#waywatcher assassin

[razxion]

Vinchenzho: The Dragon’s Mark Pt.3

(Part 3 of his Waywatcher Assassin Prestige class story.)

(Part 1 here)  (Part 2 here)

The next day had a rather quiet start to it.  Catriah had brought him tea, telling him of her plans for the day to be at the bazaar, and he couldn’t help but squish her face this morning in delight.  She was surprised, and a touch confused, until he laughed and smiled at her, saying her cheeks reminded him of mochi and that he’d make her some another day.  Reynllin was off doing whatever it was that mages do, probably on another date with Khalithas as the whelp Ruby was gone today.  Most of the estate staff took the day off to enjoy it as only a few staff had remained, mostly a couple cooks and one housekeeper.  All of the whelps were in the nursery, with Buttons and the cinder pup Smokey halfway in charge, if the mother sky serpent allowed.

Vinchenzho enjoyed the near quiet that was laced with the soft chirps of the whelps and the bark of Smokey.  Then, just as the monk sipped the last of his tea, there was silence.  A single black brow had risen while the teacup was set down.  It was uncharacteristic for the estate to have that sort of silence, and the monk decided to investigate while wrapped unseen in his mists.

A direct path to the nursery was taken, the monk figured something had to be wrong if they were silent, and he was right.  As he rounded the hall corner a magical barrier was shimmering between the cracks of the doorway.  Black brows furrowed as he approached to listen within, but the magic had been created with the intent of allowing no sounds to escape.  Then he recalled that no one had heard the thieves for the assignment he was given.

Working as quick as he could have, the monk opened and shut the door without a sound.  He stayed near the wall and watched as a touch of anger built up.  They froze a few of the nursery residents in a time stop spell: the mother cloud serpent dragon looked as though she was just awoken in anger; Smokey had his fangs bared and flames upon his body had risen twice their usual height; Buttons was put to sleep and had been frozen in time too; the plush Lavender was stuck under a bucket with a heavy rock set atop and their squeaky cries of help could be heard.  Then there was the wisp, the bronze dragon wisp, Reynnlin’s once fiance, had shifted part way through form to defend the whelps as he too was caught in a time stop.

He was unable to do anything, as the orders were to take out the leader, but watch them take the whelps.  Each had done nothing wrong to anyone and crawled atop his dragon body within his cave on their playdays.  When the thieves were down to the last couple whelps remaining to pass through their makeshift portal, Vinchenzho dashed in before them.  Nothing more than a light breeze had passed the thieves.

And they were none the wiser.

[andy-paints-some-stuff]

Attempting to Learn Age of Sigmar:

After only getting into Warhammer Fantasy Battle a couple of Months before the End Times I never really had the chance to get serious with it. I owned a small army of Skaven and small army of Wood Elves. I am an incredibly slow painter, but when WFB changed to AOS I just gave up painting both armies for a while. Earlier this year I decided to give it another go, but I am determined to paint up as much of both armies as possible before purchasing anything new for them.

Finally I have at least two working armies all now moved over to circle bases. Most are undercoated, but excuse the lack of paint for now. The winner of this fight will be the next army on my paint station. Using the Warscrolls from the older PDFs for now, but the Generals Handbook for Allegiance Abilities, Command Traits and Artefacts.

Pitched Battle, Knife to the Heart, 1000pts aside.

CHAOS (Skaven) 1000

Leader:

Packmaster

Skaven Assassin (was Deathmaster Snitch)

Skaven Warlord (GENERAL with Chaos Talisman and Dark Avenger)

Warlock Engineer

Battleline:

20 Clanrats

20 Clanrats

Other:

2 Rat Ogres

20 Stormvermin

ORDER (Wanderers and Stormcast) 980

Leaders:

Spell Weaver

Waywatcher Lord (GENERAL with Phoenix Stone and Tenacious)

Battleline:

10 Glade Guard

10 Glade Guard

3 Liberators (Storm of Sigmar)

3 Waywatchers

Other:

3 Retributors (Storm of Sigmar)

5 Wild Riders

Battle Round 1:

Skaven take the first turn.

Hero Phase: Warlord gives Gnash-gnaw on their bones (GGTB) to the Stormvermin and the Engineer gives them Mystic Shield.

Movement: All the Clanrats ran up, the stormvermin walk forward, only just in range for a 12 inch charge. Rat ogres walk back to defend the objective.

Shooting phase: nothing in range.

Charge phase: Stormvermin fail the charge.

Battleshock: none.

Order Turn 1.

Hero Phase: Mystic Shield from the Spellweaver to the Wild Riders

Movement: Liberators and Wild Riders set up some charges.

Shooting: Both Glade Guard units weaken one of the clanrats, waywatchers and waywatcher lord take 6 from the other clanrats.

Charge: Liberators charge clanrats, Wild Riders charge Stormvermin THE ASSASSIN APPEARS FROM THE STORMVERMIN.

Combat: Wild Riders kill 1 Stormvermin, Clanrats kill 1 Liberator and put a wound on another, Liberators deal no damage to Clanrats, 43 attacks from the Stormvermin easily put down the Wild Riders.

Battleshock: 3 from each clanrat unit flees.

