I normally try to stick with groups of 5 for games, but I felt I had to make an exception for Sara… after all, she’s a pretty awesome person to hang around with and talk to, and I figured she’d bring something special to the table. She’s new to D&D, like many of the other players, but she’s one hell of a roleplayer – and she’s always thinking outside the box. You’ll see.

Loranys is a paladin of Sorti, the goddess of Night, Luck, and Magic. Followers of Sorti, especially the paladin sect, are dedicated to helping others through dark times, and being the hero for those unfortunates who haven’t been blessed with Sorti’s good fortune. For Loranys, this usually meant kicking around the occasional creature terrorizing small villages and having a few friendlies in tavern brawls over the years.

Loranys is self-reliant and relies heavily on her strength to handle any difficulties – she strikes first, strikes hard, and hopes to smash the opposition before any harm comes to her person. Armor only helps so much, after all.

Born to an elven mother and a human father, Loranys Songsteel was raised among the elves of her mother’s tribe. As she matured, she devoted herself to the goddess Sorti and took up the divine cause of the paladin, feeling an innate desire to help others and do good deeds, partially because she feels that it’s important to help others, and partially for the fun of it. As a half-elf, her natural tendencies are towards wandering the world and seeing what it has to offer, and the paladins of Sorti especially believe in the importance of seeking one’s own destiny.

Charming enough when she wants to be, Loranys has spent the last several years traveling, mostly alone and sometimes falling in with companions for a short time, lending her assistance to those in need – usually for the satisfaction of a good deed done, but she’s never been one to turn down payments. She has been part of a group hired by Sagemaster Volrane in the past, and when her wandering leads her back to Three Hills she is sure to see if he has work for her.

Her most recent visit with Sagemaster Volrane has directed her to the village of Camlain, where she has been investigating a bandit attack at Volrane’s request. She has sent information back to Volrane, but up to now, has had no word of reinforcements…

I have to say, there’s something intriguing about a paladin who worships a Night goddess. Most people I know would associate paladins with gods of the sun, or gods of war… but Night, Luck and Magic? That’s new, and gives a lot of great RP potential. I love it.

More information later. Still working out the details.

Growing up as the bastard son of a decorated general such as Lord Anthony Correia, Dorn has always had to work extra hard to achieve the respect and admiration of his peers. Dorn, who knew from an early age that he would never inherit his father’s titles, attended a prestigious military academy where he studied hard and excelled among the other students, in order to one day serve his younger sister, the Lady Jessica Correia.

Despite his father being granted the Baronship of the land of Rivia and charged with safeguarding the people and the kings most important gold mine, Dorn found himself constantly persecuted by his fellow academy students for being the bastard son and not a true noble born son of the baron. Despite this, Dorn held his lord father in great regard. Tragically, this proved to be Dorn’s weakness, and resulted in his expulsion from the academy; he killed a fellow student in a duel over his father’s honor.

Lord Anthony, both disgusted and touched by his pig-headed son’s sense of honor, sent Dorn away to join the king’s army and to learn to control his temper. Thus enlisted in the military at an early age, Dorn found himself assigned as a squire to a knight named Hannibal Halleck.

Knight Halleck was no easy taskmaster, demanding much from Dorn and rarely giving praise. Dorn learned Halleck’s unorthodox battle methods well and quickly mastered both the longsword and himself over the course of several years, through wars great and small. At the end of a long campaign in another country, Dorn returned home after ten long years of service. Having attained the title of knight, He was ready to take his place as Master of arms for Lady Jessica.

