It is the year 1349 DR, in the month of Deepwinter. You have been on the road for nearly two months now, and snow hangs thick on the trees as you make your way towards the town of Orlbar, at the foot of the Greypeak Mountains. The Greypeaks are known throughout Faerun for their silver and iron mines, but it is a different type of metal that brought you here: gold. While you were in Neverwinter you overheard rumours of a large horde of treasure within an abandoned goblin keep. Even tavern rumours prove to be fruitful sometimes, and having been without a purpose for some months, you departed immediately for the Grey Vale. When you reach Orlbar, the air is brisk and town is busy. Carts carry all manner of goods: timber, wool bales, grain, and animals from the surrounding country. Some of these goods would be bound for Waterdeep or Neverwinter, others for the nearby city of Loudwater.
Hungry and thirsty after many days on the road, you enter the first tavern you see, The Woodsman’s Retreat, and satisfy your cravings. Bread, cheese and a hot mulled wine do the trick nicely. You then enquire from the barkeep about accomodation. Your bones ache and rest is essential. The mountains can wait one or two days while you rest and replenish your supplies in town. The barkeep tells you that a very respectable inn, the Silver Flask, is just nearby.
Toting your backpack, you walk down the street to the Silver Flask and pay for a room. The inkeep is a jolly woman who is glad to have your business, and she lights a cosy fire in your room. You bathe, then lie down to rest and soon fall into a deep sleep; it’s been a while since your travel-hardened self has had clean sheets and a roof overhead!
You are woken later that night by noise from the next room. You can hear a woman openly sobbing on the other side of the wall. The sound is gut-wrenching. Every now and then a male voice says something, as if trying to comfort her. You tolerate this for a while, but eventually it becomes evident that sleep is going to be impossible, and you walk out into the hallway and knock on the door to the room next to yours.
An elderly man answers. He is dressed finely, like a member of the aristocracy, but sports a nasty black eye and a gash across his cheek. In the background a woman, also richly dressed, sits on a chair by the fire, her face buried in her hands.
“Yes? What is it?” the elderly gentleman asks directly.
You straighten yourself up, peering into the room. “I was wondering what all the noise was about,” you say, although now you don’t feel quite so annoyed. “I could hear the crying from next door. I was wondering,” you say gruffly, not used to dealing with aristocrats, “If it’s anything I can help you with?
Perhaps then we can all get some rest?” At this the woman looks up and sees you. You probably look a fright, after all those weeks on the road – ungroomed, hair dishevelled, travel-worn clothes - but you’ve had a bath so you at least you don’t smell bad. However, your type has an… air about them. You’ve seen a fight or two and know how to handle yourself in most situations.
You’re what’s known in these parts as ‘the adventuring type.’ Such types generally know how to get things done, things that others might shy away from. “Show our guest in, Elric,” the woman says weakly, drying her tears with a silk handkerchief.
The Mysterious Knight
You are shown to a chair. For some reason, this old couple, who introduce themselves as Lord and Lady Brewmont, welcome your presence, if only as a distraction from the grief they seem consumed by.
“We arrived here last night,” Lady Brewmont begins. “Elric is so busy these days, so we thought we would bring ourselves out to Orlbar for a little holiday. Our son, he’s so fond of the mountains. Loves all the stories. Well, he’s our grandson really. The son of our daughter who died some years ago. He is all we have left of her. We call him our son.“ Lady Brewmont begins sobbing once more.
Elric Brewmont picks up the thread. “Long story short, my friend, we were accosted on the highway. We were passing along a lonely stretch of read when he appeared, from nowhere. A knight, a towering brute of a man, all clad in armour.” Lord Elric points to his face. “Did this to me, knocked me out cold. Then he grabbed our boy, threw him on a horse and bolted! Without a word!” “Hmm,” you say, mulling over this information. “Did he seem familiar, this knight?”