Battle Round 2:

Skaven turn 2

Hero: GGTB and Mystic Shield on the Stormvermin

Move: Slow walk forward, hoping to get the charges into the Order lines.

Shooting: Engineer snipes out the wounded Liberator.

Charge: Stormvermin make it into the Retributors and Clanrats charge the closest unit of Glade Guard.

Combat: Clanrats kill 2 Glade Guard, Retributors kill 4 Stormvermin, Clanrats finish off the final Liberator, Glade Guard kill 1 Clanrat, 31 Stormvermin attacks destroy the 2 Retributors

Battleshock: 4 more Stromvermin flee

Wood Elves Turn 2:

Hero: Spellweaver uses Blessing of Life and returns the two missing Glade Guard to the unit.

Move: Repositioning the Glade Guard not in combat

Shoot: Glade Guard fire Arcane Bodkin shots into Stormvermin removing 4 from the 22 shots Waywatcher Lord kills a Clanrat.

Charge: Glade Guard and Waywatcher Lord into the Stormvermin, Spellweaver fails a 3 inch charge to help the other unit of Glade Guard

Combat: Glade Guard fail to harm the Stomvermin, Stormvermin deal 2 wounds on the Waywatcher lord and 4 into the Glade Guard, Other unit of Glade Guard kill 2 Clanrats, Clanrats who fight back only kill 1 Glade Guard and Waywatcher Lord fails against the Stormvermin.

Battleshock: 2 Clanrats, 1 Stormvermin and 2 Glade Guard lost.

Battle Round 3:

Skaven win the roll off again!

Hero: GGTB and Mystic Shield on Stormvermin

Move: Everything closes in.

Shooting: Assassin misses with throwing stars and Engineer shoots into the Glade Guard fighting the Stormvermin and kills 3 with a single shot.

Charge: Clanrats run in to help the other unit of Clanrats and the assassin hunts down the Waywatcher Lord.

Combat: Assassin jumps in and slaughters the Waywatcher Lord with ease. Glade Guard miss all attacks against the Clanrats, the Stormermin devour the last Glade Guard stood in their way, Clanrats work together to kill 4 Glade Guard.

Battleshock: Glade Guard hold strong, but only just.

Wood Elves Turn 3:

Hero: Arcane Bolt fails to cast.

Move: Waywatchers climb down from their perch

Shooting: Glade Guard do not hurt the larger unit of Clanrats and the Waywathcers put a single wound on the Assassin.

Charge: Spellweaver into the Clanrats and Waywatchers into the assassin.

Combat: Waywatcher fail to harm Assassin, Clanrats kill 2 Glade Guard, Glade Guard kill 2 Clanrats, Spellweaver misses all attacks and the Assassin murders all 3 Waywatchers.

Battleshock: Clanrat unit destroyed and the Glade Guard pass again.

Battle Round 4:

Wood Elves start finally.

Hero: Arcane Bolt kills 1 Clanrat

Move: None

Shooting: Glade Guard failed to kill a Clanrat

Charge: Spellweaver into Clanrats

Combat: Spellweaver missed, Clanrats kill 2 Gladeguard, last Glade Guard missed.

Battleshock: Glade Guard and Clanrats pass.

Skaven Turn 4:

Hero: GGTB and Mystic Shield on Stromvermin.

Move: Characters and Ogres retreat towards their Objective. Stromvermin and Assassin aim to finish the last two Order models.

Shooting: Assassin throws a star and kills the Glade Guard.

Charge: Stromvermin into Spell weaver

Combat: The Stormvermin finish off the Spellweaver with ease.

FINAL RESULTS:

Order were tabled.

Some rules were forgotten, concentrating so hard on getting the mechanics and units right, the allegiance traits etc were kind of left behind.

All together it was a Skaven victory, so I will start looking into what I want to expand them into. 

A little more practise and I can see myself really getting into this game. It is a shame that the warscrolls are so scattered around and many of the characters have gone, but I would rather make my traditional Skaven work without having to resort to a full pestilence force. Same with the Wood elves, more glade guard and replacing the Stormcast with some heavy melee units. 

[thepilgrimofwar]

Emissary of the Fallen

She sat alone with her drink in a tavern at the edge of the world. Back to the wall. Eyes focused half on the lukewarm ale and half on the door. The weight of all the war bearing down upon her shoulders.

Die for your country.

Those were Zarannis’ last orders to her Farstriders, as she lay dying in a field of summer flowers. She watched as they disobeyed, screening Fury Company while they still lived, braving the blood and brine from that accursed tide-caster Ralleigh.

Die for your country damn you.

She had sneered then, as she sneered now at her drink. Remembering as Ellinia’s marines stole her body from the wreckage of fallen banners and bodies. But the remnants of the Kestrels kept disobeying- continuing their vigil over their commander until she was safely off the field.

Die like the finest of us. Vicren Springwhisper. Woods. Darsi. Why should you live when the best of us fall?

It was at that battle, where two companies of her finest Farstriders were torn asunder. Fighting to buy time for the Northern Vanguard to retreat. Encircled by the Alliance and dying to a man- except her.

‘Die for your country.’ She had ordered the last captain of the Kestrels. But he had refused. Saving her life and the lives of her comrades.