Dorn’s homecoming, however, was short-lived. Returning to find his family branded traitors and left hanging from the castle walls like trophies, Dorn’s investigations discovered his father’s former friend, Lord Augustine Steakley, seated upon his father’s old throne. Knowing that something is amiss, Dorn left the castle before Steakley’s guards could discover him. Secretly making contact with several friends and servants still loyal to his father, Dorn discovered that the king had been informed that Dorn’s family had been amassing gold from the mines to overthrow the crown. The informant was none other than Lord Steakley, who had obtained the proof from Lord Anthony’s former and most loyal knights, Bruce, Baron of Campwell. Fully aware that this was a betrayal and a political plot and yet unable to provide evidence to clear his family’s name, Dorn went into hiding. Investigating further, Dorn discovered that his family was murdered not by Lord Steakley or the Baron of Campwell, but hired assassins. He had no names, but one clue provided by an old servant; a tunic embroidered with a unique patch.

Personality
Because of his young age, years of military service and witnessing the corpses of his loved ones has left Dorn a rather brooding and prone to bouts of rage and extreme anger. Dorn knows deep in his heart that until his family is avenged he will never know true peace. He frequently has bouts of insomnia which can keep him awake for days. The insomnia has driven Dorn to drinking in excess, often the only way he can silence his nightmares and truly sleep peacefully.

Dorn’s inexperience and need for vengeance has led him to make unwise decisions to obtain information leading to his family’s murderers. His disillusionment with the noble leadership of his own country has fostered a disregard for authority and nobility within him. Unfortunately, Dorn’s new reputation as an adventurer, mercenary, and bounty hunter willing to work both sides of the fence has drawn attention from thieves and knights alike.

Physical Traits
His years on the battlefield have left Dorn disfigured and somewhat unsightly. Battle scars cover his body from head to toe, making him easy to spot and easier to remember. To keep people from staring overlong at his face and also to conceal his identity, Dorn is never seen in public without his helmet: a battered but well serviced Sallet which leaves his lower jaw and a strip for his eyes visible but hides the majority of his face. One may guess from the color of the stubble on his chin that his hair is a dark brown or black.

Tie and contrast to: Shayla

While this is somewhat unusual, it’s not uncommon for your tie and contrast to be the same person. The interesting thing is to come up with something plausible that fulfills both requirements. Mason and Jin worked together on this, and it turned out better than I could have expected.

While traveling through the town of Rashbourne, Dorn picked up a contract to hunt a dire wolf said to be terrorizing the village, stealing various items and disappearing without a trace. Waiting one night in ambush, Dorn ambushed and successfully chased off the wolf. Realizing that his quarry was clearly not a dire wolf, Dorn tracked the creature after its flight. Following it into the surrounding woods, Dorn came across a young elven girl sleeping in a tree hollow.

Dorn ambushed the girl and her spirit companion, the wolf. Dorn took several wounds but finished the creature off, and then turned his attention to the girl. Despite her attempts at resistance, days of starvation and weakness from hunger allowed Dorn to easily overpower her. Dorn returned to his campsite with his captive, offering her two options: live and never return to the village, or die. He left her tied up at his camp with a bit of food, and returned to the village to collect his reward.

The spirit wolf had left its mark, however, and Dorn’s return trip was marred by hallucinations of his dead family, and a fever brought on by the wounds he suffered in the recent battle. Dorn collapsed near a river, and awoke later to find the girl sitting over him. Mistaking her for an attacker, Dorn struggled to move to the attack, only to find himself stripped of his weapons and tied up just as he had left the girl.

“I give you two options,” she said, mimicking Dorn’s words from before. “Live, and let me come with you, or die.” Choosing to live, Dorn agreed and allowed Shayla to heal his wounds; they have been traveling together ever since.

Lazan is a wanderer, a Halfling far removed from his home. Lost, became a druid to survive the wild, and hopes to one day find his way home again, with stories and shinies to show everyone how awesome he is.

Lazan’s mentor, Dareleth, a Half-elf, saved his life after Lazan was separated from his family. Dareleth is very quiet, and usually distrustful of strangers; a complete loner, almost a hermit, in her own right, making her adoption of Lazan rather uncharacteristic. She never once gave a reason for saving the young Halfling, and after a while he just stopped asking why.

