CloudSpire Chronicles

Every Friday from 7pm PST to Midnight, we play D&D 5th Edition in a world based on Forgotten Realms in the far future.

A diesel punk setting consisting of a world being consumed, floating expansive islands in the sky and the lifestyle that goes with them.

Airships, flotillas, and entire societies trawl the sky seeking their prey, whatever that may be. Upon the surface of Torril, the denizens try to fight against the destructive forces all around them. In the under dark, great and unnatural things take place, gestating and bursting to the surface.

Fluff aside, the world is based in a northern kingdom known was the Cloud Spires mountain range. It is the northern most point of the Spine of the World, which is still known as the Spine of the World.

The entire Cloud Spires mountain range is approximately 100 kilometers.

Due to the entrenched nature of the civilization and the perilous rock formations, air ships must be specially equipped to traverse more than the primary roost provided at the Royals Peak, the highest, flattest and most open pinnacle amidst the many mountain peaks.

Nearby rest many landmarks including Farspine Monestary from the overlooking Farspine mountain peak, Daeds Outreach at Dorums Plateau.

This campaign has a rich pedigree of characters, a growing scope of challenges with a complex range of variables born of the players doings. The campaign is written as a sitcom, where over an average of 5 hours I take my players through a few paces of drama and the battles that may ensue.

While the combat ranges from base to intensely contextual, the story aims to involve everyone to a degree based on what their character needs out of the world.

I take a lot of pride in how this campaign has turned out, and I can't wait to leave it behind for my next story.

Acererak

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Acererak was a powerful wizard who became a lich, and later a demilich. He appears in the original Tomb of Horrors adventure by Gary Gygax as the main adversary, and later as the guardian of the Copper Key, during the quest for Halliday's Egg.

It was recently explained by a "Hunter of the Dead," that Acererak may return sooner then expected, as his network of phylacteries is ever present and could be used by the right powers to resurrect the dark wizard once again.

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Prissmahl

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"Should you be visited by a gentle elf holding the heretics sigil by his heart, know then that you have the attention, the mercy or the ire of an age. Pray then to your gods that it is the former, and not the latter."

Primarily regarded as Daed Al Icarr's agent, or 'right hand man.' An elven gentleman by repute, he is known to courts as a whisper and to the general populous as a benevolent spirit.

He is rumoured to be the old magi's only living and breathing associate. Some would describe him as Daed's assistant, others, his consort, although this is to say nothing of their sexuality or marital status.

Prissmahl is rumoured among some deeper guilds to be a member of the old Cannarde house, a royal house wiped out during the religious conflicts of early days.

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Lucretia

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Rumours abound the esteemed Lady Lucretia.

The Lady Esther is quick to quell any who would raise their voice against her friend, the Summerhill family has washed their hands of discovering anything about her and the Lagos, despite blood relation, refuse to refute or address any claims the Lady has to what was once Berholdts holdings.

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Menesankh

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This region of flat plains, also called the Plain of Life, extends south from the city of Skuld to the River of Swords. The area is heavily irrigated and features occasional marshes.

While the majority of Mulhorand was lost to the Upheaval, this small spit of land was made of enough stone and soil that it was not swallowed but instead hurled upwards as so many others.

Home to a large population of strange and other worldly characters, it is the origin of the Death Hunters who now seek to quell the impending threat of the great liche Acererak.

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Dwarven Wars

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"They came from nowhere, raining death from above. We fought them in the bitter cold, from the depths of a frozen hell into the highest clouds above our home. We fought them until we could fight no longer, and then we fought them ever more."

A two years siege that nearly brought the entire CloudSpires kingdom to ruin, the dwarven kingdom of Highhelm descended upon the CloudSpires for reasons still foggy to the denizens of the mountain range.

The dwarves would have continued their siege and most likely defeated the exhausted and bloodied kingdom, had it not been for odd fates that saw fit to infect the dwarven home with a terrible curse that now rages on the edge of chaos.

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Dragons Roost

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Not to be confused with the North Roost.