-

Zarannis laid still, curled into herself, staring at the canvas walls of the field hospital. She had not moved since she had penned her report to the Archon. Of retreat. Of defeat. Hundreds of lives lost, including their Nightborne allies from across the North Sea. 

“You have a visitor,” announced the Oathsworn Dawnmender on duty who ushered in a blood covered Farstrider, bearing the insignia of the Kestrel Lodge on his lapel.

“Kestrel, Ranger Summersong reporting” he saluted his commander who hadn’t bothered to face him. “The casualties have been tallied. Two hundred and fifty nine dead. Hundred and ninety eight wounded. Thirty missing.” There was no response from Zarannis, it was unclear if she was even listening. But that did not seem to bother the company captain in the slightest. He continued counting off their numbers for her benefit. “Fifty three Farstriders remain combat ready. The wounded can be mended and be back in action in a matter of days- Light willing. We await your orders, Kestrel.”

“Stop calling me that,” Zarannis croaked, her throat dry as dust. “The Kestrel lays in an unmarked grave outside Tor’Watha. All real successors lay in pieces under the burnt husk of our Lodge. It’s nothing more than a dead title for a dead man.”

The captain paused, then pulled to him a field chair. Sitting by his commander’s bedside, he spoke softly. “Do you know why The Kestrel lays in that unmarked grave? Because you gathered us up to go after him. Do you know why the rest of us haven’t joined him in the ground? Because you stole us from the Amani. I don’t call you Kestrel because the title fell to you. I do so because we followed your lead. You earned our command.”

“And I commanded you to die,” Zarannis snapped, the disdain made plain in her voice. But the fight soon left her and she curled once more into herself, as if she was in agony.

“And I respectfully disobeyed,” Summersong responded. “Sometimes you need to act against orders in the best interest of your men.”

The words had cut her deeper than she had expected and she lay still once more. “What’s your name Ranger?”

“Keres Summersong.”

“What do you want from me Keres?” Zarannis asked the man, to which the Ranger obliged.

“The final battle at the Sunwell is at hand. It might even already be over. We need our commander. Not just for the Kestrels but the entire Northern Vanguard. Whatever the outcome of the battle, we need to be ready for it.”

Zarannis coughed, the dryness in her throat causing her voice to crack. “And if I refuse?”

“Then you’re a bigger coward than I thought possible.”

“Cowardice?” Zarannis stirred again, fire returning to her. “You think it is cowardice that would make me refuse? Is it cowardice that I won’t throw hundreds of lives away a second time, all for nothing?!” She broke down in a fit of coughing.

“Would you have preferred to throw thousands away? The last battle would have been a slaughter had you not sounded the retreat. Many did not make it out, but I think you fail to realize that you still saved enough of the Vanguard that it still needs leadership.” Keres handed her his waterskin, which she took with a measure of desperation. “Don’t you dare push that responsibility on the rest of us.”

-

“You look nothing like the General of the Northern Vanguard,” Beathyn jested, pulling out a seat for himself before her. “Took longer than I care to admit to track you down.”

Zarannis was pulled back to the present, and the ever warming mug of ale that had long lost its foam top. She gazed at him in her time-lost state, measuring her friend’s features and a cheek-to-cheek smile. She hated him for it. Had he not also led men to their deaths? Had he not also ended the lives of hundreds?

“That,” she sneered. “That was a title I neither asked for or wanted.”

He raised her eyebrow at her. “Then why did you volunteer for it?”

More memories flashed in her mind’s eye, dredging up old promises that she could not keep and people she could not save. 

“Someone had to.” Zarannis looked him in the eyes. “You lost men during the campaign didn’t you?”

The smile on his face faded. “I did.”

“I lost everything that I held dear. The Lodge, the Farstriders, the Tal’dorei who followed me, the Oathsworn of the Northern Vanguard, and the order for which they died for. I lost them all. So I detest the title. It’s tainted with their blood.”

Beathyn held her gaze and matched it with an intensity of his own. A rare sight for those that knew the light-hearted man. “You were among the Waywatcher Assassins. A Farstrider that held the border of the Amani for centuries. Blood is your profession, Zarannis. As it was theirs.”

“Not anymore.” Zarannis turned away, focusing on her drink. “Not a Farstrider, not a General, and not a pawn of Solendis’ schemes. Just a girl.”

“Fair enough,” Beathyn nodded, sliding over an envelope in front of her. “So you can attend this as just-a-girl then.”

Zarannis spied the Emberheart's wax seal. “What is this? A bribe?”

“It’s an invitation,” he replied. “A funeral of a friend.” Beathyn rose to his feet, dusted himself off and rose to his feet. “And that’s all?”

He nodded. “I’ve got to deliver more of these now.” Beathyn turned to leave. “You can head over early. It’s not for another few weeks but I’m sure they won’t mind. They’ve got enough guest beds to put up a garrison.”