In his youth, Lazan made the acquaintance of Tasrod, a grizzled old Dwarf warrior who became a sort of inspiration for a young Lazan. In Lazan’s travels, he ran across a merchant caravan under attack by hobgoblins. Before Lazan had the chance to decide to flee for his own life or attempt to assist the caravan, he saw that a Dwarf had already felled three of the hobgoblins single-handedly without ever putting down his mug. Lazan was instantly enthralled with Tasrod’s fighting prowess, and introduced himself. As their friendship grew, Lazan was forever imprinted with many of Tasrod’s own personality traits, including a love for heroic tall tales, alcohol, and fighting. (Learning how to drink at the feet of a dwarf does funny things to one’s tolerance.)

Ties to: Dorn Deckard

The two met in a tavern and found themselves in a drunken brawl; when the dust settled, they were both taken to jail. They bonded drunkenly post-brawl.

Contrast: Kevara Bloodbane

Kevara’s innate curiosity about everything serves little more than a constant annoyance. There’s also a bit of apprehension inside of him, as he tends to think of Dragonborn and dragons interchangeably, so he’s worried that she’ll “hoard” his share of the treasure.

Daughter of Shysark and Thaina Bloodbane, Kevara Bloodbane is a Dragonborn warlock and student of Alisaadi Urthadar, a Tiefling master of the Astral Path. Seeking to perfect her knowledge of the arcane and driven by the typical Dragonborn desire to be the best in their chosen profession, Kevara left home to make her way in the world. Her father, Shysark, is the Bloodbane patriarch; he disapproves of Kevara’s chosen path. Her mother, Thaina, supports Kevara’s individualism despite her concerns for her daughter’s well-being, and they have always gotten along well.

Ties to: Lazan Silvershaper

Ever one to expand her horizons, Kevara found the Halfling druid a compelling curiosity, something she had not run into before. She feels that they must have some common ground, for surely Halfling druids are looked with as much suspicion as Dragonborn warlocks!

Contrast to: Dorn Deckard

Dorn’s superstitions and prejudices thanks to encounters with warlocks during many battles have left him with the expectation that all warlocks follow a Demonic Path. Kevara is under his constant scrutiny, and she must do her best to convince Dorn that she does not share the dark desires and powers of other followers of the warlock profession.

Shayla is a 19 year old Elf shaman who has been called by the spirits to venture out into the world and learn its ways, and to gain a greater understanding of her role in it and the purpose of her existence.

Shayla travels with a spirit companion, a huge wolf who has no given name – at least none that Shayla has shared with anyone. The spirit serves as Shayla’s guide and companion, and she pays special heed to his advice. The spirit wolf’s mannerisms and obvious intelligence suggest he is somewhat more than he seems, but it is not clear precisely what else he might be. He has a wicked, feral sense of humor; he often will make jokes at the expense of those around him that are generally lost on Shayla. This is often the subject of his jokes about her. It is very clear that Shayla is extremely dear to him, however, and he does not generally tolerate anyone else making fun of her.

Shayla makes no mention of anyone from her past, and generally does not speak of her childhood at all even when pressed. At times, however, she will let slip details about visions or conversations she has had with a woman in her dreams. Also nameless, the woman is described as older than Shayla, but similar enough in appearance to suggest a blood relation. Shayla is unwilling to speak about her directly even when she does accidentally mention her.

Ties to: Kevara Bloodbane

Shayla is aware that Warlocks often carry special connections to the Fae and other spirit creatures. She feels a sort of professional kinship toward Kevara in this regard, and respects her as something of a fellow practitioner. Her quest for knowledge is very similar to Shayla’s own task. Additionally, she takes simple joy in Kevara as another girl to keep company with.

Contrast to: Lazan Silvershaper

Shayla does not understand Lazan or his interest in “shinies” as he would call them. Her own past has left her with little knowledge or appreciation of the value of material things. His often apparent dislike of Kevara has not endeared him to her either. Also, her spirit companion believes this tiny person would make an excellent snack, which she has taken to heart.