Lucky

HORIZON: In Wastes, Our Dreams

I'm not holding my breath if ERode isn't feeling this, but I'm still interested.

HORIZON: In Wastes, Our Dreams

@Dark Cloud

Order of Scribes wizard, then :P Has a magical quill and an awakened spellbook!

HORIZON: In Wastes, Our Dreams

@Dark Cloud

I'm a fan of kobolds. Ran one named Blanca as she had white scales, specifically a Soul Knife Rogue. Very cute and mischievous.

Gonna be almost polar opposite from what I'm thinking here with a gnoll lol

HORIZON: In Wastes, Our Dreams

<Snipped quote by Lucky>

Praise be Yeenoghu...Question mark?

@Dark Cloud

Look, all's I'm sayin' is that one day I was chillin' in the woods, feasting on the remains of the massacred, the next day I'm taking up discarded spears from the red battlefield and looking to satiate my constant hunger.

HORIZON: In Wastes, Our Dreams

@ERode

Sounds good to me!

I'm thinking something like a gnoll, or hyenafolk. I understand the ramifications of being something beastly, but I'd choose my job/abilities and the like carefully based on that. If that's good.

HORIZON: In Wastes, Our Dreams

Stumbled across this and would like to express my interest!

I'm currently in two D&D campaigns as a player and DMing one myself, but I need to keep the creative juices flowin'! I honestly love a "generic fantasy" because what that really means is we can flesh out our characters uniquely without absolutely relying on the world to make us interesting.

I do have questions, and they may be answered if/when you decide on making a CS and are up to running another, but before then I'm curious about magic (among other things). I like to do a sort of numbered list thing for the sake of efficiency, if you don't mind.

1. As you said, magic is typically the combination of both "obsessive study" and a "connection to this dimension." Are we able to start off these scrubs with any semblance of magic, even if just effectively cantrips (minor, weak, multiple castings per day)?

2a. Is magic limited to Anything Arcane™ and acts similar to the Force or are they divvied up into a range of schools, such as Evocation, Abjuration, Pyromancy, Wild, Necromancy. . . ?

2b. If the latter: is there a type of magic that would be illegal, immoral, or generally frowned upon? Necromancy is the usual target of such, and in many places Enchantment as well.

3. Will there be defined classes to follow, or will we be constructing our own?

4a. With technology being in the state that it is, can Artificers or Engineers be a concept if we want to pursue that?

4b. If not guns as we know them, what about Constructs and other kinds of devices?

5. Can technology develop with magic, to create some staples of the genre such as airships or batteries?

6a. Is there a universal language like Common?

6b. Are there multiple languages, whether or not Common exists?

I'll stop there for now, but I'm attracted to what you've written up and hope to get a positive response!

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

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Mona Holcombe Human, Warlock (The Celestial), Level 03 HP: 24 / 24 Armor Class: 11 Conditions: N/A Location: Darenby Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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"These hours are unbecoming of a cleric, you know. Hey! Listen! I know you're faking!" A fey creature of diminutive size flutters about, arms almost as cross as its feelings toward the dormant human crumpled up between basic linen blankets. This song and dance has played out many times before, and instinctively Radish rolls effortlessly in the air to avoid Mona's attempted swat. He gives an audible huff, wings flicking like an insect's and the only source of any constant noise. The church in which they are staying is a simple building, not like the one she visited in the actual township, housing pantheistic idols and on the opposite end of Darenby from where she needed to be later that day.

"I'm not a cleric, Radish." A tired voice comes from the pile of cloths, nonetheless her hand that braved the cool air first slowly pulled away at the sheets until she could breathe the fresh air. As fresh as it can be, in a dusty upstairs room that can be considered more a closet. Only enough space for a single mattress fit for one average human and an old, rickety wooden end table. On one hand, a dirty window allowed for the sunlight of midday to shine through. On the other, this window has not been properly maintained since, well perhaps since it was built. Autumn air has crept in through the night, reminding Mona that she should invest in a cotton blanket or cloak soon. Today soon.

With a great sigh, she removes the rest of the linens and bunches them all to the wall that the bedframe is pressed against. Mona sits up reluctantly, Unicorn pendant slowly slipping out of its impression in her skin and her simple beige night gown creasing around her thighs until she smooths it out. "I'm painfully aware, Master." The cogs in her head always need a few minutes to process her situation on waking up, and as such her gaze groggily hovers to where Radish now sits on the edge of the end table. His attitude never has been, and still isn't, condescending or spiteful. Instead he leans back, arms propping him up as he kicks his legs and giving her a genuine, if small, smile. His dimples would be something to envy, if Mona were to accept that it comes with that dull red hair. That she can go without.