A popular tavern within Royals Peak, it is located on the eastern border of the Grand Market.

It is two stories and located nearby the airship docks at the north western end of the city.

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Berholdt

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An esteemed soldier and doting father, Berholdt was allegedly killed in the line of duty during the Dwarven Wars, only to walk into the Dragons Roost seemingly unscathed and lacking memory of his survival a year later.

He has refused to take governance of the family holdings, denouncing his partriarchy and stating he wishes to spend his days enjoying his renewed stock in life.

he has never divulged his doings publically, although The Good Doctor has confirmed that he is genuinely Berholdt and not under any influences.

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The Good Doctor

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"The Good Doctor" as Lucretia Ketterrog refers to him, has been a Ketterrog family practitioner for many years.

While few have had dealings with him, even fewer can attest to his care.

A few of the council have spoken in hushed whispers regarding the doctor and Pelorites are instructed to bar him from entering the church while Oghmites disavow his membership to their libraries.

Daed Al Icarr, when asked, only says that he "will not humour the insane" because he "cannot fathom the complete lack of morales."

Dr. Daanav Shaytan is a human 16 Cleric / 6 Psionic (yes, he's level 22) of questionable alignment and origin. Neutral Evil, or perhaps Chaotic Neutral, his fealty to the Ketterrog family is derived of his ties to Lady Lucretia for reasons beyond anyone save himself.

Loyal to a fault to her emminence, he serves to provide the household with whatever his abilities can provide, notably the psionic abilities that Ivor develops.

Originally a man of Oghma for the Covenent of Silver, his focus has remained the research and development of new and more powerful psycho powers.

A younger doctor, with the newly born Ivor Ketterrog
The good doctor, and a baby Ivor.

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Ketterrog

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A matriarchy led by the lady Lucretia Ketterrog, this family is known for their prowess in both the arcane and the martial.

While always known for their military capability they continue to surprise with innovative progress in arcanic and materials refinement.

Lady Ketterrog has consistently manuevered to position the family such to gain from The Good Doctor's research and at times from her ex-lover, Daed Al Icarr.

With a large stake in the CSMC, and protective contracts with the Ardratiche and some smaller houses in the kingdom, the Ketterrogs are feared or at least respected for knowing how to wage battle.

While they are not formally contracted by the city vis-a-vis the militia, but they are paid for efforts that they invoice for.
There is rarely if any argument as Lucretia, unlike her brother Borrj, would not invoice for and take coin, over favours and soft influence where possible.

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Death Hunter

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The Cazador de Muerte, or Hunters of Death are an organization devoted to maintaining the balance between Life and Death throughout Torril.

Their agents work independantly, seeking out allies in nations plauged by members of the undead who seek to gain power over those who still draw breath.

Othello Dandaer is the Death Hunter tasked with seeking the influence of Acererak within the Cloud Spires.

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Lagos

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The Lagos family is a patriarchy comprised of members of the Ardratiche and whose name is derived from ancestors long dead.

Lord Carbohn leads the family with his six sons and one daughter, Skar, Juno, Sirrvio, Lucc, Zeremos, Shaw and their sister Diona.

Originally a family of weavers, responsible for textiles and fashion, their family became known for the development of stronger and lighter armours that could keep soldiers protected against steel and the environment alike.

While the Ardratiche family is still primarily the source for weapons, they simply cannot best the Lagos family in the development of protective equipment.

The Lagos family maintains contracts with mercenaries as personal protection, and for training house soldiers. Carbohn has made an effort to ensure his boys and girl are well and capable of handling themselves.

The Lagos family is a mostly Oghma devout household, Diona and Zeremos being the shining pride of their father with their innate magical abilities.

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Othello Dandaer

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An agent of Mishtan and the ancient Mulhorandi he serves in his role as a Death Hunter to the kingdom of Gheldeneth, and is empowered as a physical embodiment of an ancient demi god once in the service of Mystra and Thay. They are allied with The Chain and have the dwarven technologies at their disposal.

