Starting Gold

Starting gold (Marine): 10 gp, sold Shortbow (+12.5g), sold leather armor (+2.5g), XGE gold (+18g)

XGE's This is Your Life

My given name is Ara Mystralath. I think of myself as Ara Dundragon. My call sign is Salvo.

I am not like the Wood Elves that live in seclusion. I was not born in a bosky forest, but surrounded by the timbers of a ship. My father is Immeral Mystralath, an ambassador from the elves to the humans. Yes, the one who famously disappeared without a trace. My mother is Shava Mystralath, once known as a painter, but more recently as a jeweler and designer.

My younger sibling, Thia, was born a decade later than I, in the years after my father took his political position and we moved into a large house amongst the humans of Luskan.
I had several friends, and my childhood was generally a happy one. My sister became a priest of Selune. I check in on her when I am near her temple in Thentia; drop some coins in the box, that sort of thing.

As a child—in my early 40s, perhaps?—Invaders attacked the city. I took up arms and stood the wall, picking off the sappers approaching in the dark. When it came time to chase them back to their mountains and swamps, I served as part of a battalion of marines, learning the precepts of my profession while blazing trails and scouting enemy encampments along the rivers.

11 (d12) Life Events

1. 88 fought in a battle. 12 You acquitted yourself well in battle and are remembered as a hero. 6 Leave None Behind. You carried an injured marine for miles to avoid capture and death. You might have received a medal for your bravery.
2. 22 At age fifty-two, I fell in love and married Guy Dundragon, a human naval officer and a cleric of the Red Knight. I married too young for an elf, but I was not that different to a headstrong human adventurer in his late 30s.
3. 68 Remaining pay from time as a Marine. 7 (2d6) gp. I'm not good at saving.
4. 27 After we'd been married six years, we had a daughter. Thia Dundragon (Named for her aunt) is now fifty-six, and an infamous politician like her grandfather. She is rather busy with her life, family, and career, so we don't speak often since her father's death.
5. 98 Encountered the wreck of a ship 20 leagues upriver and 3 leagues from the water. We figured it was something magical. Among the salvage was a potion that I drank in a later skirmish with Orcs. 4 Seems I drank a potion of Heroism (of the DM’s choice). Ever since then, I'll put my neck on the line for my squad, even if I know I'm supposed to stay in cover. Stupidity and compassion are bad habits for a sniper.
6. 60 Pay from time as a Marine. 11 (2d6) gp
7. 01 Tragedy 12 Almost twenty years ago, my husband died of old age. He was seventy and he burned so brightly while he lived; but we age so differently. I loved him fiercely to his last day.
8. 78 Adventure - Suffered a grievous injury. Although the wound healed, it still pains me from time to time.
9. 37 Made an enemy of an Adventurer — a gnome rogue named Boddy Folknor, callsign: Stumbleduck — but they blew our cover, not me. I wasn't the only one who bailed either. Steelfist, Orcbait, and SackRace all scrambled when I did; that was the rules if it went sideways. Most of them are missing now and even I can't track them down.
10. 93 Crime 4 One count of Assault. 7 Nearly caught in the act. Had to disengage and now wanted in the community where the crime occurred. The arrest warrants posted for us were the last I heard of Ducky... looks like Fist, Orcbait, and Sacks avoided the guard's notice.

• Purchased a good quality longbow (-75g) and studded leather (-45g) in subdued colours to replace the stuff I sold while laying low.
• Assigned Certificate for Bregan D' Arthe Handgonne. "Bit of contraband I was issued in Shadow Company. I haven't practiced with the thing at all. Smokepowder is a hassle to carry. Still... it has potential."