Beside the Sprite is the heavily-scrunched letter, flattened and squashed so many times it is more thin fabric than pressed parchment. A vague call-to-arms of discretion, a trait that is actually quite up Mona's alley. She recalls how she came in possession of such an envelope and scoffs, finally giving Radish a smile that he had been longing for. By now, Mona is accustomed to his companionship. The little guy has proven useful in not only her ceremonies but also the few hostile encounters she came across in recent times. Sure, he prattles on and on about All Things Good that she must preach about, but he never seems to deter her from taking exciting opportunities (as long as they get to help someone in the process).

"Alright, Radish. Ready to scam some folks?"

"Not scam," he responds, as if reminding her.

"I know, I know. Just testin' ya." She shoots him a playful glance as she finally stands up, nearly hitting her head on the slanted ceiling. "Didn't get me that time," she mumbles, uncomfortably changing her posture so she can change into her day clothes without bumping into anything; she does so unsuccessfully, forcing Radish to withdraw his legs as she nearly trips into the small table while removing her night gown.

⏀ ⏄ ⏂ ⏅ ⏄

About fifteen minutes pass before she emerges from her room, fully dressed for the day's errands. Her clerical vestments are soft cream tones, flowing freely from the waist down and just to her knees. Considering an adventuring group is coming together, she opted to wear the leather armor she was gifted a few weeks prior: a vest that covers her torso in a nice shade of chocolate, with matching forearm braces and knee-high boots. Supposedly the boots are meant more for urban walkways, but they have proven comfortable and durable for regular outings. The ever-present Unicorn amulet acts as a centerpiece to it all, the only decoration to an otherwise simple and attractive appearance. Her off-white hair is put up into a loose plait, fixed up from her messy overnight slumber.

The letter mentioned her presence is not required until the twilight hours, so there is plenty of time to visit the fort proper and practice her bedside affectations. Before she sets off, she does a once-over of her immediate belongings one more time. Dagger? Check. Component pouch? Check. Coin pouch? Check. With a satisfactory nod, Mona closes the door behind her (and it slowly creaks back open as she can't lock it from the outside) and takes the stairs.

⏀ ⏄ ⏂ ⏅ ⏄

The visit to the keep’s clinic was uneventful in itself. She had used some of her basic healing, but most of the work had been done by the time she came around, so she spent the next few hours giving ailing guards some peace of mind by word of All Things Good. Eventually, she figured it close to the time she should head back to the temple, grab some grub, and finally go to the Infamous Pear. She knows exactly where it is, having explored several days ago when she made it to town. So off she goes to the temple once more, hoping to get to her room for a quick snack she packed away.

Her boots stomp loudly on the old wooden steps, much to her dismay, but she isn't trying to sneak about either. She'd rather be seen leaving in a hurry than caught lurking about. Neither of which happen, of course, as she is beset by the halfling cleric known to everyone as Sister Michele. The lady is nice enough, though they got off on the wrong foot as Mona believed that Michele would be more of a pushover. She was anything but. Turns out she is devout in her particular faith, and while she treated all the faithful woes with a smile, Sister Michele is also very pragmatic. An evening dedicated to sermons and shows of Good power by Mona eventually won her over, allowing a fellow follower to take advantage of the free room.

"Good afternoon, Sister Holcombe. Or should I say evening?" She feigns pondering the sentiment, a forefinger to her chin as she eyes Mona with close inspection.

”Good evening, Sister Michele,” Mona answers sheepishly. True, within herself she would simply scoff at the woman, but this act has started to come more naturally to her, both to her fortune and disappointment. ”How fares your godly duties?”

“Today is a blessed day,” she says, leaning in closer to Mona with a knowing smile as she looks up. “Your preparations yesterday around the temple has inspired the faithful men and women that came in this morning. Some have made it known to me that they wish to do some good works around town, to keep up the good image.”

Mona offers a gentle smile in return, crouching down to place a soft hand upon Sister Michele’s shoulder. ”As the Book of Evensongs, Heavenly Doctrine, says, ‘Allelujah! For my works shine in light and impurities are cleansed through devotion. ‘Allelujah! Where I walk, others may follow without stumbling.”

Sister Michele’s face can’t hold back a smile as Mona finishes her verse and gives an enthusiastic nod. “You’re a testament to All Good Things as you preach.” With a pat on Mona’s hand, the halfling turns on her heels and shuffles back before stopping mid-step and looking at Mona over her shoulder. The halfling almost caught Mona giving a mild stinkeye, but instead she says, “Oh, and another cleric stopped in before you came in. I don’t know if she’s just passing through or if she’ll be here for a few days, but she did mention the Infamous Pear. A Lady of Blinding Light, she is.”