Elric shakes his head. “I know what you’re thinking. Wealthy aristocrat, on holiday from Loudwater, someone must have known we were coming out here, and siezed the opportunity. It’s true, I am what you would call… a public figure. It is well known, in Loudwater at least, that I am a wealthy man. But no…. this knight was something else. We didn’t see his face, it was hidden by a great metal visor. A towering warrior he was, a hulk of a man.” Lady Brewmont speaks again. “And he has kidnapped our poor little Darek! Abducted him, just ripped him out of our grasp!”
Incompetent Fools
“What did you do then?” you ask. “We came straight to Orlbar,” Lady Brewmont says. “We went to the Captain of the Guard, but he, he…”
“A thoroughly incompetent fool,” Lord Brewmont growls. “Said this Knight was a ghost, that he’d chosen Darek as his squire, and that there was nothing we could do about it! Said Darek wasn’t the first. Called him The Death Knight! You can imagine what a comfort that was to us.”
“They say the Knight lives in the wood nearby,” Lady Brewmont says airily, as if in a waking dream. “Weathercote Wood, isn’t it dear?”
The old man grits his teeth, staring into the fire, and punches his palm. “Ghost my arse!” he snarls through gritted teeth. “That knight looked real enough to me. He’s a lunatic, nothing more, a lunatic who kidnaps young boys! And when I find the blaggard, by the Gods will he pay!”
You can’t help thinking that Lord Brewmont is a bit out of his depth here. You don’t doubt his resolve, but he looks as though his days of conquest are well behind him. You feel for this poor old couple. While not usually associating with the wealthy, you do know that you have something to offer them, and you’re never one to shy away from a good adventure… especially when the chance of a reward is on the table.
“I can find your boy,” you hear yourself saying. The woman looks up, and new hope begins to shine from her eyes.
“Oh Gods,” she says, her voice quavering. “We’ll give you anything, anything…” The old man is a little more ractical. “If I was a few decades younger, I’d be out there myself. I saw action in the Battle of Tanglefork, when we freed the Vale from Rensha rule.”
You nod appreciatively – that battle happened about 30 years ago, and was said to be fierce. You are not surprised – Elric Brewmont definitely carries himself like an old veteran.
“I can’t put my sword forward any more, but I can offer you gold, my friend… 2000 pieces of it, to be exact…”
At dawn the next day, following the few scraps of information you have, you saddle your horse and ride to the outskirts of town. The townsfolk pay you little mind as you go, casting you the occasional glance.
The journey to Weathercote Wood lies due east, but is no short ride. The Captain of the Guard tells you that the Death Knight has always been seen in a small patch of wood that juts out from the western side of Weathercote, “like a wart on a giant’s nose.”
By midday you reach a sign which tells you you have another 15 miles to go. You should make it there by nightfall. Not far past the sign is a small inn and tavern. An old man sits on a chair in the afternoon sun, and raises a tankard of ale as you pass.
“Last drink for many miles!” the old man calls to you. “Come, sit! I’ll buy you an ale!”
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik ties his horse up to the tavern’s porch and joins the old man, who directs a young boy to bring you a frothing tankard of ale. The boy also brings a bowl of stew for you to eat. “What brings you out this way?” the old man asks eventually.
(If you choose to simply replenish yourself and be on your way [1-50] or Do you tell him of your quest? [51-100])
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
You find yourself telling the old man all about your quest to find the mysterious knight and return Darek Brewmont to his grandparents. The old man nods solemnly. “The Death Knight,” he says quietly, and leans forward in his chair. “Local legend, they say, but ah….” “What?” you ask.
He straightens up, looking you straight in the eye. “It’s no legend,” he says firmly. “I was a boy when they hung him, from the Red Tree in Weathercote Wood.” The old man goes on to tell you the story. The man who would become the Death Knight was once a good man, who came from a village in the far south. After his wife died from the pox, he left his village taking his only son with him as his squire, eager to teach him the ways of the righteous warrior. But a large band of brigands ambushed them on the road, shot the knight with a poison dart, and kidnapped his son. They left a note pinned in the ground with a dagger, demanding the knight plunder the treasury in Orlbar and deliver the gold to them. The Knight did so, almost dying in the process, but the town guard pursued him from town. When the kidnapperss saw the Knight coming with the authorities close behind, they killed the poor boy and fled.