Hailing from the now floating moted remains of Menesankh, Othello has arrived to the Royals Peak in search of leads towards Acereraks current location and seeks council with Daed Al Icarr.

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Ardratiche

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The Ardrtiche (Ard-Rah-teesh) family is a martriarchal household comprised of members from the Fall and Lagos families.

Led by Lady Esther and Lord Tursq, they are responsible for the manufacture and sale of arms and armour for the kingdom at large through ArdraArms and Tursq's Skunkworks.

Funded primarily by the Saxburgs (still their biggest customer!) they remain in alliance with the prince and seek to protect the current lingeage despite recent events.

They sell to distant contractors and countries, through proxies who visit the mountain range twice a month.

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Orion Fall

Frost Fire

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The Frost Fire is an unlikely union between the Giants and Drow that inhabit the Cloud Spires.

Long at war for resources, typically the Drow houses would send raids upon the giants who were not as clever in defending their resources as the Drow were in relieving them of them.

It was the giant leader Attum Zuughar who approached the house of Ol'Xukuth by way of emmisary who held their prince in chains after a failed raid. Ironically, the raid had failed due to the treasonous act of the Feir Cress d'Isto head mother. Seeking to attain leadershiip of the enclave, mother Hassin Elg'caress sent word to Attum in exchange for their fealty when she rose to power.

When the prince was captured, the Feir Cress conducted a short skirmish that resulted in ensaring the enclaves fealty. As clever and conniving as she was though, Hassin did not assume that Attum would simply crush her during trade talks with a stroke of his hammer. She had made the fatal error of informing the giants of where the enclave resided, over confident in their ability to defend themselves against a direct attack.

How wrong they were.

With literal giants at the gates, Ol'Xukuth campaigned among the houses and showed strength in defending themselves against strikes despite the lack of their prince, and thus did the retake the enclave command. The time and atmosphere was just right, and so the Drow house of Ol'Xukuth did secure trade with the giants, with the promise of soldiers, and passage to other parts of the world via the extensive drow tunnles.

War with the Cloud Spires

Originally, the Frost Fire sought to destroy the Cloud Spires populous for their intrusion upon the mountains that the clan called home.

While the militant might of the royal houses was not enough to repel the Frost Fire across the mountain range, Daed Al Icarr was successful in brokering a peace treaty that saw an end to the raids conducted.

Daed presented a simple 'offer they couldn't refuse' where they would receive wonderous gifts, and would not be smote by random strikes from Daed impregnable tower which sits upon Dorums Plateu, a cross roads through which much traffic would pass in seeking the neighboring mountains and valleys.

War in the Cloud Spires

When Sid Meir was ousted, Daed sought the support of the Frost Fire in his military campaign against the royal houses of the Cloud Spires kingdom. Seeking to motivate by way of his wrath, Daed set the Frost Fire to chase out Pelorite influences and send a violent message to the members of the Church of Sun and Scroll.

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The Snow Snake clan

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Legendary shape shifter druids renowned for their militant territoriality, they pledge their lives to protect a region from the predations of man or monster, and uphold their oaths unto death.

In exchange for their loyalty to natural areas, they gain spiritual powers connected with the region they protect far beyond the scope of normal druidic abilities.

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okmikes's picture

Arrachon

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Great birds of prey float lazily in the sky, turning in concentric rings above a giant caldron shaped bowl.

The bowl is a natural formed crater of an ancient volcano. Arched openings line the inside of the crater spiraling up the sides like the circling birds above. In these alcoves are nests adorned with gold silver and gems, the insides are lined with the finest silks and furs collected from thousands of miles.

Hot steam rises from the small lake in the center warming the roost against the harsh mountain climate and providing the perfect temperature for incubation, it has been like this for millennia.

But something has changed.

The chains and trinkets dangling from the nests begin to resonate like wind chimes as tremors rise jostling the large multi coloured eggs beneath their mothers. Ripples form on the normally mirror flat surface of the lake but nothing has been thrown into the sterile lake; the source is an all too familiar phenomenon, Earthquakes!