”Ah, thank you, Sister Michele. I’ll keep my eyes open for her in case the need arises.” Mona gives a slight bow and Sister Michele nods once more before returning to whatever her task was.

So people are already coming in, I should go check it out now. Surely the place has decent food. And so she takes the short trek across town at more than a stroll’s pace but comfortable enough for her to warmly smile and wave at any who pass her by. Following loyally along is Radish, only about a foot behind her in the air. His smile and gestures are more genuine, but nobody knows that.

⏀ ⏄ ⏂ ⏅ ⏄

Upon reaching the point she recognizes the Infamous Pear’s sign, raises a brow. The night is still young, but even so the porch is fairly bare. A halfling seems to be waving people in with energy, including her. At least it’s homely. She walks up to the doors and accepts the open invitation with a proper ”Thank you”, Radish taking the chance to swoop in and land on her shoulder while she transitions indoors. Immediately she is hit with wonderful fragrances of cooked meats, vegetables, and drinks. She murrs quietly to herself, taking in a deep breath and opening her eyes to the bearded man behind the bar.

With a big smile, thanks to the thought of good filling food, she approaches the bar.

”Good evening, I’m here for the Arbalest Party.” Mona reacts with a quiet yelp as the man comes in hot as if speaking in conspiratorial tones. She turns halfway to look back at the table he gestures to, finding that it is already occupied by several folks. Definitely outsiders, on account of their appearances alone. She gives him a quiet thanks and a simple wave to Mr. Guido Laurel before asking one last thing.

”Yes, I’d like a roast beef. I’ll take any side of greens. And a red wine, any’s fine.” She set her hands on the bar gently as she spoke, and once the request was received she turns once more to the table in the corner. Owen says behind her that he’ll make sure her drink and food are brought out together shortly. A moment passes before she realizes she has been biting her lower lip, and corrects her expression.

”Alright, Radish. Don’t embarrass me in front of these guys.” The Sprite’s only response is a pair of crossed arms and an arched brow.

When Mona steps up to the corner table, the blue-skinned and well-trimmed tiefling yells out something she wasn’t prepared to hear so she misses the front end of it. Nonetheless, she finds an empty chair and stands behind it for a moment, hands grasping the back and top of it.

”Good evening, everyone. I’m Mona Holcombe. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.” She gives a small bow before mousily stepping around the chair to sit in it. She finally takes this moment to take in everyone that’s come in so far.

First thing’s first, the cleric Sister Michele mentioned. An amulet gives that away easily. She has features like an elf, though the ears and other defining appearances all point to her being human. She can’t gather much on her personality yet, but she has met several clerics before and they all tend to be rule sticklers.

Next up is a horned girl, wearing a cloak over what she may be able to spy as some rather revealing clothing. Good for you, girl. Doesn’t make much sense here, but good for you. The energy she gives off is actually welcome, given the rather sleepy place they all find themselves in.

A large woman in full armor should have got her attention first, but she seems more calm rather than superior. Another surprise she’ll take, but what intrigues her is the interaction between her and the horned girl. They seem to get along well, considering how they are all supposedly strangers.

Last is the girl with the violin and… is that a small bear behind her? No, it has tusks, but why is it wrapped up? Bizarre. Her clothes are very pretty, though. If she plays music, it’ll be the first time she has grouped up with a real entertainer.

”Don’t think I’ve seen this many ladies work on a single quest before.” She looks around the table as Radish takes a seat on her shoulder, but her eyes stop on the blue tiefling again. ”Not to forget you, of course. Just a… serendipitous encounter.”

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

Mona Holcombe

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Mona Holcombe

Human, Warlock (The Celestial), Level 03

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STR: 10 (+0) DEX: 10 (+0) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 14 (+2) CHA: 18 (+4)

HP MAX: 24 Armor Class: 13 Movement: 30ft Spell DC: 14

Alignment: NG Defenses: N/A

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Full Character Sheet

Description

“Gaze upon her countenance, and rejoice; for so her visage is divine and her temperament fair, so too can thine character become within and without.”
Book of Evensongs

From the outsiders’ perspective to the devout followers of All Things Good, Mona has cultivated a pious yet approachable look. She appears to be in her late twenties, a woman with a fairly average shape and form (if not slightly more athletic due to her constant travels and occasional hostile encounters) for a human. Golden brown heavily freckled skin and almond eyes contrast her almost unnaturally cream-colored hair, its curly lengths reaching past her shoulders.

To fellow religious folk, she welcomes their approach with a blessed smile and radiant eyes.