Upon finding his son’s body, the Knight swore vengeance on the bandits and vowed to pursue them unto the ends of the world. Unwilling to be taken by the town guard, the Knight drew his weapon to resist the arrest. The ensuing fight was bloody, but the knight slew all who came against him. When the fight was over, the Knight pursued the bandits deeper into the wood but lost their tracks in the undergrowth. His rage deepened until the bloodlust and madness possessed him entirely, driven insane at the thought of his son’s killers escaping unpunished. None would cross his path and live until the bandits had been brought to justice at the tip of his blade.
Eventually more soldiers had to come from Loudwater to capture the insane knight. “When they finally did,” the old man concludes, “they hung him in Weathercote Wood, from a Red Tree.” The old man looks down. “But his unfulfilled quest to find his son’s killers brought him back. As undead. The Death Knight, they call him now. And since then, every few years or so, a boy will go missing… He’s looking for a squire, someone to help him on his quest.” You take a moment to digest all this information and drink from your tankard. After a while, you thank the old man for the company and the information and are on your way.
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
It is late when you finally reach Weathercote Wood, some 55 miles east of Orlbar. There, on the wood’s edge, you camp and let your horse run free. You won’t be needing him for a while. Weathercote Wood is thick, the foliage dense, towering walls of green. And in there somewhere, if the information you have is to be trusted, is the boy Darek Brewmont.
You settle down in your bedroll, the embers of your fire keeping you warm well into the night. After a full day’s riding it doesn’t take long for you to fall into a deep slumber, the sound of a nearby river lulling you to sleep. You wake just before dawn, fully rested. But a noise instantly puts you on guard; from somewhere nearby comes a wet, slavering sound. Quietly you pick up your weapon and move forward stealthily. When you are some hundred or so feet away, whatever is lurking catches your scent, and you hear it running quickly away. Only dim starlight shows any detail, and all you can see is a darkened shape moving through the night, towards the wood.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Your target is about 100ft away. You lift your weapon, taking a quick assessment of the conditions, and fire.
(Attack: 5 Damage: 3)
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
You watch the black shape scurry away, back into the cover of Weathercote Wood, and curse your poor aim. Then you walk forward to where the creature had been before you startled it and sent it running for the trees.
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
You walk forward to where the beast had been before, making all that noise that woke you. There, twitching in its death throes, is the horse you rode from Orlbar. Gritting your teeth in anger, you take out your weapon and quickly put the poor beast out of its misery. The first rays of dawn begin to creep into the sky. With a sigh of resignation, you wipe the horse’s blood from your weapon and begin the trek towards the wood’s edge.
The morning is peaceful, in contrast to the savagery you have just witnessed, and a chorus of birds greet the dawn with calls that echo off the low hills of the surrounding landscape. As you near Weathercote Wood and can see down the single path that leads into its depths, you see that little light seems to penetrate in through the canopy. Night still hides beneath the mossy boughs and dark green vines that thread the ancient trees together. You step onto the path and enter Weathercote Wood… who knows what fate awaits you within these shadowed depths…
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
You move ahead, deeper into the wood, and it almost seems as if the trees themselves are watching your progress. Indeed, as you go on, you really do get the feeling you are being watched.
Rurik checks for traps in the woods (Perception DC 12). (Perception: 19)
You search carefully around, but see nothing to indicate any traps are set here.
You pause for a second, thinking you heard something. But no, it was just some bird flapping off out of cover. You watch it rise into the canopy and then look around at the three paths that lead off from here.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
The track bends to the southeast, and you follow it, all light from the forest entrance now disappearing. It is like night still hides in here. Only the faintest light seeps in through the canopy. Ahead, you see something white and whispy spanning the path. COBWEBS! Slowly, you edge forward…
Rurik tries to be quiest as he can with his heavy armor (Stealth DC 15). (Stealth (Disadvantage): 15).