From a small cave at the bottom of the crater emerges a small deformed Aarakocra, his wings tiny and twisted. He has been cursed from hatch to be tethered to the ground and therefore has been charged with practising the arcane arts thus that he may divine future threats and defend the roost from magical attacks. Cocking his head back and opening his twisted beak Grak Tra Kaw emits a screech that is amplify upwards by the shape of the crater. It's a call specific to one individual, his brother Arrachon.

From among the descending swirling mass of bird men emerges a distinctly coloured male who lands gracefully beside his brother and promptly begins preening.

Grak begins emitting a series of chirps, caws and other sounds distinct to their language, as more begin landing in a circle around the young mage.

Twelve in total stand in council and begin deliberating the best course of action to stop the threat to the colony and feathers are plucked, grouped and then drawn.

One must sacrifice himself to the outside world, the one to draw the shortest feather: Arrachon.

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Silver Seraphim

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Elite assault members eventually graduate to the esteemed ranks of the Seraphim.

Each member of the Seraphim has conducted hundreds of successful drops and as a result been inducted into the respected order where they are awarded a set of silvered wings, magically imbued for flight and especially for leading dives.

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Royals Peak

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The Capital city of the kingdom that stretches across the Cloud Spires mountain range, it was originally settled with the name Norths Rest.

Now a bustling city of many races (except dwarves), the Royals Peak is the centre of politics and control for the peaks that surrounds it.

Ruled by the house of Saxburg, the city forms a circle, surrounded by a tall thick stone wall. Among the landmarks of the city, the Church of Sun and Scroll, is where worshippers of Pelor and Oghma reside.

The Grand Market resides in the center of the city, in which merchants from around the Spires and neighbor motes sell their common (or exotic) wares. The smell of sweet and spice is heavy in the air at high noon, while the local shops serve the cuisine of the city. In the center of the market is the Fountain of Aurie, dedicated to Aurie Saxburg, the founder of the city and foremother of the royal line. As a minor hub in the northern most part of the world, the port is always busy with airships from nearby or passing motes, from trading ships to battalions, moving in and out like ants.

The city conducts trade mostly in ore minerals and refined metals. The Ardratiche family is responsible for the production of the metals from the raw ore mined by the Summerhill, Ketterrog and Lagos families. Until the Dwarven Wars came upon the city, the CloudSpires were also known to contract small collections of troops to passing war ships, merchant convoys or other causes so long as the CloudSpires remained neutral in doing so. These duties were over seen by the Barl and Lagos family. The kingdom has not been in a position to do this for quite some time.

The sewers of the grand city also harbored a hidden threat. The plague seeped into the waters, poisoned the water supply, and clogged the machines below with fungus overgrowth preventing them from providing water to the city.

Fungal growths and worshippers of Zuggtmoy made the sewers their home and terrorized the workers to the point where the operation of a new installment of a pump machine was halted.

The Royals Peak sent a party of heroes into the sewers who subsequently eradicated the threat allowing the sewers and water pumps to function normally.

Now, the Royals Peak faces assault by the FrostFire horde that has emerged from the neighboring lands. Sensing the weakened state of the kingdom, they seek to take what they want, and what they want is the Royals Peak.

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Thurrass'X Blackmountain

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Once a member of the Blackmountain tribe of barbarians roaming the range that is their namesake, Thurass'X migrated to the Cloud Spires and eventually settled down with a farm stead near civilization.

Living with his family outside of the city on their small farm and worshipping Pelor, tragedy struck when the family farm was ransacked by the troll horde.

Though the violence has now settled down and the lands are quelled of war, he seeks vengence upon the tribe that originally attacked his homestead.

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Thunder

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Her complete Tabaxi name translates literally to Mountain of Thunder Clouds. In her native tongue it is pronounced M-rpur-trrr.

Thug for hire (with a heart of gold), she will do any job as long as it pays well.

Avid member of the elusive Thieves Guild (of Clandestine Intent), she will stop at nothing to get the contract fullfilled.

