Brand "Torchbearer"

Brand "Torchbearer"

Brand Summary Character Sheet

Description

• Rough looking outdoorsman in studded leather armor
• Brand received a broken nose that partially set. The only way to fix it would be to re-break it and even then, he's not sure what the results would be.
  • In a battle against Underdark nightmare Troglodyte necromancers, Brand was clubbed down by two zombies and barely survived.
• A Shield (+1) that protects against normal missiles.
• A Longsword (+1), the hilt of antler, carved with a wolf-raven design. Something he received from a family member.

Day to Day/Lifestyle

• Brand works as a tracker, goblin slayer, and hunter. He travels with a Pictish fighter and works for any clan that will hire him if the cause is honorable.
  • Hunting goblins and wanted humans to turn in for rewards.
  • side work maybe as a guide or collecting herbs.
• Woodworker who may or may not have many tools with him.
  • Woodcarving during downtime.

DM NOTES

• In the adventure narrative, I remember imaged Brand as a quiet and "stolid" veteran. A bit of a "Strider" vibe from early Fellowship of the Ring.
• As a man in several worlds on the borders, on the fringes, even out on the borderlands themselves. At first opportunity for combat in this play by mail game, he will advance to third level...

Goals/Notes

• To find a home base area to build a cabin as a long term goal.
• Would like to find an animal friend/pet. Some sort of bird, maybe a raven, crow hawk or owl that he can cast talk to animals on, or some appropriate spell on, to help scout.

Brand History

• Older History?
• Angharad Campaign (2012)
  • Has been blessed by Arawn in the past. "Brand visits the Temple of Dana and finds the priestess of Arawn, who he tells of the events within the caverns and asks her blessing. When the priestess begins to mutter the standard blessing, when the aspect over Arawn envelopes her briefly (Brand receives a Boon of a 2 round Bless that will activate in his next combat)."
  • Connection with the Four Winds through Tennetty the proprietor of the Inn which was the primary resting place Brand (the party) used during his adventures in the area.
    • Brand knows that she will be in that area of Cerdwigg at a tavern of the same name.

Recent History

Exact timing of these events over the last 12-24 months is kind of gray...

1 Northward

• After separating from the Fianna members and getting out of the Underdark and back into the forested lands, Brand attempts to head north-east towards Hadotti's people's lands, but detours.
• Hadotti had expressed an urge to find his way back to his people (his tribe of Picts, the Acail), far to the northeast somewhere as far as he could tell after being prisoner in the Underdark for months.
  • One route to that region would be through "more populated" Angharad areas... both of you preferred wilder lands. At least for now.
• While welcome at The Four Winds, both Brand and Hadotti longed for less populated areas above ground, so without much other reason, you set out.
• Due to politics between the folk of Clan Fionn(where you are) and Clan Moryan (the way you're going) and general prejudice against Picts caused a bad encounter with Clan Moryan guardsmen.
  • While you might have continued, you another way that would take longer but where you could both find succor along the way.
• You manage to get across the Silver River and head northwesterly along the Rhyn for a three or four day journey to the settlement and keep of Crosswatch.
• Crosswatch was the same place you originally hooked up with those Fianna guys originally to fight goblins.

2 Overland to Crossword

• Days under sunshine in in the forests you are both most comfortable with pass quickly and you two arrive at Crosswatch with little trouble.
• After a few nights at Crosswatch, you head east-northeast finally through the wilderness trails that pass as roads in that area to Fort Cam.
• From Fort Cam you planned to take the eastern road and cut back across to the north of Weisand and avoid the hostile Clan Moryan's patrols.
• You are driven back from that route by recent troll-sign on the road.
• You spend some time at Fort Cam and set a comfortable pace of spending time on patrol and travel between Crosswatch, Fort Cam and the uttermost Firewatch post fighting goblins and other dangers with the collection of mostly Angharad of these borderlands.
• You easily spend any harsh weather months in cover one of those places (Crosswatch with taverns, rustic Fort Cam with a long-house common room, or harsh stone and wind Firewatch).

3 Scout the Picts

• After hearing troubling things about the Nathair Picts to the southwest, you decide to investigate.
• Nathair Picts are known to be riders of forest drakes (raptor like 6 legged creatures of Eradain's forests) and fierce enemies of the local Serpent's Eye Goblins.
• Trade started going badly and there were rumors of regime change among the Nathair.
• After nearing their territory you encountered deadly hostile Nathair, including a deadly drake rider. The parley or at least scout you had hoped for was not possible and you fled for your lives.
• With little choice you decide to cut south to avoid their attempt to cut you off and pass through the Cynon Hills, doubting they would follow into the hunted hills.

4 Haunted Hills

• You travel over the hills careful of the many threats rumored to lurk there (bandits, basilisks, ancient ruins, etc.)
• Having lost some of your gear fleeing the Nathair happily hooked up with some river-clanners running goods up-river to Gwindnyr

5 Gwindnyr

• Gwindnyr was another large city in Brand and Hodotti's opinion (actually an "Average Town").
• There are signs of the deteriorating relationship with the Nathair, but all the talk is about Cerdwigg and rumors of a new Queen for that region.
  • Queens provide a magical conduit between the land and the people and the gods making the lands safer from the hostile world (basically a better wandering monster chart).
  • That makes this a BIG DEAL and a place where things are likely to be lively...
• You heard rumors your old Fianna compatriot Drust was in the area based on talk you heard about town (it sounded like him, a big lug, with a big pole arm, telling stories and reciting the old tales).

6 Upriver to Cerdwigg

• The river boat clan was continuing upriver and glad to have additional lands as they traveled even further into the borderlands.
• There is a section of river with a portage around rapids that can be dangerous for a variety of reasons and local guides or patrols may be scarce.
• Brand remembered Tennetty the one-eyed proprietor of the tavern in Cerin said that she would be moving to work at the Four Winds in Cerdwigg, so that seemed a good destination. At the very least he knew the name of an inn to look for.

Arrival at Cerdwigg

• The lay of the river, the docks, the town and the castle.
• The river-clanner's departure