You edge forward, drawing your weapon and keeping watch on all sides. After all, where there’s webs… You stop before the first web, a thick mass of silken threads. It looks tough; an ordinary weapon is going to struggle to cut through this. Rurik casts Sacred Flame on the web.
You unlease the fire on the webs, and the silky strands quickly ignite. As flame consumes the webs, you hear a horrid screeching and a clacking sound… From the side of the path where they were hidden, awaiting their prey, two Giant Wolf Spider emerge 20 feet away and advance quickly on you!
Spider Initiative: 22 Rurik Initiative: 13
He then checks for traps in the woods (Perception DC 15). (Perception: 7)
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
TILEPAGE 2
The track bends to the southeast, and you follow it, all light from the forest entrance now disappearing. It is like night still hides in here. Only the faintest light seeps in through the canopy. Ahead, you see something white and whispy spanning the path. COBWEBS! Slowly, you edge forward…
Rurik tries to be quiest as he can with his heavy armor (Stealth DC 15). (Stealth (Disadvantage): 7).
You edge forward, drawing your weapon and keeping watch on all sides. After all, where there’s webs… You stop before the first web, a thick mass of silken threads. It looks tough; an ordinary weapon is going to struggle to cut through this. Rurik casts Sacred Flame on the web.
You unlease the fire on the webs, and the silky strands quickly ignite. As flame consumes the webs, you hear a horrid screeching and a clacking sound… From the side of the path where they were hidden, awaiting their prey, two Giant Wolf Spider emerge 40 feet away and advance quickly on you!
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Combat Round 2
Rurik hits Spider1, but it is still standing. Both spiders bites on Rurik again.
Spider1: Attack: 14 Damage: 3. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 19*. DMG if failed: 9.
Spider2: Attack: 22 Damage: 6. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 18*. DMG if failed: 2.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Rurik is able to avoid the bite from Spider1, but Spider2's bite finds its mark and goes deep into his shoulders. Rurik feels a little light headed, for he feels some of the poison going through his body.
Rurik wields his Warhammer with resolution and strikes Spider1 again: Attack: 13 Damage: 9
After Rurik smashes the head of Spider1, he prays to his god and heals himself with Healing Word (Heal: 6 HP)
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Spider2: Attack: 17 Damage: 4. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 15*. DMG if failed: 6.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik avoids the bite from Spider2 at the last second. He looks the monster in the eyes. "Now it's you and me buddy."
Rurik strikes Spider2 with his Warhammer: Attack: 23 Damage: 7
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik delivers a solid hit to Spider2 with his Warhammer, but Spider2 still stands.
Spider2: Attack: 12 Damage: 2. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 6*. DMG if failed: 11.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Rurik's hit disorients Spider2 and it can't find it's mark this time. Rurik prepares to deliver the final blow to the creature in front of him.
Rurik strikes Spider2 with his Warhammer: Attack: 14 Damage: 7
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Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik is overconfident and he also can't quite find his mark. He gets ready for another attack from the creature.
Spider2: Attack: 23 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 22*. DMG if failed: 10.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
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Arrival in Orlbar
It is the year 1349 DR, in the month of Deepwinter. You have been on the road for nearly two months now, and snow hangs thick on the trees as you make your way towards the town of Orlbar, at the foot of the Greypeak Mountains. The Greypeaks are known throughout Faerun for their silver and iron mines, but it is a different type of metal that brought you here: gold. While you were in Neverwinter you overheard rumours of a large horde of treasure within an abandoned goblin keep. Even tavern rumours prove to be fruitful sometimes, and having been without a purpose for some months, you departed immediately for the Grey Vale. When you reach Orlbar, the air is brisk and town is busy. Carts carry all manner of goods: timber, wool bales, grain, and animals from the surrounding country. Some of these goods would be bound for Waterdeep or Neverwinter, others for the nearby city of Loudwater.
