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. Drawing directly from the original ranger material I felt a "Strider" vibe from early Fellowship of the Ring. I pictured him as having experience by being older and having survived.
• As a man in several worlds on the borders, on the fringes, even out on the borderlands themselves. With his everyman background and connection to the Picts, he could act as an emissary or representative of many people in negotiations and a handy man to have around when negotiations break down...
• At first opportunity for combat in this play by mail game, he will advance to third level...
• Needs to be presented with choices so I can understand Brand's morals.

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.

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 finding what seemed the last nether regions of the necromancer troglodyte's lair, Brand (and Hadotti) had enough of the underground and longed for forests and sky. You decided to separate from the Fianna, but still enjoyed a few days of R&R with them at the Four Winds (Inn and Tavern) before heading your own way.

Hadotti had expressed a desire to see his people again after so many months away "in the underworld", but knew not exactly where his people may be except vaguely to the north-northeast so that the mountains currently to their north would be on the west instead. Without having any other particular destination in mind, you considered that quest. You could travel more easily through populated Angharad lands, or travel through wilderness you had never seen and that was an easy choice when even slightly expressed to Hadotti, he would rather be in the wilderness under the stars than in some hayloft or inn.

While at the Four Winds, you spoke with Tennetty, the proprietor. She is a retired Fianna warrior (and you suspect a former leader) with an eye-patch. You two often chat when the 'younger' crowd is doing its thing. Your discussions about the territory confirmed your own thoughts... A northward path up the Silver River and then north of Weisand and heading east, skirting the north path above the Lost Temple of Silvanus... Somewhere from there northward in the Diminar Forest would be your Pictish friend's people.

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.

• 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

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

• The lay of the river, the docks, the town and the castle.
  • Cerdwigg lies in the Y of the Prywn River from the west and another un-named minor tributary from the north. The docks are on the western Pryn branch on the north bank of the Y.
  • Cerdwigg was razed to the ground during a past Goblin war,
  • Bereft of a strong Queen, only receiving blessings of the more distant Mabryn Queen, and left without a Sept family to lead, the other local clan branches splintered and fought among themselves. Most stayed in their lands, but over time they have become different and strange. The hills and the populated river valleys leading down to Cerdwigg are now filled with disgruntled/black sheep clans

-still thinking about the town itself. Here is one draft. The town haphazardly sorts itself along the L shaped road from the docks up the short hill to the great hulking castle you at first thought was a mountain or hill feature of the terrain.

Concept for Cerdwigg Castle

• The river-clanner's departure