Her preferred colors are soft whites and creams complemented by shades of browns, evident by her flowing long dresses and corsages. The bodice is layered with inverted tones, though no matter her choice of wardrobe she always bears an amulet that adorns the center of her chest; a rather inexpensive piece of jewelry in the silhouette of a horse head profile with the telltale horn. The perimeter is silvered metal, and within is obsidian glass that shines whenever the caster evokes the patron's power.

Besides the amulet, she’ll rarely equip anything else unless on an adventure. A simple quarterstaff is kept to her quarters until she is required to hike; a plain dagger that she usually hides within the sheath of a leather belt; and a component pouch, attached to said belt filled with various reagents.

Personality

“Beware, as dawn proclaims forth the revelations of day, so thus dusk forewarn the veil of night.”
Book of Testimonies

Once a nameless face within the masses, young Mona sought to stand out from her delegation by way of unpopular research. Various gods of good are popular among the humans and halflings, so the very nature of pursuing godly power turned her own community’s noses up at her as a dangerous fool. Regardless, her searching granted a sense of fulfillment all on its own. The thirst for power and knowing, a sense of individuality.

Thanks to her patron’s just judgement, her intentions and deeds seem contrarian in nature. Indeed, altruism and other acts of selflessness are ultimately lost on her soul as she reveals in privacy. There are no prayers to an understanding god, but rather admonishment from master to prisoner. A life sentence to become an unwilling champion for the forces of good. Can she keep this up indefinitely?

Besides Mona’s eternal internal conflict, she makes appearances almost seamlessly. A few years of persistent memorization along with her youth spent in faithful provinces prove effective as a counterfeit cleric. By following the guidelines set forth by her patron, the mask of a devout follower to All Things Good easily outweighs the deception as long as none involved are harmed. And so she ventures forth, reluctantly with one foot in oblivion.

When the faux enlightened warlock is granted personal time to enjoy herself, she will take up disguise and visit various vices -- as long as evil is not beset upon others by her doing so. She finds it difficult to keep grievances to herself, but her guard may be down around various accomplices and companions. The one thing she can take great joy in during her holy demonstrations is her freedom of interpretation. Good is the goal, by means of law or chaos is left to the covert priestess.

Backstory

“Angels have fallen, and demons ascended. Look not to the heavens for justice, but to the hells.”
Book of Testimonies

Throughout Mona’s childhood, she was subject to the extensive teachings of her parish as every empty-headed child was. The droning of every morning lesson, the punishment for every sin committed, the collective aversion to her presence; with no objective reason for her being treated as a pariah, at least none explained to her. It came as no surprise to any townperson or clergyman that she attempted to stray from the proverbial flock by way of secular books imported from some foreign country or following whispers that teased a more understanding community.

‘A cult’ they would hiss. Her parents. The vicar. The congregation. Of course they wouldn’t understand. While she attended the lessons to eternal holiness, she also lurked about the lesser known organization’s meetings. Their teachings made sense. They appealed to her nature, promising fame, fortune, wealth, and power. The gods were little more than well of power to drink from. All one needed was desperation and confidence in committing a grave act and ritual.

Fortunately for the Covenant of the Faithless (or unfortunately according to the annals), an inclusive society of those who shelter the shunned and feed the godless, long-term member Mona, now twenty-three, has taken a right-hand position of the Faithless pastor. Her life dedication to advancing the Faithless for her own gain was apparent to the inner circles, though her schemes soon ran antagonistic to their objective. Where they tried to garner support from the downtrodden masses, she would recruit men and women to carry out secret missions.

Only a year passed in this position before the day came. Mona managed to grow the Faithless in her vision, and grabbed the attention from the Church of Light. News of a dark society gathering cult members drew zealous crowds, and soon a troop of paladins and clerics were sent to squash the blasphemers. The church expected hostile resistance. Their arrival heralded the end of the Faithless, thoroughly jailing or banishing the most resistant members. What the miniature crusade did not expect, however, was a holy leader among the Faithless.

For that very morning, Mona concocted a ritual. Incense. Eldritch symbols. Jars of unidentifiable liquids and solids. A dark, silent room. With her senses depraved, she established an unlikely spiritual connection to a being from the Upper Planes. She could feel the torrential power reverberating along the strings of fate as she sought a divine source. Oblivion obfuscates her physical senses, though she does not require them.

This astral search bore a single entity that she could not identify. But its power lie just within her metaphysical reach. With a single tap into its existence, divine energy flowed through her. A sensation she had never experienced before, cut off immediately as she drew the gaze of the entity before her. A horned being, speaking to her directly, its voice ephemeral and choir-like.