Hungry and thirsty after many days on the road, you enter the first tavern you see, The Woodsman’s Retreat, and satisfy your cravings. Bread, cheese and a hot mulled wine do the trick nicely. You then enquire from the barkeep about accomodation. Your bones ache and rest is essential. The mountains can wait one or two days while you rest and replenish your supplies in town. The barkeep tells you that a very respectable inn, the Silver Flask, is just nearby.
Toting your backpack, you walk down the street to the Silver Flask and pay for a room. The inkeep is a jolly woman who is glad to have your business, and she lights a cosy fire in your room. You bathe, then lie down to rest and soon fall into a deep sleep; it’s been a while since your travel-hardened self has had clean sheets and a roof overhead!
You are woken later that night by noise from the next room. You can hear a woman openly sobbing on the other side of the wall. The sound is gut-wrenching. Every now and then a male voice says something, as if trying to comfort her. You tolerate this for a while, but eventually it becomes evident that sleep is going to be impossible, and you walk out into the hallway and knock on the door to the room next to yours.
An elderly man answers. He is dressed finely, like a member of the aristocracy, but sports a nasty black eye and a gash across his cheek. In the background a woman, also richly dressed, sits on a chair by the fire, her face buried in her hands.
“Yes? What is it?” the elderly gentleman asks directly.
You straighten yourself up, peering into the room. “I was wondering what all the noise was about,” you say, although now you don’t feel quite so annoyed. “I could hear the crying from next door. I was wondering,” you say gruffly, not used to dealing with aristocrats, “If it’s anything I can help you with?
Perhaps then we can all get some rest?” At this the woman looks up and sees you. You probably look a fright, after all those weeks on the road – ungroomed, hair dishevelled, travel-worn clothes - but you’ve had a bath so you at least you don’t smell bad. However, your type has an… air about them. You’ve seen a fight or two and know how to handle yourself in most situations.
You’re what’s known in these parts as ‘the adventuring type.’ Such types generally know how to get things done, things that others might shy away from. “Show our guest in, Elric,” the woman says weakly, drying her tears with a silk handkerchief.
The Mysterious Knight
You are shown to a chair. For some reason, this old couple, who introduce themselves as Lord and Lady Brewmont, welcome your presence, if only as a distraction from the grief they seem consumed by.
“We arrived here last night,” Lady Brewmont begins. “Elric is so busy these days, so we thought we would bring
ourselves out to Orlbar for a little holiday. Our son, he’s so fond of the mountains. Loves all the stories. Well, he’s our grandson really. The son of our daughter who died some years ago. He is all we have left of her. We call him our son.“ Lady Brewmont begins sobbing once more.
Elric Brewmont picks up the thread. “Long story short, my friend, we were accosted on the highway. We were passing along a lonely stretch of read when he appeared, from nowhere. A knight, a towering brute of a man, all clad in armour.” Lord Elric points to his face. “Did this to me, knocked me out cold. Then he grabbed our boy, threw him on
a horse and bolted! Without a word!” “Hmm,” you say, mulling over this information. “Did he seem familiar, this knight?”
Elric shakes his head. “I know what you’re thinking. Wealthy aristocrat, on holiday from Loudwater, someone must have known we were coming out here, and siezed the opportunity. It’s true, I am what you would call… a public figure. It is well known, in Loudwater at least, that I am a wealthy man. But no…. this knight was something
else. We didn’t see his face, it was hidden by a great metal visor. A towering warrior he was, a hulk of a man.” Lady Brewmont speaks again. “And he has kidnapped our poor little Darek! Abducted him, just ripped him out of our grasp!”
Incompetent Fools
“What did you do then?” you ask. “We came straight to Orlbar,” Lady Brewmont says. “We went to the Captain of the Guard, but he, he…”
“A thoroughly incompetent fool,” Lord Brewmont growls. “Said this Knight was a ghost, that he’d chosen Darek as his squire, and that there was nothing we could do about it! Said Darek wasn’t the first. Called him The Death Knight! You can imagine what a comfort that was to us.”