Clerics of Torm at a small temple called the Helping Hand sent for help in locating and recovering several relics created by Banites and hidden in the area around Thentia and Melvaunt. The first Tenet of Bane was located in the moors of Thar amidst a village of Xvarts. We retrieved a wand from the warlock running that village and sorted through an illusion of a dragon to find the Tenet of Fear.
* Purchased cold weather gear in muted colors (-4g)

Sent by the clerics from the Helping Hand to retrieve the second tenet of Bane (the tenet of hate) from the ruins of the Merfolk city of Garnthall.

Story Award: Mercy for the Merfolk King.

You displayed kindness by helping King Garnon’s spirit find eternal rest. Malana Homwell has noted your compassion and is impressed by your actions.

Downtime Activity: Inspired by Torm.

The teachings of Torm have shown you a better way to live your life. While you may not worship the deity directly, you have come to appreciate Torm’s commitment to duty, loyalty, and courage, and you do your best to incorporate these qualities into your own life. While this story award may have benefits in future adventures involving the Tenets of Bane, it is intended primarily for roleplaying purposes.

Deployed to a dwarven mine, where we discovered a mine of enslaved kobold under the tyranny of Derro overlords. We inspired a kobold named Landeep to rally his people. I knighted 4 of the kobolds to the service of the Red Knight and the collected 100 kobolds swarmed the throne room. It was a bloody battle, but the kobolds won the day!

We discovered a hidden shrine to Moradin behind the throne and the fire elemental guardian branded Salvo (on the left bicep) and some of her fellows in a ritual. The ritual complete, it turned over the tenet of Tyranny, the third and worst of the tenets of Bane. On exiting the sanctum, we were attacked by Banites and we put them all to the sword (or magic missile) rather than give over the disc they sought to take from us.

Story Award: Worthy Sacrifice

You willingly sacrificed yourself to achieve your goal and protect your companions. Even after the wound caused by the elemental heals, a scar remains marking the character forever with the word “worthy” in Ignan. Malana Homwell has learned of your deed and is impressed by your actions

Priestess Malana sends us to Thentia with a wagon carrying the three Tenets of Bane in a lead-lined chest. We are attacked by mercenary hobgoblins. On arival in Thentia, we learned we were a decoy. Rushing to Melvaunt to protect Malana, we began to search for her. She had planned to book passage on the Wind Dancer, the ship that took us out to find the second tenet disc, but she was late to report in. A little ratfink of a 12-year-old tried to swindle us for information, but enough gold brought out the truth that Malana was captured by the Banite Tarmin Gald and was being held in a warehouse.
We stormed the warehouse, but found only a thayan warrior and some thugs as her paid captors. They tried to murder the Priestess, but our paladin made it to her in time to stabilize her while we slew the thugs.

Gathering ourselves together, we find that we've just missed Gald's crew and, to stop him, must sprint back to the Wave Dancer, the hiding place of the tenet discs. Tarmin Gald and a dozen of his Banites had struck down the ship's wizard and were forcing Captain Lesiko to put out to sea. We cleared the docks quickly, stabilized First Mate Windsong, and launched a fuisilade at the banites on deck, slaying Gald and his lackeys before they were more than 10 feet from the dock. We recovered the three tenet of Bane discs and will guard Priestess Malana until they are safely in Elturgard.

Traded away the Xvart's Wand of Magic Missiles to a strange character named Pegleg Orijin (Player: Samuel Nathan DePetris) at the table. Pegleg swapped for bracers of archery, but the damn things don't work on crossbows, and I do prefer them. Crossbows are archery, too!

Left the Bracers of Archery in the Lord's Alliance weapon locker in Melvaunt, picked up a Pair of Gauntlets that I thought Dayel could use. Wasted effort as he spent most of his time throwing cantrips and shooting his longbow after that. I'll never understand Eldritch Knights.

Malana contacts us. The attempts to destroy the Tenets of Bane have failed. The Banite souls within the tenets are loosed and have possessed three of the High Clerics of Torm. Our first quarry was the spirit of Mace the Dreadful, a blackguard; Mace had possessed High Cleric Goryn and fled north into Thar.