Loves treasure, her fur changes with the weather, hates water.

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dooley's picture

Helbrim Gother

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A nomad who doesn't worship a god, but the world around him.

Prefers to be with the company of nature, as he lives in a tree house in the city.

He shapeshifts into small and large animals and was key in developing a cure (with the help of Vane's blood) for the dwarven plague.

A druid in the service to the Prince Saxburg, he lives in a tree on their compound grounds.

He has been spent 30 years in the service of Donovan Marquette learning a merchants craft from a heavy bias.

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Ivor Keterog

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Pre-campaign

Son of the Sorcerous Lucretia Ketterrog and Berholdt Ketterrog

Ivor joined the Cloud Spires military at a young age, following the footsteps of his father in an attempt to impress him... and avoid the gaze of his mother. Long hours of ceaseless dedication to training and adherence to doctorine saw his quick rise from mere recruit to a squad commander and obtain the notice of the Commissariat.
In an unusual political plot, Sorcerous Lucretia allowed her son to be taken in by Saxburg's Commissariat, perhaps hoping to spread her influence within this utterly devoted organization.

Commissars are trained to be strict adherents and upholders of the King's Creed and its associated strictures. Training in this respect is highly demanding, nearing on torturous, and is designed to weed out the weak as soon as possible so as to concentrate on the most skilled candidates.
Training includes military exercises, weapons proficiency, hand-to-hand combat, religious and political studies, sleep deprivation, survival training, and is directed at ensuring the total dedication of the student, and developing the ability for them to deliver the King's Justice without hesitation or remorse.
Ivor's treatment imparticular seems to have awakened a force of will within, a mind over matter methodology, that has begun to manifest into reality. A trait kept hidden, but often be viewed by others as exceptional skill or luck.

A Commissar is empowered to ensure the moral purity and devotion of the men and women of his platoon, company, or regiment by any means necessary. It is therefore not uncommon to see a Commissar executing any enlisted Militiamen, non-commissioned officer or officer showing signs of breaking due to overwhelming odds, which serves the dual purpose of reminding the Militiamen of their greater fear for the Commissar's Pistol than the encroaching foe, and "inspiring" adjacent units to avoid the same fate.
Commissars attached to a unit will rarely see their unit break in combat, however, as their own presence is usually enough to ensure that only the weakest and the most stupid will attempt to flee.

Ivor's training ended and his ascent to his new role occured on the same fateful day of the Highhelms Declaration of War. Completely thrown off by the Dwarves surprise attack, the Cloudspires fought a 2 year war of loss, slowly but surely losing ground every day.
Thousands of lives being thrown away to hold the line for just a little while longer.
Half the Kingdom lay in ruin, tens of thousands dead or enslaved, pushed back to the very captial of Royals Peak... the Dwarves issued a full retreat without notice, pulling out enmass. The mysterious appearance of a near unstoppable plague, seemingly gutting Highhelms forces from within, turns the tide and does what the largely incompetent Cloudspire Militia cannot.

Gathering the company of Cloudspire volunteers, Ivor ventures on a scouting mission to the north to determine the true extent of the devastation, the origins of the plague, and any remnants of Highhelm.

Dont you worry Vane... I haven't forgotten...

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Vane Thal'adriel

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Vane Thal'adriel

22 years old

Vane was born by Elana Thal'adriel, his elven mother and Geraus, his human father. Elana was a mysterious elven woman who visited the Cloud Spires for a missionary trip from the Scosglen Woods to parley a trade route between the elven city of Shalogh; which was only a legend, and Royals Peak. During her stay she met Geraus, who owned one of the stables in the city. Elana kept up a false persona of herself unbeknownst to Geraus, whom fell in love with her at first sight. She became pregnant, and then gave birth to Vane. On the night of his birth, his mother vanished. Nothing but a note was left for Geraus and her new son, that had just 4 words "They are watching me." Afterwards, Geraus discovered that no one in the city could remember ever seeing Elana, like she was never there. They didn't heard from her again.