“They say the Knight lives in the wood nearby,” Lady Brewmont says airily, as if in a waking dream. “Weathercote Wood, isn’t it dear?”
The old man grits his teeth, staring into the fire, and punches his palm. “Ghost my arse!” he snarls through gritted teeth. “That knight looked real enough to me. He’s a lunatic, nothing more, a lunatic who kidnaps young boys! And when I find the blaggard, by the Gods will he pay!”
You can’t help thinking that Lord Brewmont is a bit out of his depth here. You don’t doubt his resolve, but he looks as though his days of conquest are well behind him. You feel for this poor old couple. While not usually associating with the wealthy, you do know that you have something to offer them, and you’re never one to shy away from a good adventure… especially when the chance of a reward is on the table.
“I can find your boy,” you hear yourself saying. The woman looks up, and new hope begins to shine from her eyes.
“Oh Gods,” she says, her voice quavering. “We’ll give you anything, anything…” The old man is a little more ractical. “If I was a few decades younger, I’d be out there myself. I saw action in the Battle of Tanglefork, when we freed the Vale from Rensha rule.”
You nod appreciatively – that battle happened about 30 years ago, and was said to be fierce. You are not surprised – Elric Brewmont definitely carries himself like an old veteran.
“I can’t put my sword forward any more, but I can offer you gold, my friend… 2000 pieces of it, to be exact…”
At dawn the next day, following the few scraps of information you have, you saddle your horse and ride to the outskirts of town. The townsfolk pay you little mind as you go, casting you the occasional glance.
The journey to Weathercote Wood lies due east, but is no short ride. The Captain of the Guard tells you that the Death Knight has always been seen in a small patch of wood that juts out from the western side of Weathercote, “like a wart on a giant’s nose.”
By midday you reach a sign which tells you you have another 15 miles to go. You should make it there by nightfall. Not far past the sign is a small inn and tavern. An old man sits on a chair in the afternoon sun, and raises a tankard of ale as you pass.
“Last drink for many miles!” the old man calls to you. “Come, sit! I’ll buy you an ale!”
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Ability Scores: 13, 14, 11, 16,
9, 14, 10.Name: Rurik
Race: Hill Dwarf
Class: Cleric of the War Domain
Background:
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
BREWSKI
Rurik ties his horse up to the tavern’s porch and joins the old man, who directs a young boy to bring you a frothing tankard of ale. The boy also brings a bowl of stew for you to eat. “What brings you out this way?” the old man asks eventually.
(If you choose to simply replenish yourself and be on your way [1-50] or Do you tell him of your quest? [51-100])
Roll: 54
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
QUESTCONVO
You find yourself telling the old man all about your quest to find the mysterious knight and return Darek Brewmont to his grandparents. The old man nods solemnly. “The Death Knight,” he says quietly, and leans forward in his chair. “Local legend, they say, but ah….” “What?” you ask.
He straightens up, looking you straight in the eye. “It’s no legend,” he says firmly. “I was a boy when they hung him, from the Red Tree in Weathercote Wood.” The old man goes on to tell you the story. The man who would become the Death Knight was once a good man, who came from a village in the far south. After his wife died from the pox, he left his village taking his only son with him as his squire, eager to teach him the ways of the righteous warrior. But a large band of brigands ambushed them on the road, shot the knight with a poison dart, and kidnapped his son. They left a note pinned in the ground with a dagger, demanding the knight plunder the treasury in Orlbar and deliver the gold to them. The Knight did so, almost dying in the process, but the town guard pursued him from town. When the kidnapperss saw the Knight coming with the authorities close behind, they killed the poor boy and fled.