-

CC0 Public Domain Image

@retributionpriest @stormandozone @curiouslich @thanidiel @esheyn @thenaaru @forever-afk @cynfuldax @felthier​ @azriah​ @korkrunchcereal​

The Invitations are coming

[bardicfoxes]

[D&D] Sastasha Levelileur Demanx - Rogue

Sastasha is one of my favourite characters I’ve ever written up. My first attempt at playing a rogue after years of being infatuated by dashing highwaymen, Assassins creeping through the shadows, and thieves pulling off the impossible heists. Unlike many of my characters, Sasha’s life events were rolled for using the character generation tables in the Dungeon Masters Guide which is why her story is particularly long. Sasha is still with me (If temporarily unavailable due to a deck of many things accident...void card...) and her story has only grown in time, stories I would like to write up at some point. Anyway enjoy my wonderful Rogue girl!

War has been nature for living beings since the dawn of time, sometimes loud, brash, and overt, others silent, subtle, carried out in the shadows. Deep in the forests, hidden from the eyes of mere men, the Elvish waywatchers of Athel Loren battled the bestial tribes that inhabited the forest they called home. Many beast tribes were crushed beneath the martial prowess of the Elves. Dryad, Satyr, Gorgan, all were felled. However one tribe proved too cunning, too quick, and too sly to be destroyed quite so easily. For over a hundred years, the Kitsune ran rings around the Elves, able to melt into the forest, whisper into the ears of generals, and strike from anywhere, they proved themselves more than a match for the Elves.

As in any war, each side had its key players, many a battle had been won with the sheer prowess, accuracy, and skill displayed by Kerillian Aidenish, lieutenant of a squad of elite Elvish archers, and trackers, conversely the Kitsunes had dealt near crippling blows to Elvish supply lines, and reinforcements with the cunning, guile, and daring antics of Takeda Yoshiro, roguish thief turned saboteur. Both Kerillian, and Takeda always seemed to find themselves two sides of the same coin, Kerillian would diligently follow the trail of Takeda, who in turn would loop, and twist in order to strike behind her lines. The pair crossed blades many on many occasions, their battles being recounted in stories time, after time, sometimes Kerillian would loose an arrow into Takeda, sometimes Takeda would catch Kerillian in an explosion, neither seeming to ever truly defeat the other.

The seasons rolled on, Spring into Summer, Summer to Autumn, and Autumn cascading into Winter. One Winter was particularly colder than others, blizzards pinning down entire armies, and burying the forest in a suffocating blanket of snow, and chilling sheets of ice. Colder than any Winter before it, Elf, and Kitsune fell to the cold, those strong enough to resist being driven into caves, sheltering from the elements. For the first time in over two centuries, the shadow war for the forest stopped…

In a strange turn of circumstance, both Kerillian, and Takeda found themselves separated from their allies, and trapped within the same cave network. The pair hunted one another, sparring all throughout the day, and night, clashing to an exhausted standstill. Without food, water, and warmth, they would both perish, and so an uneasy alliance between the pair formed. With her natural Elvish atunement to nature, and it’s magics, Kerillian fashioned them warmth, and shelter within the cave, and with the trademark penchant for luck, and perception Takeda possessed, he provided food, and water, through gathering, and hunting even despite the conditions. At first the pair was silent, weapons remained drawn and the taught thickness of mistrust hung over the makeshift home, however as the days stretched into weeks, which stretched further into months, even these vicious enemies began to talk, both longing for even the most base social contact. The hate they once held for each other became an uneasy relationship of sorts, which in the darkest, coldest night, when food ran scarce, and ice clawed at even the deepest parts of the cave, became an odd sort of Love. By the light of their flickering campfire, Kerillian Aidenish, and Takeda Yoshiro consummated their relationship.

As the blizzard finally rolled past, and Spring sunshine pierced the permafrost coating every tree, both Elf, and Kitsune began to feel the pull of war once more, with supplies lower than they’d ever been both factions were determined to become the dominant residents of this vast forest. Within their cave, even Kerillian, and Takeda began to grow weary of each other's presence, their love turning toxic as their dependence on each other waned, one morning Kerillian awoke to find Takeda gone, he had vanished into the night, Kerillian while thankful her throat had not been slit, cursed his name and their hunt began again. This time however, Kerillian felt a tug against her talents, like something was holding her back, concerned her unit coerced her into seeing a healer, who gave news that Kerillian would rather have never received, she was with child, two in fact, Kerillian was holding twins… No one dared question who the father was for fear of invoking the her wrath, but as no man came forward, rumors began to spread. Removed from the front lines for the safety of her children, Kerillian found herself taking care of menial tasks, her responsibilities dwindling as she became more heavily pregnant with each day. When the children were due, Kerillian chose to give birth in secret, with only a handful of her most trusted handmaidens by her side.

In the middle of the night, Kerillian gave birth, the children's names leaving her lips before she even set eyes upon them “Calcifer, Sastasha” she whispered to a Handmaiden as she shut her eyes, she couldn’t bare to look upon her children, Elves were pure in nature, untainted by lesser beings, lying with a human was one thing, but lying with a beast man of the forest, was one of the greatest dishonours she could have brought upon herself. Finally she opened her eyes and gazed upon her children. She noted dark hair, nothing like her own, a soft rounded face, reminding her not of her own sharp features, and to her disappointment, and the horror of the Handmaidens around her a pair of dark midnight ears, and a sleek black tails… Too much of a fox to be raised amongst Elves, and far too much of an Elf to be raised amongst Kitsune, Kerillian, and her Handmaidens pledged to keep the children a secret, the infant Calcifer, and Sastasha would be smuggled out of the forest, and disposed of, while everyone else would be told the infants had perished during birth.