“A siphon? From a mortal. You deserve retribution. And so it shall be done.” The fear of divine judgement stunned her spirit, but the entity continues. “Your punishment lies in spreading the will of all things good. Acts of selfishness are no more, lest you wander oblivion. I will grant you the way.”

Relief? “An understatement.” Now her fate is clear, despite the contrasting ideals and life goals to her own.

Those in need of healing of their ailments called upon a certain traveling cleric, who also happens to be able and willing to defeat evil enemies. While the truth behind the source of her power is deceptive, the Unicorn accepts that as per her pact. To all who divine her alignment, she appears as Neutral Good, though she will hardly mind confessing she would prefer to do what she wants rather than the will of a greater being (Chaotic Neutral).

However she feels, a delegate of a particular church within one of Avonshire’s villages decided she was the perfect candidate to assist the Sheriff.

Bestiary

“Call the hordes your flock, name the devils your clergy. The masses consider your lies whilst the divines ink your final weights.”
Book of Evensongs

Radish
A Sprite acting in service of Mona, an everpresent reminder of the Unicorn’s message. It quite literally sits on her shoulder, pushing her toward opportunities of redemption and cautioning her of evil roads.

Extras

☑ Vastly prefers the company of opportunists over “holy book thumpers.”
☑ Has tried various native delicacies around Avonshire, and absolutely loves what one called a “beef wellington.”
☑ Not a glutton for any particular vice, though she will partake in any and all of them… time and company permitting.

☒ Organized religion, especially those that prey on the weak-willed.
☒ Her patron.
☒ Flying things. She doesn’t fear anything that flies, but she has a strong distaste for anything with wings. Yes, that includes Sprites.

🕀 Covenant of the Faithless. While the inner circle was severely diminished, many of the lower caste members continued their practice in private small groups. They are of no great influence, but they can offer shelter and resources, should she need them.

The Header

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Mona Holcombe Human, Warlock (The Celestial), Level 03 HP: 24/24 Armor Class: 11 Conditions: N/A Location: Darenby Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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Role

“There are two ways to shine light in the darkness: to become the lantern, or the mirror that reflects it.”
Book of Evensongs

A dedicated healer and supplemental magical ranged damage. Can assist in religious activity, especially those requiring some pious gravitas.

Changelog

_{10/26/2021
**5:30PM PDT: Character Sheet moved to CS Section.
**10:30PM PDT: Created "Changelog" -- Fixed incomplete thought in "Backstory" -- Inserted character reference image into top of CS in accordance to template.
10/27/2021
**10:30AM PDT: Fixed Spell Save DC (16 -> 14)
10/31/2021
**11:53PM PDT: Changed Radish's color from white to a color.}

Avonshire - D&D Based Adventure

Mona Holcombe

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Mona Holcombe Human, Warlock (The Celestial), Level 03 HP: 24/24 Armor Class: 11 Conditions: N/A Location: Darenby Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The Sheet

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Mona Holcombe

Human, Warlock (The Celestial), Level 03

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

STR: 10 (+0) DEX: 10 (+0) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 14 (+2) CHA: 18 (+4)

HP MAX: 24 Armor Class: 13 Movement: 30ft Spell DC: 16

Alignment: NG Defenses: N/A

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Full Character Sheet

Description

“Gaze upon her countenance, and rejoice; for so her visage is divine and her temperament fair, so too can thine character become within and without.”
Book of Evensongs

From the outsiders’ perspective to the devout followers of All Things Good, Mona has cultivated a pious yet approachable look. She appears to be in her late twenties, a woman with a fairly average shape and form (if not slightly more athletic due to her constant travels and occasional hostile encounters) for a human. Golden brown heavily freckled skin and almond eyes contrast her almost unnaturally cream-colored hair, its curly lengths reaching past her shoulders.

To fellow religious folk, she welcomes their approach with a blessed smile and radiant eyes.

Her preferred colors are soft whites and creams complemented by shades of browns, evident by her flowing long dresses and corsages. The bodice is layered with inverted tones, though no matter her choice of wardrobe she always bears an amulet that adorns the center of her chest; a rather inexpensive piece of jewelry in the silhouette of a horse head profile with the telltale horn. The perimeter is silvered metal, and within is obsidian glass that shines whenever the caster evokes the patron's power.

Besides the amulet, she’ll rarely equip anything else unless on an adventure. A simple quarterstaff is kept to her quarters until she is required to hike; a plain dagger that she usually hides within the sheath of a leather belt; and a component pouch, attached to said belt filled with various reagents.