Upon finding his son’s body, the Knight swore vengeance on the bandits and vowed to pursue them unto the ends of the world. Unwilling to be taken by the town guard, the Knight drew his weapon to resist the arrest. The ensuing fight was bloody, but the knight slew all who came against him. When the fight was over, the Knight pursued the bandits deeper into the wood but lost their tracks in the undergrowth. His rage deepened until the bloodlust and madness possessed him entirely, driven insane at the thought of his son’s killers escaping unpunished. None would cross his path and live until the bandits had been brought to justice at the tip of his blade.
Eventually more soldiers had to come from Loudwater to capture the insane knight. “When they finally did,” the old man concludes, “they hung him in Weathercote Wood, from a Red Tree.” The old man looks down. “But his unfulfilled quest to find his son’s killers brought him back. As undead. The Death Knight, they call him now. And since then, every few years or so, a boy will go missing… He’s looking for a squire, someone to help him on his quest.” You take a moment to digest all this information and drink from your tankard. After a while, you thank the old man for the company and the information and are on your way.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
KEEPGOING
It is late when you finally reach Weathercote Wood, some 55 miles east of Orlbar. There, on the wood’s edge, you camp and let your horse run free. You won’t be needing him for a while. Weathercote Wood is thick, the foliage dense, towering walls of green. And in there somewhere, if the information you have is to be trusted, is the boy Darek Brewmont.
You settle down in your bedroll, the embers of your fire keeping you warm well into the night. After a full day’s riding it doesn’t take long for you to fall into a deep slumber, the sound of a nearby river lulling you to sleep. You wake just before dawn, fully rested. But a noise instantly puts you on guard; from somewhere nearby comes a wet, slavering sound. Quietly you pick up your weapon and move forward stealthily. When you are some hundred or so feet away, whatever is lurking catches your scent, and you hear it running quickly away. Only dim starlight shows any detail, and all you can see is a darkened shape moving through the night, towards the wood.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
SHOOTAFTER
Your target is about 100ft away. You lift your weapon, taking a quick assessment of the conditions, and fire.
(Attack: 5 Damage: 3)
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
MISS
You watch the black shape scurry away, back into the cover of Weathercote Wood, and curse your poor aim. Then you walk forward to where the creature had been before you startled it and sent it running for the trees.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
DEADNELLY
You walk forward to where the beast had been before, making all that noise that woke you. There, twitching in its death throes, is the horse you rode from Orlbar. Gritting your teeth in anger, you take out your weapon and quickly put the poor beast out of its misery. The first rays of dawn begin to creep into the sky. With a sigh of resignation, you wipe the horse’s blood from your weapon and begin the trek towards the wood’s edge.
The morning is peaceful, in contrast to the savagery you have just witnessed, and a chorus of birds greet the dawn with calls that echo off the low hills of the surrounding landscape. As you near Weathercote Wood and can see down the single path that leads into its depths, you see that little light seems to penetrate in through the canopy. Night still hides beneath the mossy boughs and dark green vines that thread the ancient trees together. You step onto the path and enter Weathercote Wood… who knows what fate awaits you within these shadowed depths…
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
TILEPAGE 1
You move ahead, deeper into the wood, and it almost seems as if the trees themselves are watching your progress. Indeed, as you go on, you really do get the feeling you are being watched.
Rurik checks for traps in the woods (Perception DC 12). (Perception: 19)
You search carefully around, but see nothing to indicate any traps are set here.