And so, the same night, Kerillian’s most trusted Handmaiden Arryn Demanx, took the child under her cloak, and journeyed for three nights, in order to reach the edge of the forest, however as she stood, dagger in hand, she could not bring herself to execute an innocent child, she rationalised that neither Calcifer, nor Sastasha had chosen the controversy of their births, why should they receive punishment for it. Instead, Arryn took pity on them, if the beings of the forest couldn’t raise her, then perhaps the beings of the towns, and cities could. Arryn traveled further not to the first closest settlement, not to the second, but to the third, a city. The chances of the children ever finding their way back to the hidden Elvish city was minute. Sastasha was left in a basket alone, swaddled in cloth at the foot of the stone steps to a temple, men of God seemed to attract an abundance of unwanted children after all. Arryn left a note on the basket, weighed down with an Elvish Kukri which read Abandoned out of circumstance, we have left Sastasha Leveileur Demanx in your care, may you care for her more than we could...

-A But of course Sastasha, knew none of this.

---

Sastasha grew up under the tutelage of the temples various preachers, and clergymen, she learnt how to read, and write, and for the most part, kept herself busy with chores, after chores, after chores. What little time she did get for herself was spent kicking her heels in her room, or playing by herself. The people of the city of Anordal were a varied people, vast spires from the free mages college stretched into the sky, overseeing the rich markets, and magical item workshops. Despite this, Half-Kitsune such as Sastasha were rare, and as of such, she found the children around her would exclude her, to them she was weird, and foreign. With no friends to play with, Sastasha found herself wandering the halls of the temple, she would climb the belfry, or sit behind the altar listening to the organ. In fact it was during one of her sit ins to the music that the Organist called her over “Skulking in shadows” he asked as he played, Sastasha paused warily, people normally only spoke to her with cutting jibes, or to tell her she hadn’t been paying attention in her studies, however the organist seemed different “Just listening” she replied inquisitively truth be told she’d never really considered the organist existed, he rarely seemed to do anything other than play “Listening and skulking” he smiled, his teeth crooked “Good skills” he said with an added mutter “Malik Uredi” he introduced himself, never ceasing his playing, Sastasha frowned “Sastasha Leveilleur Demanx” before noting Malik’s own frown, her name was a bit of a mouthful “Sasha works though” she added before pausing for a beat “People don’t normally talk to me” she mentioned, her inquisitive nature showing. Malik mused for a second “Hm, and why do you think that is” he asked with a small smile, Sastasha frowned again “Well you know, because of how I look” she mentioned, her hand trailing through her hair, and touching the two soft ears that sat atop her head, she had taken to covering them with a hood, and tucking her brushy tail under her clothes, and around her waist. For the first time since their conversation began Malik stopped and chuckled “Sasha was it” he asked as he turned to her “Your appearance is of little consideration to me” he chuckled throatily as he gazed upon her, his eyes a sickly, milky white, he was blind.

Sastasha found herself making firm friends with Malik, helped by the fact he was the only person who would engage her socially, however on days when Malik was busy, or not there, Sastasha would wander the district in her free time, getting to know every street, every stall, and every secret alleyway. For a growing girl, with precious little to do, sometimes fun came from the most unusual places. The first time Sastasha picked a pocket was on a particularly sunny day, her lessons had been cancelled, and Malik was away, and most importantly, she was bored. Sastasha had an affinity with all things shiny, she coveted the glint of gold, or the shine of silver, and on this day, the sun caught the metallic shine of a golden pocket watch just right. Sastasha was filled with want as she watched it hang from the side of the large bestial man, it looked so delicate, and the clasp was so small, surely it wouldn’t be hard to. There was a dull click as Sastasha pulled her fingers over the clasp, and lifted the watch gently out of the man's pocket, her movements disguised by the jostling crowd, and her identity concealed by her cloaked androgynous appearance, once the watch was stowed safely in her pouch, she melted away into the crowd, and scurried off to the nearest alleyway, heart pounding against her chest. Sastasha clutched the pocket watch in her hands, it was beautiful, ornate, and meticulously polished, but most importantly, it was now hers. Sastasha took to her new hobby with gusto, her quick fingers, and delicate form making the art of pick pocketing as easy as anything, she started small, coins, loose buttons, jewelry, before moving bigger, entire money purses, pouches, jewelry, even taking things from market stalls, and on occasion slipping through open windows, and into peoples homes.

One morning, Sastasha was chatting with Malik, when he mentioned his birthday had been a week ago, Sastasha scolded him “If I’d known I would have got you something, she grumbled. Malik chuckled darkly “Oh my dear, I covet no material possessions” he rambled as he played “Although” he paused “I’ve always had a fondness for wine” he added guiltily. Sastasha sulked “I could have gotten you wine” she remarked, Malik sighed “Not the stuff you can buy in the market, I prefer something far more eclectic” he shuffled in his seat slightly, licking his lips as he remembered his choice wine “Fion Scathithe” he smiled softly “Elvish in nature, very old, very sweet, and very expensive” the thin man chuckled “You’d never be able to get your hands on any”. Sastasha frowned, something in her pulled, she was used to people telling her she couldn’t do something but this? This felt different “What makes you say that” she retorted indignantly, ignoring the explanation that Malik attempted to give “I’ll sort you something out” she smirked, before spinning on her heel, and leaving the building.