Personality

“Beware, as dawn proclaims forth the revelations of day, so thus dusk forewarn the veil of night.”
Book of Testimonies

Once a nameless face within the masses, young Mona sought to stand out from her delegation by way of unpopular research. Various gods of good are popular among the humans and halflings, so the very nature of pursuing godly power turned her own community’s noses up at her as a dangerous fool. Regardless, her searching granted a sense of fulfillment all on its own. The thirst for power and knowing, a sense of individuality.

Thanks to her patron’s just judgement, her intentions and deeds seem contrarian in nature. Indeed, altruism and other acts of selflessness are ultimately lost on her soul as she reveals in privacy. There are no prayers to an understanding god, but rather admonishment from master to prisoner. A life sentence to become an unwilling champion for the forces of good. Can she keep this up indefinitely?

Besides Mona’s eternal internal conflict, she makes appearances almost seamlessly. A few years of persistent memorization along with her youth spent in faithful provinces prove effective as a counterfeit cleric. By following the guidelines set forth by her patron, the mask of a devout follower to All Things Good easily outweighs the deception as long as none involved are harmed. And so she ventures forth, reluctantly with one foot in oblivion.

When the faux enlightened warlock is granted personal time to enjoy herself, she will take up disguise and visit various vices -- as long as evil is not beset upon others by her doing so. She finds it difficult to keep grievances to herself, but her guard may be down around various accomplices and companions. The one thing she can take great joy in during her holy demonstrations is her freedom of interpretation. Good is the goal, by means of law or chaos is left to the covert priestess.

Backstory

“Angels have fallen, and demons ascended. Look not to the heavens for justice, but to the hells.”
Book of Testimonies

Throughout Mona’s childhood, she was subject to the extensive teachings of her parish as every empty-headed child was. The droning of every morning lesson, the punishment for every sin committed, the collective aversion to her presence; with no objective reason for her being treated as a pariah, at least none explained to her. It came as no surprise to any townperson or clergyman that she attempted to stray from the proverbial flock by way of secular books imported from some foreign country or following whispers that teased a more understanding community.

‘A cult’ they would hiss. Her parents. The vicar. The congregation. Of course they wouldn’t understand. While she attended the lessons to eternal holiness, she also lurked about the lesser known organization’s meetings. Their teachings made sense. They appealed to her nature, promising fame, fortune, wealth, and power. The gods were little more than well of power to drink from. All one needed was desperation and confidence in committing a grave act and ritual.

Fortunately for the Covenant of the Faithless (or unfortunately according to the annals), an inclusive society of those who shelter the shunned and feed the godless, long-term member Mona, now twenty-three, has taken a right-hand position of the Faithless pastor. Her life dedication to advancing the Faithless for her own gain was apparent to the inner circles, though her schemes soon ran antagonistic to their objective. Where they tried to garner support from the downtrodden masses, she would recruit men and women to carry out secret missions.

Only a year passed in this position before the day came. Mona managed to grow the Faithless in her vision, and grabbed the attention from the Church of Light. News of a dark society gathering cult members drew zealous crowds, and soon a troop of paladins and clerics were sent to squash the blasphemers. The church expected hostileTheir arrival heralded the end of the Faithless, thoroughly jailing or banishing the most resistant members. What the miniature crusade did not expect, however, was a holy leader among the Faithless.

For that very morning, Mona concocted a ritual. Incense. Eldritch symbols. Jars of unidentifiable liquids and solids. A dark, silent room. With her senses depraved, she established an unlikely spiritual connection to a being from the Upper Planes. She could feel the torrential power reverberating along the strings of fate as she sought a divine source. Oblivion obfuscates her physical senses, though she does not require them.

This astral search bore a single entity that she could not identify. But its power lie just within her metaphysical reach. With a single tap into its existence, divine energy flowed through her. A sensation she had never experienced before, cut off immediately as she drew the gaze of the entity before her. A horned being, speaking to her directly, its voice ephemeral and choir-like.

“A siphon? From a mortal. You deserve retribution. And so it shall be done.” The fear of divine judgement stunned her spirit, but the entity continues. “Your punishment lies in spreading the will of all things good. Acts of selfishness are no more, lest you wander oblivion. I will grant you the way.”

Relief? “An understatement.” Now her fate is clear, despite the contrasting ideals and life goals to her own.

Those in need of healing of their ailments called upon a certain traveling cleric, who also happens to be able and willing to defeat evil enemies. While the truth behind the source of her power is deceptive, the Unicorn accepts that as per her pact. To all who divine her alignment, she appears as Neutral Good, though she will hardly mind confessing she would prefer to do what she wants rather than the will of a greater being (Chaotic Neutral).

However she feels, a delegate of a particular church within one of Avonshire’s villages decided she was the perfect candidate to assist the Sheriff.