We entered a ritual combat challenge 6v6 against Mace, two blades of Ilneval, a claw of Luthic and a pair of orogs; subduing Mace-in-a-Goryn-suit worked and we brought him back to Malana for exorcism.

Story Award: Torm’s Honor.

You fought with honor and defeated the orc leader, Mace the Dreadful, sparing his life. In addition, you managed to retrieve the Tenet of Tyranny and deliver it to Malana Homwell. The priestess is impressed by your dedication to Torm’s ways.

Salvo swapped a pair of Gauntlets of Ogre Power for (Michael777) Dayel's Wand of Magic Missiles.

Traded the Wand of magic missiles to Reshii for an unneeded Pearl of Power. Dropped the pearl ring in the Lord's Alliance armory for some caster to use.

Deployed to Glister to search out High Cleric Gregon Ord, thought to be possessed by a Banite assassin named Siren the Steel. Unbeknownst to us, the soul of Siren had left Gregon and instead possessed a halfling cleric of Tymora. We were ultimately able to capture her and return her to Malana to be restored without any permanent harm to the cleric of Tymora. No such luck for the High Cleric.
*gained potion of superior healing

Story Award: Torm’s Duty.

You dutifully returned High Cleric Gregon Ord and the Tenet of Hate to Malana Homwell. The priestess is impressed by your dedication to Torm’s ways.

The third of the escaped Banites was Sax Magnus, a wizard who possessed cleric Alathera Shieldheart. We tracked her to a tower that was rumored to be overrun by demons of Gehenna. After a very foul entry requiring a slugfest with dyybuk-possessed gnoll corpses, we fought our way to the towertop. There we put a stop to a ritual Magnus was using to open a portal to Gehenna and killed his Bluezau and Glabrezu minions.

Story Award: Torm's Compassion

You showed compassion by not sacrificing any humanoids when closing the portal to the Abyss. In addition, you managed to retrieve the Tenet of Fear and deliver it to Malana Homwell. The priestess is impressed by your dedication to Torm’s ways.

Downtime Activity: Touched by Torm. Completed

Your dedication to Torm’s ways has impressed Malana Homwell and others in the church of Torm. As a result, you are invited for an intense period of study, prayer, and reflection at the Temple of Torm’s Coming in Tantras. If you choose to attend, you emerged with a deep connection to Torm and his beliefs. You feel as though the deity has touched your very being, but what this means for your future is still unclear.

The Tenets of Bane gathered, we headed to the Monastery of the Frozen Fist, where a former portal to the Shadowfell had dwindled into an orb of annihilation capable of destroying the foul artefacts. We placed the tenet discs into the pool, but were beset by a Shadowsorrow called The Hungry. It took us some effort, but we pushed both the shadowsorrow and the discs into the orb, but not before poor Dayel was ensorcelled by some charm and walked into the nothingness, forever.

As we rested that night, we were pulled into a demiplane and found ourselves faced an Aspect of Bane. He interrogated us, asking for our motivations in supporting Torm and destroying Bane's champions and Tenets. Salvo's answer was clear and unafraid. "I am Ara Dundragon, and I have done this to honor The Red Knight and Guy Dundragon. He was her cleric, but my husband; I honor him."

The Touch of Torm guided Salvo's hand; she connected perfectly with a punch from the Ring of the Ram, striking the Aspect of Bane in the face, and sending him flying to the far wall. In a blur, she had lifted her crossbow and sank a quarrel in his chest. Guess he didn't see that coming. With the support of her team, the aspect released us from the dream and the demiplane.

Story Award: DIVINE SPARK.

You slew a manifestation of Bane's power in a demi-plane created by the deity. When your spirit returned to your physical form, a miniscule portion of deific power went with it. In times of great anger or duress, your eyes now glow with divine radiance. The color of luminance purple is up to you.

• Divvying up Party loot from the Experience track, Salvo kept a Potion of Heroism and a Potion of Greater Healing.