Sastasha scoured the city for the name ‘Fion Scathithe’ merchants, traders, and even smugglers turned nothing up, however there was one place she hadn’t yet checked. In the centre of Anordal lay the airship dock, where vast airships from Heavantis, bellies full of tradeable cargo from across the continent would dock, and sell their wares. Sastasha took a small collection of her favourite pieces of loot, and ventured into the bazaars within the docking tower. While Sastasha was unable to find the Wine she was hunting for, she did find information on an owner, a Wizard who lived in the Whitestone district for a touch more payment, she found his address, and set off. She had never intended to purchase the Wine from him, if it truly was as rare, and as delicious as Malic had said, there was no way a Wizard would part with it. Instead, Sastasha put her new found talents to use, crawling up a drainpipe, and slipping through a skylight, had she not been trying to keep quiet, she would of remarked how little security this Wizard seemed to have.

Sastasha dropped into a vast library, it seemed to stretch further than the building itself...Wizards were an odd folk. She scoured the vast halls, and multiple rooms until she stumbled through an office of sorts, and into a Wine cellar, there she found a beautiful elegant crystalline bottle, with a ruby red liquid inside, it was the wine she had sought out. With gloved hands she delicately removed the bottle from it’s shelf, curiously behind it there was a blue sigil, which as she pulled the bottle free, turned an angry red “Uh oh” Sastasha whispered before the air around her filled with horns of alarm, this place was better secured than she had thought. Dashing back into the office she panicked as she heard voices from outside, Wizards could be an unruly lot, and she was not looking to be on the receiving end of their scorn. On the desk next to her, were a pile of arcane scrolls, her head cocked as she looked at them before tucking the bottle securely into a pouch. She picked up a scroll, running her fingers over the dry paper, as she tried to unfurl it she found herself unable to undo the bindings, she cursed and pocketed it, before snatching up another, which thankfully was more compliant. She gazed over the foreign inscriptions, biting her lip as she heard footsteps outside, the markings made no sense to her at all, except. She paused as words came to her “Aperta...Ianua” she said, almost tentatively. There was a dull pop in front of her.

When the honoured Wizard Garrat finally mounted the courage to burst into his office, flanked by his own personal retinue of students, and serfs he found no intruder, rather instead he found a gaping passageway where his wall had been only this morning, whoever had been in his office, had clearly vanished… Sastasha sprinted through the streets, desperate to return before anyone could threaten her spoils, she practically fell through the doors to the Temple, remembering herself and straightening up, before nonchalantly wandering up to Malik “Hm Sasha” he greeted “Out of breath, have you gotten in trouble” the old man asked with a sly smirk. Sastasha growled, her triumphantly casual entrance ruined “Happy Birthday old man” she grinned regaining her composure as she produced the elegant bottle. Malik stopped playing as his hands ran over the bottle “Oh” he said simply, the interest in his voice palpable “Now this is interesting” he murmured “Who was it taken from” Malik said directly, his voice a little more colder than usual. Sastasha spluttered “What do you mean who was it taken-” Malik cut her off “Sasha” he said, turning his milky gaze to her “I’m blind, not stupid” he said gesturing to her thieves pouch “You think I don’t hear the collections you’ve been bringing home Hm” he asked “Or understand that a single bottle of Fion Scathithe can cost more than I could ever hope to earn, let alone a half spawn such as yourself” his words were almost scathing, but not out of hate, almost annoyance, as if he was disappointed Sastasha had even tried to lie to him. The Vulpine ears atop her head sank underneath her hood, Malik smirked “Do not despair Sasha, your secret is safe with me” he cut in before she could leave “In fact, I’m rather impressed with your work, I feel that maybe we could form a” he licked his lips as he held the wine bottle “partnership of sorts”. Sastasha cocked her head, Malik may have been blind, but his intuition, and perception was incredible “Now run along little Sasha” he smirked “I’ll be in touch” he added as he waved Sastasha away, who returned to her room in contemplation, who really was Malik Uredi….

--

Malik Uredi called Sastasha to his side the next evening, “Follow me” he said simply, as he tapped a cane on the floor, holding an arm out to Sastasha “We’re going on a walk” the aging man mentioned. Almost out of bewilderment, Sastasha looped her arm around his, allowing him to take her through streets, and back alleys, and though Sastasha would never admit it, through areas that even she didn’t know. After an hours walk in relative silence save for the chattering crowds, and tapping of Maliks cane, they arrived in a large graveyard. Malik strode forward, his cane no longer tapping the floor, as if he knew this place from memory, approaching a large stone casket shaped memorial he tapped his cane three times on a central ornament, then another twice, then finally three more times. Nothing happened, Sastasha looked up at him “What are we doi-” a heavy grinding noise sounded, as the caskets lid slid back, revealing a set of dark stairs “Patience my child, patience” Malik chuckled darkly as he lead her down the staircase.