Bestiary

“Call the hordes your flock, name the devils your clergy. The masses consider your lies whilst the divines ink your final weights.”
Book of Evensongs

Morphine
A Sprite acting in service of Mona, an everpresent reminder of the Unicorn’s message. It quite literally sits on her shoulder, pushing her toward opportunities of redemption and cautioning her of evil roads. It calls its arrows “Injections”, much to her confusion.

Extras

☑ Vastly prefers the company of opportunists over “holy book thumpers.”
☑ Has tried various native delicacies around Avonshire, and absolutely loves what one called a “beef wellington.”
☑ Not a glutton for any particular vice, though she will partake in any and all of them… time and company permitting.

☒ Organized religion, especially those that prey on the weak-willed.
☒ Her patron.
☒ Flying things. She doesn’t fear anything that flies, but she has a strong distaste for anything with wings. Yes, that includes Sprites.

🕀 Covenant of the Faithless. While the inner circle was severely diminished, many of the lower caste members continued their practice in private small groups. They are of no great influence, but they can offer shelter and resources, should she need them.

“There are two ways to shine light in the darkness: to become the lantern, or the mirror that reflects it.”
Book of Evensongs

A dedicated healer and supplemental magical ranged damage. Can assist in religious activity, especially those requiring some pious gravitas.

Lucky's Charmers

Mona Holcombe

Mona

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Mona Holcombe Human, Warlock (The Celestial), Level 03 HP: 24/24 Armor Class: 11 Conditions: N/A Location: Darenby Action: N/A Bonus Action: N/A Reaction: N/A

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The Sheet

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Mona Holcombe

Human, Warlock (The Celestial), Level 03

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STR: 10 (+0) DEX: 10 (+0) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 14 (+2) CHA: 18 (+4)

HP MAX: 24 Armor Class: 13 Movement: 30ft Spell DC: 16

Alignment: NG Defenses: N/A

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Full Character Sheet

Description

“Gaze upon her countenance, and rejoice; for so her visage is divine and her temperament fair, so too can thine character become within and without.”
Book of Evensongs

From the outsiders’ perspective to the devout followers of All Things Good, Mona has cultivated a pious yet approachable look. She appears to be in her late twenties, a woman with a fairly average shape and form (if not slightly more athletic due to her constant travels and occasional hostile encounters) for a human. Golden brown heavily freckled skin and almond eyes contrast her almost unnaturally cream-colored hair, its curly lengths reaching past her shoulders.

To fellow religious folk, she welcomes their approach with a blessed smile and radiant eyes.

Her preferred colors are soft whites and creams complemented by shades of browns, evident by her flowing long dresses and corsages. The bodice is layered with inverted tones, though no matter her choice of wardrobe she always bears an amulet that adorns the center of her chest; a rather inexpensive piece of jewelry in the silhouette of a horse head profile with the telltale horn. The perimeter is silvered metal, and within is obsidian glass that shines whenever the caster evokes the patron's power.

Besides the amulet, she’ll rarely equip anything else unless on an adventure. A simple quarterstaff is kept to her quarters until she is required to hike; a plain dagger that she usually hides within the sheath of a leather belt; and a component pouch, attached to said belt filled with various reagents.

Personality

“Beware, as dawn proclaims forth the revelations of day, so thus dusk forewarn the veil of night.”
Book of Testimonies

Once a nameless face within the masses, young Mona sought to stand out from her delegation by way of unpopular research. Various gods of good are popular among the humans and halflings, so the very nature of pursuing godly power turned her own community’s noses up at her as a dangerous fool. Regardless, her searching granted a sense of fulfillment all on its own. The thirst for power and knowing, a sense of individuality.

Thanks to her patron’s just judgement, her intentions and deeds seem contrarian in nature. Indeed, altruism and other acts of selflessness are ultimately lost on her soul as she reveals in privacy. There are no prayers to an understanding god, but rather admonishment from master to prisoner. A life sentence to become an unwilling champion for the forces of good. Can she keep this up indefinitely?

Besides Mona’s eternal internal conflict, she makes appearances almost seamlessly. A few years of persistent memorization along with her youth spent in faithful provinces prove effective as a counterfeit cleric. By following the guidelines set forth by her patron, the mask of a devout follower to All Things Good easily outweighs the deception as long as none involved are harmed. And so she ventures forth, reluctantly with one foot in oblivion.

When the faux enlightened warlock is granted personal time to enjoy herself, she will take up disguise and visit various vices -- as long as evil is not beset upon others by her doing so. She finds it difficult to keep grievances to herself, but her guard may be down around various accomplices and companions. The one thing she can take great joy in during her holy demonstrations is her freedom of interpretation. Good is the goal, by means of law or chaos is left to the covert priestess.