Starting Gold

Starting gold (Marine): 10 gp, sold Shortbow (+12.5g), sold leather armor (+2.5g), XGE gold (+18g)

XGE's This is Your Life

My given name is Ara Mystralath. I think of myself as Ara Dundragon. My call sign is Salvo.

I am not like the Wood Elves that live in seclusion. I was not born in a bosky forest, but surrounded by the timbers of a ship. My father is Immeral Mystralath, an ambassador from the elves to the humans. Yes, the one who famously disappeared without a trace. My mother is Shava Mystralath, once known as a painter, but more recently as a jeweler and designer.

My younger sibling, Thia, was born a decade later than I, in the years after my father took his political position and we moved into a large house amongst the humans of Luskan.
I had several friends, and my childhood was generally a happy one. My sister became a priest of Selune. I check in on her when I am near her temple in Thentia; drop some coins in the box, that sort of thing.

As a child—in my early 40s, perhaps?—Invaders attacked the city. I took up arms and stood the wall, picking off the sappers approaching in the dark. When it came time to chase them back to their mountains and swamps, I served as part of a battalion of marines, learning the precepts of my profession while blazing trails and scouting enemy encampments along the rivers.

11 (d12) Life Events

1. 88 fought in a battle. 12 You acquitted yourself well in battle and are remembered as a hero. 6 Leave None Behind. You carried an injured marine for miles to avoid capture and death. You might have received a medal for your bravery.
2. 22 At age fifty-two, I fell in love and married Guy Dundragon, a human naval officer and a cleric of the Red Knight. I married too young for an elf, but I was not that different to a headstrong human adventurer in his late 30s.
3. 68 Remaining pay from time as a Marine. 7 (2d6) gp. I'm not good at saving.
4. 27 After we'd been married six years, we had a daughter. Thia Dundragon (Named for her aunt) is now fifty-six, and an infamous politician like her grandfather. She is rather busy with her life, family, and career, so we don't speak often since her father's death.
5. 98 Encountered the wreck of a ship 20 leagues upriver and 3 leagues from the water. We figured it was something magical. Among the salvage was a potion that I drank in a later skirmish with Orcs. 4 Seems I drank a potion of Heroism (of the DM’s choice). Ever since then, I'll put my neck on the line for my squad, even if I know I'm supposed to stay in cover. Stupidity and compassion are bad habits for a sniper.
6. 60 Pay from time as a Marine. 11 (2d6) gp
7. 01 Tragedy 12 Almost twenty years ago, my husband died of old age. He was seventy and he burned so brightly while he lived; but we age so differently. I loved him fiercely to his last day.
8. 78 Adventure - Suffered a grievous injury. Although the wound healed, it still pains me from time to time.
9. 37 Made an enemy of an Adventurer — a gnome rogue named Boddy Folknor, callsign: Stumbleduck — but they blew our cover, not me. I wasn't the only one who bailed either. Steelfist, Orcbait, and SackRace all scrambled when I did; that was the rules if it went sideways. Most of them are missing now and even I can't track them down.
10. 93 Crime 4 One count of Assault. 7 Nearly caught in the act. Had to disengage and now wanted in the community where the crime occurred. The arrest warrants posted for us were the last I heard of Ducky... looks like Fist, Orcbait, and Sacks avoided the guard's notice.

• Purchased a good quality longbow (-75g) and studded leather (-45g) in subdued colours to replace the stuff I sold while laying low.
• Assigned Certificate for Bregan D' Arthe Handgonne. "Bit of contraband I was issued in Shadow Company. I haven't practiced with the thing at all. Smokepowder is a hassle to carry. Still... it has potential."