You pause for a second, thinking you heard something. But no, it was just some bird flapping off out of cover. You watch it rise into the canopy and then look around at the three paths that lead off from here.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
TILEPAGE 2The track bends to the southeast, and you follow it, all light from the forest entrance now disappearing. It is like night still hides in here. Only the faintest light seeps in through the canopy. Ahead, you see something white and whispy spanning the path. COBWEBS! Slowly, you edge forward…Rurik tries to be quiest as he can with his heavy armor (Stealth DC 15). (Stealth (Disadvantage): 15).You edge forward, drawing your weapon and keeping watch on all sides. After all, where there’s webs… You stop before the first web, a thick mass ofsilken threads. It looks tough; an ordinary weapon is going to struggle to cut through this. Rurik casts Sacred Flame on the web.You unlease the fire on the webs, and the silky strands quickly ignite. As flame consumes the webs, you hear a horrid screeching and a clacking sound… From the side of the path where they were hidden, awaiting their prey, two Giant Wolf Spider emerge 20 feet away and advance quickly on you!Spider Initiative: 22Rurik Initiative: 13He then checks for traps in the woods (Perception DC 15). (Perception: 7)Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
TILEPAGE 2
The track bends to the southeast, and you follow it, all light from the forest entrance now disappearing. It is like night still hides in here. Only the faintest light seeps in through the canopy. Ahead, you see something white and whispy spanning the path. COBWEBS! Slowly, you edge forward…
Rurik tries to be quiest as he can with his heavy armor (Stealth DC 15). (Stealth (Disadvantage): 7).
You edge forward, drawing your weapon and keeping watch on all sides. After all, where there’s webs… You stop before the first web, a thick mass of
silken threads. It looks tough; an ordinary weapon is going to struggle to cut through this. Rurik casts Sacred Flame on the web.
You unlease the fire on the webs, and the silky strands quickly ignite. As flame consumes the webs, you hear a horrid screeching and a clacking sound… From the side of the path where they were hidden, awaiting their prey, two Giant Wolf Spider emerge 40 feet away and advance quickly on you!
SPIDERBATTLE
Spider Initiative: 6
Rurik Initiative: 2
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Combat Round 1
Both spiders advance on Rurik and tries to bite him.
Spider1: Attack: 7 Damage: 6. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 10. DMG if failed: 4.
Spider2: Attack: 20 Damage: 4. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 20. DMG if failed: 3.
Rurik advantage save for poison from Spider1: 5.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik wields his Warhammer and strikes Spider1: Attack: 20 Damage: 5
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Combat Round 2
Rurik hits Spider1, but it is still standing. Both spiders bites on Rurik again.
Spider1: Attack: 14 Damage: 3. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 19*. DMG if failed: 9.
Spider2: Attack: 22 Damage: 6. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 18*. DMG if failed: 2.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik is able to avoid the bite from Spider1, but Spider2's bite finds its mark and goes deep into his shoulders. Rurik feels a little light headed, for he feels some of the poison going through his body.
Rurik wields his Warhammer with resolution and strikes Spider1 again: Attack: 13 Damage: 9
After Rurik smashes the head of Spider1, he prays to his god and heals himself with Healing Word (Heal: 6 HP)
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Combat Round 2
Spider1 is dead, but Spider2 is not fazed by it.
Spider2: Attack: 17 Damage: 4. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 15*. DMG if failed: 6.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik avoids the bite from Spider2 at the last second. He looks the monster in the eyes. "Now it's you and me buddy."
Rurik strikes Spider2 with his Warhammer: Attack: 23 Damage: 7
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Combat Round 3
Rurik delivers a solid hit to Spider2 with his Warhammer, but Spider2 still stands.
Spider2: Attack: 12 Damage: 2. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 6*. DMG if failed: 11.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Rurik's hit disorients Spider2 and it can't find it's mark this time. Rurik prepares to deliver the final blow to the creature in front of him.
Rurik strikes Spider2 with his Warhammer: Attack: 14 Damage: 7
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."
Combat Round 4
Rurik is overconfident and he also can't quite find his mark. He gets ready for another attack from the creature.
Spider2: Attack: 23 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.. CON DC 11. Rurik Save: 22*. DMG if failed: 10.
*Dwarven Resilience: You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Kazri - Level 10 Human Paladin (Oath of the Ancients) - The Tales of the Fellowship of the White Cloaks
Droknin Palemane - Level 4 Leonin Barbarian (Path of the Beast) - Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story
Faelan (Cottontail) Whisperwind - Level 3 Ranger (Fey Wanderer) - Zorg's Lost Souls II
"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life."