The staircase went down to a tunnel, which was as black as pitch, Sastasha’s eyesight could just make out the walls, and how they twisted, and turned into the depths of the city. Presently, she found the light levels raising, as they entered a large antichamber. Torches burnt brightly in brackets on the walls, and crates, chairs, tables, and benches were placed around giving the place a surprisingly homely touch. A basic bar had been set up, and clustered around it were a group of different figures. Sastasha looked to Malik, who picked up on her confusion “The Jackdaws of Anordal” Malik nodded with a wry smile “A group of like minded men, and women” he mentioned as he pulled her forward “Thieves, pickpockets, burgarlers, and well” he smirked “Criminals”. Sastasha looked upon the diverse group of men, and women who turned to her “Until now, you’ve been nothing but a meer child, dancing through the crowds, swiping scraps, and being nothing more than a minor nuisance” Malik said derisively “But” he added quickly “Under the tutelage of the Jackdaws, I feel we could really make something of you”. Sastasha cocked her head in confusion “Wait, I don’t understa-” Malik sighed, interrupting her “It’s a thievery syndicate” he said testily “One that I believe might be of great benefit to you”. Sastasha nodded slowly, it couldn’t hurt to receive some advice…

Displaying her natural prowess, and potential, Sastasha was a fast learner, devouring any, and all lessons given to her. While her pick pocketing was good, there was always room for improvement Alexi,a red skinned Teifling taught her the finer arts of concealment, and how to slip through crowds undetected. Barouq, a wiry Kenku corrected her stances, and strikes, teaching her how to take care of herself in combat. The minor inconsistencies displayed in her pickpocketing were highlighted by Chenni a particularly deft, and mischievous Halfling. And finally a proficiency in lock breaking, utilising the thieves tools, and secretive thieves cant were taught to her by none other than the blind Malik, who despite his disability, was able to pick locks with the greatest of ease.

Despite balancing chores, her temple duties, and keeping Maugh unaware, Sastasha learnt what would take any ordinary thief years, in just a matter of months, and while Malik was apprehensive to offer her the position as a fully fledged member of the Jackdaws, she was considered an honorary ally, able to use their knowledge, and facilities whenever she saw fit. With these new facilities she had the means to expand her work, no prize too daring for her, the Jackdaws applauding her work. One evening, Sastasha crouched above the city, balancing on a narrow beam, a dark hood, and mask obscuring her features. Tonight wasn’t about her, Malik had made a special request. Housed in a glass cabinet proudly displayed above the dining table of the honourable magistrate Hadvir Angast, was a beautiful sculpture known as the ‘Frozen Flower’ a delicate rose crafted from enchanted ice, that could never melt. Malik wanted to feel the cold ridges, and smooth petals for himself, Sasha wanted a challenge. It was a win, win situation.

With an increased range of skills, and experience, Sastasha slipped into the magistrates house, picking the lock to his cellar. From there she made her way past his scant guardsmen, and into his luxurious dining chamber. Though she longed to take the glinting silverware, or gleaming crystalline glasses, she suppressed her desire, where she rounded the corner, and locked eyes on the glass cabinet, and a young man eagerly reaching inside. Sastasha waited patiently for him to pick up the frozen flower, he was unmasked, and seemed to have no tools on his person, he looked like an amateur. As he turned he saw Sastasha, his face was soft, and if Sastasha had to admit it, he was a rather attractive human. He smiled, almost melting Sastasha’s heart “Ah, how awkward” he said softly, his accent clipped, and clean “I assume you’re looking for this too” he asked, almost politely, as he held out the ornate flower, made out of the cleanest ice Sastasha had ever seen. Unwilling to reveal her voice, she simply nodded, stepped forward, and held out her palm flat, she would give him the choice of handing it over. The blonde retreated “Ah, I do apologise, but it seems I got here first” he continued, the words pouring out in a softly spoken symphony “Maybe next time you might be a little quicker perhaps” he mentioned “If you don’t mind my advice” he added with a half smile as he backed away. This wasn’t the place for games, Sastasha strode forward, stopping suddenly as she felt a crunch under her feet as she trod on a circle of glass that had been cut out of the case. When she looked up, the young man had delicately placed the icy flower between his lips, as he untucked the front of his shirt, loosened his tie, and ruffled his hair into an untidy mess. Sastasha cocked her head, placing a hand on her dagger “I do apologise my dear” he said as he retrieved the rose, wrapping it in a white handkerchief, and placing it in his pocket “But a patsy is exactly what I need” and with that, the young man yelled for the guards, he cried a warning out, which was almost instantly answered by the thudding of heavy boots from the guards at the end of the floor “Farewell” he said with a smirk, as Sastasha spun on her heels, and bolted for the nearby window.