Clerics of Torm at a small temple called the Helping Hand sent for help in locating and recovering several relics created by Banites and hidden in the area around Thentia and Melvaunt. The first Tenet of Bane was located in the moors of Thar amidst a village of Xvarts. We retrieved a wand from the warlock running that village and sorted through an illusion of a dragon to find the Tenet of Fear.
* Purchased cold weather gear in muted colors (-4g)

Sent by the clerics from the Helping Hand to retrieve the second tenet of Bane (the tenet of hate) from the ruins of the Merfolk city of Garnthall.

Story Award: Mercy for the Merfolk King.

You displayed kindness by helping King Garnon’s spirit find eternal rest. Malana Homwell has noted your compassion and is impressed by your actions.

Downtime Activity: Inspired by Torm.

The teachings of Torm have shown you a better way to live your life. While you may not worship the deity directly, you have come to appreciate Torm’s commitment to duty, loyalty, and courage, and you do your best to incorporate these qualities into your own life. While this story award may have benefits in future adventures involving the Tenets of Bane, it is intended primarily for roleplaying purposes.

Deployed to a dwarven mine, where we discovered a mine of enslaved kobold under the tyranny of Derro overlords. We inspired a kobold named Landeep to rally his people. I knighted 4 of the kobolds to the service of the Red Knight and the collected 100 kobolds swarmed the throne room. It was a bloody battle, but the kobolds won the day!

We discovered a hidden shrine to Moradin behind the throne and the fire elemental guardian branded Salvo (on the left bicep) and some of her fellows in a ritual. The ritual complete, it turned over the tenet of Tyranny, the third and worst of the tenets of Bane. On exiting the sanctum, we were attacked by Banites and we put them all to the sword (or magic missile) rather than give over the disc they sought to take from us.

Story Award: Worthy Sacrifice

You willingly sacrificed yourself to achieve your goal and protect your companions. Even after the wound caused by the elemental heals, a scar remains marking the character forever with the word “worthy” in Ignan. Malana Homwell has learned of your deed and is impressed by your actions

Priestess Malana sends us to Thentia with a wagon carrying the three Tenets of Bane in a lead-lined chest. We are attacked by mercenary hobgoblins. On arival in Thentia, we learned we were a decoy. Rushing to Melvaunt to protect Malana, we began to search for her. She had planned to book passage on the Wind Dancer, the ship that took us out to find the second tenet disc, but she was late to report in. A little ratfink of a 12-year-old tried to swindle us for information, but enough gold brought out the truth that Malana was captured by the Banite Tarmin Gald and was being held in a warehouse.
We stormed the warehouse, but found only a thayan warrior and some thugs as her paid captors. They tried to murder the Priestess, but our paladin made it to her in time to stabilize her while we slew the thugs.

Gathering ourselves together, we find that we've just missed Gald's crew and, to stop him, must sprint back to the Wave Dancer, the hiding place of the tenet discs. Tarmin Gald and a dozen of his Banites had struck down the ship's wizard and were forcing Captain Lesiko to put out to sea. We cleared the docks quickly, stabilized First Mate Windsong, and launched a fuisilade at the banites on deck, slaying Gald and his lackeys before they were more than 10 feet from the dock. We recovered the three tenet of Bane discs and will guard Priestess Malana until they are safely in Elturgard.

Traded away the Xvart's Wand of Magic Missiles to a strange character named Pegleg Orijin (Player: Samuel Nathan DePetris) at the table. Pegleg swapped for bracers of archery, but the damn things don't work on crossbows, and I do prefer them. Crossbows are archery, too!

Left the Bracers of Archery in the Lord's Alliance weapon locker in Melvaunt, picked up a Pair of Gauntlets that I thought Dayel could use. Wasted effort as he spent most of his time throwing cantrips and shooting his longbow after that. I'll never understand Eldritch Knights.

Malana contacts us. The attempts to destroy the Tenets of Bane have failed. The Banite souls within the tenets are loosed and have possessed three of the High Clerics of Torm. Our first quarry was the spirit of Mace the Dreadful, a blackguard; Mace had possessed High Cleric Goryn and fled north into Thar.