Backstory

“Angels have fallen, and demons ascended. Look not to the heavens for justice, but to the hells.”
Book of Testimonies

Throughout Mona’s childhood, she was subject to the extensive teachings of her parish as every empty-headed child was. The droning of every morning lesson, the punishment for every sin committed, the collective aversion to her presence; with no objective reason for her being treated as a pariah, at least none explained to her. It came as no surprise to any townperson or clergyman that she attempted to stray from the proverbial flock by way of secular books imported from some foreign country or following whispers that teased a more understanding community.

‘A cult’ they would hiss. Her parents. The vicar. The congregation. Of course they wouldn’t understand. While she attended the lessons to eternal holiness, she also lurked about the lesser known organization’s meetings. Their teachings made sense. They appealed to her nature, promising fame, fortune, wealth, and power. The gods were little more than well of power to drink from. All one needed was desperation and confidence in committing a grave act and ritual.

Fortunately for the Covenant of the Faithless (or unfortunately according to the annals), an inclusive society of those who shelter the shunned and feed the godless, long-term member Mona, now twenty-three, has taken a right-hand position of the Faithless pastor. Her life dedication to advancing the Faithless for her own gain was apparent to the inner circles, though her schemes soon ran antagonistic to their objective. Where they tried to garner support from the downtrodden masses, she would recruit men and women to carry out secret missions.

Only a year passed in this position before the day came. Mona managed to grow the Faithless in her vision, and grabbed the attention from the Church of Light. News of a dark society gathering cult members drew zealous crowds, and soon a troop of paladins and clerics were sent to squash the blasphemers. The church expected hostileTheir arrival heralded the end of the Faithless, thoroughly jailing or banishing the most resistant members. What the miniature crusade did not expect, however, was a holy leader among the Faithless.

For that very morning, Mona concocted a ritual. Incense. Eldritch symbols. Jars of unidentifiable liquids and solids. A dark, silent room. With her senses depraved, she established an unlikely spiritual connection to a being from the Upper Planes. She could feel the torrential power reverberating along the strings of fate as she sought a divine source. Oblivion obfuscates her physical senses, though she does not require them.

This astral search bore a single entity that she could not identify. But its power lie just within her metaphysical reach. With a single tap into its existence, divine energy flowed through her. A sensation she had never experienced before, cut off immediately as she drew the gaze of the entity before her. A horned being, speaking to her directly, its voice ephemeral and choir-like.

“A siphon? From a mortal. You deserve retribution. And so it shall be done.” The fear of divine judgement stunned her spirit, but the entity continues. “Your punishment lies in spreading the will of all things good. Acts of selfishness are no more, lest you wander oblivion. I will grant you the way.”

Relief? “An understatement.” Now her fate is clear, despite the contrasting ideals and life goals to her own.

Those in need of healing of their ailments called upon a certain traveling cleric, who also happens to be able and willing to defeat evil enemies. While the truth behind the source of her power is deceptive, the Unicorn accepts that as per her pact. To all who divine her alignment, she appears as Neutral Good, though she will hardly mind confessing she would prefer to do what she wants rather than the will of a greater being (Chaotic Neutral).

However she feels, a delegate of a particular church within one of Avonshire’s villages decided she was the perfect candidate to assist the Sheriff.

Bestiary

“Call the hordes your flock, name the devils your clergy. The masses consider your lies whilst the divines ink your final weights.”
Book of Evensongs

Morphine
A Sprite acting in service of Mona, an everpresent reminder of the Unicorn’s message. It quite literally sits on her shoulder, pushing her toward opportunities of redemption and cautioning her of evil roads. It calls its arrows “Injections”, much to her confusion.

Extras

☑ Vastly prefers the company of opportunists over “holy book thumpers.”
☑ Has tried various native delicacies around Avonshire, and absolutely loves what one called a “beef wellington.”
☑ Not a glutton for any particular vice, though she will partake in any and all of them… time and company permitting.

☒ Organized religion, especially those that prey on the weak-willed.
☒ Her patron.
☒ Flying things. She doesn’t fear anything that flies, but she has a strong distaste for anything with wings. Yes, that includes Sprites.

🕀 Covenant of the Faithless. While the inner circle was severely diminished, many of the lower caste members continued their practice in private small groups. They are of no great influence, but they can offer shelter and resources, should she need them.

“There are two ways to shine light in the darkness: to become the lantern, or the mirror that reflects it.”
Book of Evensongs

A dedicated healer and supplemental magical ranged damage. Can assist in religious activity, especially those requiring some pious gravitas.

RP: Avonshire