Corsair

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

Lily regarded the new traveler. "Well met, friend. I suspect we're in the same situation - let me guess, you were traveling, and a cloud of fog rose up around you. When it cleared you found yourself in this strange place?" Lily indicated their own band with a tilt of her head. "The same happened to us, we only arrived here moments ago. I am Lily Beckett, Knight of the Triad and Paladin of Torm. We're headed for that scarred city, it looks to still be inhabited. Hopefully someone there can answer our questions."

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

@AfinaAccepted, and welcome.

@knighthawkWell, you'd probably manage to usurp Lily the Scarecrow's place as "Party member most likely to be burned at the stake by angry villagers."

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

Lily smiled at Lammy - not her Paladin's Smile, all larger than life heroism, pure confidence and chaste beauty, no, this was her private smile, muted and a little shy. "Knew you'd have it, Lammy. I'll be right with you." She took to following him. "Well, if they don't play nice you could try turning into that giant bear you figured out and just smashing the door in."

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

Lily let out a hiss between her teeth. One, because that was bad. That was really, really bad. That was a level of bad news that rivaled being told that there was an army of Dragons burning the land to ashes, or that Asmodeus had manifested on the physical plane along with all the armies of Hell, or the world was being consumed in flames.

The other was that she really hadn't wanted that just blurted out to the whole group. Things like that are like to cause a panic, she reckoned.

"I don't think it's a great idea either, but it's the only one I've got." She glanced between them. "Who wants to knock? I think it might be best if Eranah and I hang back a bit, there's no telling what kind of reaction these people might have to a woman of the cloth."

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

"Lammy, I'm happy to see you too." Lily said as the druid yanked her into a tight hug - hell, by the feel of it he'd have been crushing her ribs if she wasn't wearing armor. In other circumstances she'd probably have been a little more evocative in the joy she felt at seeing him again, and Eranah. But as it was a chill was running down her spine that robbed the moment of anything resembling happiness.

The first thing was the emptiness. Not just around them, the fields of death around the decaying city, something internal, like a spot in her heart that she hadn't even been consciously aware of, a point of warmth and light had suddenly been snuffed out. And yet her powers still coursed through her - reaching her hand down to half-draw Faith's Fire and seeing the pale flames begin to kindle along the blade was confirmation enough of that. That did little enough to comfort her, though.

"Eranah, do you feel it too?" If the Cleric did it would confirm Lily's fears - that wherever they were, they were beyond the sight and touch of their Gods, even if they could still draw upon their powers.

After Eranah replied Lily glanced around at the group. "We're not safe out here. Old battlefields like this are almost always haunted, and I see no signs this ground has been consecrated. Certainly no one has taken the time to lay the dead to rest properly." The Paladin grimaced. That city set off all her 'bad place' and 'don't want to go there' instincts, but they needed information, shelter, a place to start, and she saw no other options. "That city - look, it's not ruins. You can see men atop the walls, intact banners still flying. It must still be inhabited. We should make our way there, maybe someone there can explain why we've been brought here."

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

All the world was engulfed in fog, a bank that blotted out stars, so thick that your hand could scarcely be seen a foot from your face, and one by one, scattered across nations and realms, the Six would find their continued journey through the blinding haze to be foolish. As suddenly as it emerged it would suddenly fade, retreating into the distance on a chill wind that howled through the leafless woods and barren fields. There was no sense of shift, no strange pulling or tearing sensation. No dizziness or disorientation, just a sudden change - one moment, the familiar. The next, fog, and as it faded, the unknown.

Around them was a wasteland gripped in winter. The remains of ancient battles long since passed littered the landscape, from broken siege machines now rotted and covered in vines to crumbling palisades and the stripped bones of long dead warriors. Looming ahead were titanic walls, once gleaming white now pockmarked with scars, spiderwebs of cracks around craters, and huge scorch marks. Atop the walls could be seen the tiny shapes of sentries moving between the ramparts, with small towers every few hundred feet bristling with ballistae. Beyond it they could see curtain walls and the massive spires of a fortress in the heart of the city.

The first thing Lily Beckett noticed was the sudden, bitter cold, her first reaction to draw her cloak tight, only to be caught staring around, wide-eyed at the sudden change, a shock that only grew as she noted she was not alone.

"Lammy? Eranah? What in Torm's name?" She furrowed her brow at the three strangers - and stranger seemed an apt descriptor of them. If it had ben their other companions from their quest it would have made a modicum of sense.

Over their head came a cawing, a legion of crows flying over them into that forboding city. The wind began to howl.

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

All current applicants accepted, relocate your sheets to the Character section at your earliest convenience, I'll begin work on the opening post shortly.

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

I think I'll break my rule this once.

Lily Beckett

- Name: Lily Beckett

- Age: 22

- Race: Human

- Class: Paladin

- Abilities: As a knight Lily is physically strong, an excellent rider, and a superb swordsman, with ancillary training with polearms and bows. As a Paladin Lily is capable of channeling holy energy through her body to heal the living or harm the undead, focus her spiritual might through her holy symbol to repel evil forces, and focus the energies of righteousness through her sword to smite evil. The holy power coursing through her body grants her protection from many mystical attacks on her body and mind, and renders her immune to all known diseases and curses. Lily has been granted a limited ability to focus the power of Torm as spells, enabling her to perform blessings or ward an individual or small area against evil.

As an agent of Gods anathema to the Demiplane of Dread - even if they don't even know it exists - Lily carries a portion of their light with her. She is actively - albeit unknowingly - hateful to the plane itself. This is not a good thing for anyone involved, especially not Lily.

