to rebuild his bakery which burned down a few years past in an unexplained fire in the middle of the night. Working for Cudberct gives him access to a decent oven, though, and so he's able to serve both Cudberct's customers and the baking needs of the village at large. (And Cudberct only keeps a fairly reasonable percentage of the latter.)

Certh also trains with the village militia... which is also run by Cudberct. He's never seen any actual combat though. At least, nothing more involved than scaring off the odd wandering goblin. (During the lycanthropy scare three summers back he was charged with watching the town square, but all the excitement happened out on the east farms.)

Question: You described Certh as "devoutly religious"? Do you want that to be in the Old Ways of faith or would you prefer being devout to some newer religion which would generally imply an antagonistic (but not necessarily hostile) relationship with the Old Ways?

Quote from: Justin Alexander;599428CUDBERCT
Query: Do you and Ermengilda have kids? How many? How old are they?

Last sentence of my character sheet post that you linked:

"The little boy is too young to work, around 6, and the girl is just younger at 4; both old enough for us parents to have *some* sleep, but now more able to get into bigger trouble."

So two kids, 6 yr old boy, 4 yr old girl.

You could make Ermengilda pregnant if you want (perhaps early third trimester?). And then my character will soon get absolutely no sleep.
"Death-defying daring-do? Do I get to sleep when we break camp? Sold!"