Vane grew up helping his father and Uncle Piron with the family stables. As he grew older he went on the trade routes, transporting goods across the kingdom.

When the dwarven wars hit, Geraus was called to war and was lost at battle. Vane was devastated, as he was now parentless. His Uncle Piron took over the stables and Vane continued to work there, trying to live up to his fathers name and the family business.

One day a scout group requested some horses from the stable as well as a transport of goods to an outpost. Vane was asked by his Uncle to accompany them as he had done many times before. Arriving at the outpost and the task completed, he was set to leave at first light back to Royals Peak. During the night, the outpost was attacked by dwarves but they were not normal dwarves. They appeared to be infected, and eventually the outpost was lost. Vane and a few of the scouts that he befriended escaped into the nearby mountains, trying to find shelter to rest and tend to their wounds. Slowly, one by one, the scouts showed signs of the infection that took the dwarves and they died. Vane's infection was slower, due to his elven blood. Soon the disease took him over, and on the brink of losing himself, he was found by a wizard, who took him his tower.

In pain and despiration he agreed to a deal made by the wizard . He will try to cure his affliction but he agrees to be experimented on. Magics, potions, whatever the wizard wished. Days became weeks, then months. The wise wizard was able to activate the elven blood in Vane, unlocking Vane's ability to tap into the magic of the world. This wasn't enough to hide the pain and suffering of the disease though. After months, he pleaded to the Gods to end his suffering, to end his pain. In that plea, he saw the light. The light blinded him, engulfed him, and when he was able to focus he saw a being of holy energy that was the embodiment of pure good. With a loss of words in the presence of this angelic being, he pleaded for an end. The being touched reached down and touched Vane's face and sent a whisper down his spine that shook his entire body. "The light will protect you now, my child. Your purpose has not been fulfilled." Suddenly a surge of hope jolted to his core, and he knew he was being cared for by a higher power. Palor, the Dawn Father, God of Light and the Sun was watching over him. With Vane's new determination, and the help of the wizard, he was cured of the disease. With the deal complete, and Daed satisfied with what he learned over the months, Vane was allowed to leave the tower, and start his new destiny that Palor has planned for him.

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Daed Al Icarr

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A wizard of varying repute, he is reviled by a few of the Cloud Spires elite who view him as an upstart and heretic. He is conversely loved and hated by the general populous depending on their loyalties and whether they live in the capital (Royals Peak) or on the outskirts where his (Daed's) efforts are not just appreciated, but in some cases the difference between life and death.

Daed has spent his years quietly serving the people as his role permits, and seeking enlightenment in magicks that he has engineered and documented within his tower, known colloquially as Daeds Outreach (some use it to refer to his tower and the surrounding lands). Formally, the area is known as Dorums Plateau.

His documentation of his experiments are kept locked in gem stones using a technique of his own devising, where by each gem stone holds the vibrations of his voice or thoughts as he may project them into the faceted stones.

Daed's agent Prissmahl is his only living and consistent assistant and responsible for many of the outward direct communications Daed conducts save for events that require the old sage's personal touch.

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Borion Shmeed

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Raised near a small dairy farm, his parents harvested hay for the dairy and provided manual labor in calving season.

Orion grew up on tales told around a flickering hearthfire of attack ships on fire off the shores of Orion's home, and sea beams glittering in the darkness at Tanhauser gate.

Oh but the swashbuckling and daring-do of fearless freebooters and merciless sky-privateers!

Over time it became apparent that his hands were much too cold to milk the cows; and then after he was caught one time too many, lurking high up in the tree limbs outside the farmer's daughter's window (warming his hands, one might say), it was made clear that Orion, now a lanky young man, had best seek his fortune on the road.

A sharp lad, he agreed, favoring his chances elsewhere over remaining here and watching the girl of his fancy swell up like a heifer.

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dooley's picture

Nim

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Tough as nails, will punch you in the face if you insult his size. Drunk, loves treasure, and can usually kill things in one turn.

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