While she technically has the ability to sense Evil, since her arrival in the Demiplane of Dread the ability has been made useless - while she is still capable of sensing Evil the sheer omnipresence of it within the plane makes attempting to sense Evil a bit like trying to detect light by staring directly at the Sun. You'll find it, sure, but you'll also burn out your retinas. Attempting to sense evil is both agonizing and pointless for her.

- Alignment: Lawful Good

- Appearance:

Picture

Lily stands at roughly 5'10, and has a lean, athletic build that is corded with muscle. Her hair is black and worn long, usually simply gathered together under her helm in battle. Her eyes are gray, and while she is well-calloused she has no scars, suggesting easy access to healing magic. About her shoulders she wears a hooded, travel-stained cloak of deep, dark red.

- Personality: Lily is a Paladin, although not with all that implies. She lives her life by a simple code, dedicated to the Triad, the gods Tyr, Ilmater, and Torm - although Torm is her patron, and has her deepest devotion. The code she abides by is a simple one:

A Paladin is a speaker and seeker of Truth. A Paladin does not prejudge, but instead keeps an open mind. A Paladin never shirks from speaking the truth under any circumstance.

A Paladin is the arbiter of Justice. A Paladin will never allow the guilty to escape their Just punishment, nor the innocent to be trampled by injustice.

A Paladin is Sacrificing. The Paladin will give up everything they have, even their lives in the defense of the innocent.

A Paladin is Courageous, and does not shirk from battle with darkness but instead seeks it out and ends it.

A Paladin is Compassionate, and is kind to those around them, whether they appreciate it or not.

A Paladin is Merciful, and takes life only when there is no other choice.

A Paladin is Faithful, to their Masters and to their peers. A Paladin can always be called upon, and will never abandon those in need.

A Paladin is Humble, and does not seek personal glory or the adulation of others.

Outside of the tenets of this code, Lily is a simple person - not stupid, she is quite learned and intelligent, but she is not subtle or cunning. She has a habit of believing the best of people who too often don't deserve it. She approaches every aspect of her life the way she approaches her labors as a Paladin - directly and relentlessly. She is, however, smart and wise enough to grasp that not everyone who is good at heart should be forced to abide by her way of life, say, by having her reject the promised reward for a task simply because she has no use for treasure.

- Inventory: Lily's most important possession is her sword Faith's Fire, a two-handed longsword that at will burns with blue-white flames that are antithetical to the forces of Evil. With it she wields a suit of well-forged plate armor, similarly unadorned but nevertheless well cared for, if dented, scratched, and generally battered. The armor does bear a minor enchantment in that it is self-fastening, enabling Lily to quickly don and remove it in moments without assistance, rather than the minutes she would need even with a squire. In battle she adds a visored barbute. The gauntlets are special as well - each has been anointed by a Priest of Torm, and through them Lily can focus her Paladin capabilities. She also carries a similarly enchanted but much smaller and more maneuverable holy symbol on a silver chain around her neck, a simple circle of metal with a gauntlet etched upon it.

Over her armor she has a simple, unadorned red cloak, unmagical but warm and protective from rain.

Aside from her battle gear, she carries a light traveling pack holding rations, water, a small vial of blessed water, Tormite Holy Scripture, flints and tinder, fifty feet of rope, a grappling hook, and a utility knife.

- History: Lily doesn't really know where she comes from, beyond probable Illuskan ancestry judging by her coloration. Twenty years ago she was found on the doorstep of the Temple of the Triad in Waterdeep, a crying infant in a basket. In a city like Waterdeep this wasn't a terribly uncommon incident, although people usually had the courtesy to hand the baby to a Priest. Being a temple dedicated to three of the most noble and heroic Gods they weren't complete dicks, and so took the child in, fostering her with a humble Tormite Priest by the name of Gabriel, who raised her as his own.

Although little more than an apprentice priest, Gabriel was treated with great respect, and as Lily grew she soon discovered why. Gabriel was better known as Sir Gabriel Beckett, Knight and Paladin of the Tormtar, a legendary hero who had guarded the Sword Coast for decades. Upon learning this young Lily was inspired, and hounded the old knight to teach her the ways of the Paladin. Despite his reticence to see the girl he had come to call daughter take up the heavy burden of the Paladin he did not deny her, and her training began.

To Lily's surprise the training involved much less sparring and much more deep contemplation and study. Gabriel and her would spend many hours, deep into the night discussing the nature of evil, and how to fight it. Gabriel taught her to use her sword as a last resort, to battle evil with her mind and heart, to offer peace before battle and mercy in victory, even to the wicked who seemed truly vile. "We are Paladins, not judges. Our place is not to lay judgment, but to prevent further evil. "

At seventeen she began to shift from pure training to minor missions for the Temple, culminating in a series of quests she would begin at twenty years of age - plunging into a deep catacomb with an army to disrupt an undead horde forming, a year-long crusade against Devilish powers rising in the High Moor - where she met and befriended the Druid Lammy LaSalle and the priestess Eranah. After their parting she traveled alone for many months, battling against evil in the world, rooting out murderers and necromancers among the small villages.

Her fervor drew notice of darkness, and the Mists reached for her.

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

@AfinaI have no objection to dual-classes.

@Mictlan93 Lammy? Yeah, just nudge his age up a year or two. Dammit, now I'm tempted to bring in Lily Beckett.

@BillsomethingInteresting concept with the character. If we get many more applicants though you're going to have to choose one character or the other, I want a reasonably small party. And Barkeep isn't really a class, that's more Commoner or Expert.

@AssallyaI'll be honest, I'm not really thrilled to see an Evil character, but I'll reserve judgment until you post the backstory.

Ravenloft: Torches in the Night

What's the class?