We entered a ritual combat challenge 6v6 against Mace, two blades of Ilneval, a claw of Luthic and a pair of orogs; subduing Mace-in-a-Goryn-suit worked and we brought him back to Malana for exorcism.

Story Award: Torm’s Honor.

You fought with honor and defeated the orc leader, Mace the Dreadful, sparing his life. In addition, you managed to retrieve the Tenet of Tyranny and deliver it to Malana Homwell. The priestess is impressed by your dedication to Torm’s ways.

Salvo swapped a pair of Gauntlets of Ogre Power for (Michael777) Dayel's Wand of Magic Missiles.

Traded the Wand of magic missiles to Reshii for an unneeded Pearl of Power. Dropped the pearl ring in the Lord's Alliance armory for some caster to use.

Deployed to Glister to search out High Cleric Gregon Ord, thought to be possessed by a Banite assassin named Siren the Steel. Unbeknownst to us, the soul of Siren had left Gregon and instead possessed a halfling cleric of Tymora. We were ultimately able to capture her and return her to Malana to be restored without any permanent harm to the cleric of Tymora. No such luck for the High Cleric.
*gained potion of superior healing

Story Award: Torm’s Duty.

You dutifully returned High Cleric Gregon Ord and the Tenet of Hate to Malana Homwell. The priestess is impressed by your dedication to Torm’s ways.

The third of the escaped Banites was Sax Magnus, a wizard who possessed cleric Alathera Shieldheart. We tracked her to a tower that was rumored to be overrun by demons of Gehenna. After a very foul entry requiring a slugfest with dyybuk-possessed gnoll corpses, we fought our way to the towertop. There we put a stop to a ritual Magnus was using to open a portal to Gehenna and killed his Bluezau and Glabrezu minions.

Story Award: Torm's Compassion

You showed compassion by not sacrificing any humanoids when closing the portal to the Abyss. In addition, you managed to retrieve the Tenet of Fear and deliver it to Malana Homwell. The priestess is impressed by your dedication to Torm’s ways.

Downtime Activity: Touched by Torm. Completed

Your dedication to Torm’s ways has impressed Malana Homwell and others in the church of Torm. As a result, you are invited for an intense period of study, prayer, and reflection at the Temple of Torm’s Coming in Tantras. If you choose to attend, you emerged with a deep connection to Torm and his beliefs. You feel as though the deity has touched your very being, but what this means for your future is still unclear.

The Tenets of Bane gathered, we headed to the Monastery of the Frozen Fist, where a former portal to the Shadowfell had dwindled into an orb of annihilation capable of destroying the foul artefacts. We placed the tenet discs into the pool, but were beset by a Shadowsorrow called The Hungry. It took us some effort, but we pushed both the shadowsorrow and the discs into the orb, but not before poor Dayel was ensorcelled by some charm and walked into the nothingness, forever.

As we rested that night, we were pulled into a demiplane and found ourselves faced an Aspect of Bane. He interrogated us, asking for our motivations in supporting Torm and destroying Bane's champions and Tenets. Salvo's answer was clear and unafraid. "I am Ara Dundragon, and I have done this to honor The Red Knight and Guy Dundragon. He was her cleric, but my husband; I honor him."

The Touch of Torm guided Salvo's hand; she connected perfectly with a punch from the Ring of the Ram, striking the Aspect of Bane in the face, and sending him flying to the far wall. In a blur, she had lifted her crossbow and sank a quarrel in his chest. Guess he didn't see that coming. With the support of her team, the aspect released us from the dream and the demiplane.

Story Award: DIVINE SPARK.

You slew a manifestation of Bane's power in a demi-plane created by the deity. When your spirit returned to your physical form, a miniscule portion of deific power went with it. In times of great anger or duress, your eyes now glow with divine radiance. The color of luminance purple is up to you.

• Divvying up Party loot from the Experience track, Salvo kept a Potion of Heroism and a Potion of Greater Healing.