After an hour of running, climbing, dodging, and leaping, Sastasha finally lost her pursuers, she was hot, tired, thirsty, and more ticked off than she’d ever been before. Nobody beat her to the prize like that, and she never came home empty handed. She seethed for another hour before returning to Malik, who seemed rather non fussed with the whole situation. For Sastasha this was the beginning of a long series of run ins with the handsome blonde thief, art seemed to be his particular love, and he forever seemed to be a step ahead of Sastasha. Despite his larceny he never obscured his face, nor did he ever seem to really hide, it was as if he had a natural trustworthiness about him. Every time he beat Sastasha to a prize, or called the guards on her she would seethe, and fume for hours, sometimes days afterwards. On occasion, her escapes were aided by the king of the beggars, who agreed to hide her, always stating she would pay him back in time. On a particularly sunny day, Sastasha found herself in a library in the Whitestone District, picking up a series of books for a deacon who was staying at the Temple. While there, she heard a familiar boyish chuckle. There, at the other end of the library, was the thief that had plagued her every attempt at art theft, but if she could find out who he was, she could find his home, and steal what he had stolen, it would be perfect.

Even with her hood up, people had commented on Sastasha’s soft features, dark silken hair, and fair nature, it would help she was a near natural flirt, and an even better manipulator. She took her time, casually making her way around the library, until she found herself next to the devilishly handsome thief, where she coyly let a book slide off her pile and onto the ground in front of him. As she had predicted, he practically dove on the book in a display of chivalry, and passed it up to her “Be careful my lady, the Wizards here don’t tend to allow rough treatments of the tomes, even by somebody as pretty as yourself” he smiled charmingly. Though Sastasha had expected this, she couldn’t help but be momentarily taken aback by his warming smile, she stammered, and almost forgot her plan “A-ah thank you s-sir” she stuttered as she collected herself “I feel maybe I didn’t have the grip I first thought” she continued, playing the part of a sweet, and innocent maiden “Sorry I didn’t catch your name” she asked with a soft smile. The young man chuckled “That’s alright” he replied “I didn’t tell it to you” he responded slyly before gesturing at the sigil of Selune on her broach “From the Temple on the other side of the Whitestone district” he asked with a raised eyebrow “I suspect you’ll have a carriage waiting outside correct” he added astutely. Sastasha blinked, unwilling to let the act go “Oh, yes” she answered, keeping her cool, despite the anger boiling underneath “Excellent, so how about we check these books out for you, and I’ll help you to your carriage”, he was undeniably sickly sweet…

After checking the books out, and letting the young man guide her to her carriage, he bowed as she climbed in “Charmed to meet you….again” he said with a small smirk “I must say, you are rather pretty without the mask” he purred. Sastasha growled in response as she tightened her hands into fists “Oh come on” he smirked “I could recognise those eyes anywhere” as he took a step back. The carriage began to roll off “Nathaniel” he grinned as he faded into the crowd. Sastasha fumed extra hard that night. The Vulpine girl would not see Nathaniel for some time, her forays didn’t take her back to the art world for a short while, instead she busied herself with her own endeavours. After a few months, Chenni, the halfling girl from the Jackdaws recommended Sasha a job for one of her clients. A Heavantis shipment of finery was due to reach Anordal within the week, and a certain client of Chenni desired an opulent oil canvas aboard the shipment. Eager to impress the Jackdaws, Sastasha snapped up the job. She poured every skill she had at her disposal, casing the airship dock, snatching shipping manifests, and running through a perfect plan of action in her head.

It was late when Sastasha slipped out of the temple, and skulked through the streets to the airship dock, keeping her hooded figure obscured by the crowds, and bustling merchants, until she could find her way up to the dock itself, where she positioned herself in the shadows of the wooden rafters and waited for the ship to arrive. As if by clockwork the Heavantis airship ‘Noctis Opulentos’ drifted silently into its moorings. Sastasha’s movements would need to be precise, and disciplined, very few had managed to successfully steal from one of these ships. She leapt from the rafters onto the ships rigging, and slid down a rope, darting past dock workers, deck hands, and merchants as if she were blinking from shadow, to shadow. Despite the sheer amount of people between her, and her destination, she managed to find her way into the holds of the ship, tracking her progress through the map she had memorised, it had been rather expensive to bribe for that particular piece of information. Before long, she arrived at the cargo compartment she was searching for, there were less people down here at this moment, most of them were further up the ship, unloading the more perishable cargo. With a small struggle, Sastasha picked the lock into the compartment, and began scouring the finery for her prize, she longed to fill her pockets with the shining diamonds, and clear cut emeralds, or the ornate wooden carvings, and brass statues that shined so invitingly, she resisted and stayed on target, a girl such as her could lose her mind with greed in here, and maybe she would have, if Chenni’s client had not promised such a hefty reward. She picked the lock on a large wooden chest, her eyes scanning the ornate frames inside, it was exactly what she was looking for. Getting this painting off the ship was a challenge already, doing it contained in the huge ornamental frame would be nigh impossible, she begrudgingly levered the top panel off the frame, flinching as it splintered away, she could almost hear some distant artisan screaming as she did so. With the cation that one would exhibit while handling a glass butterfly, Sastasha gently slipped the canvas out, it was a gorgeous picture depicting a icy night, and a blood red aurora splitting the sky, it was a rather chilling sight that spread a sense of unease through Sasha, when she had been but a child, she had gazed out her window at the same cosmic pattern, it had become a sort of omen to her. She shook off the notion, and rolled the parchment up, slipping it into a protective tube which was slung over her back.

There was a prick of cold steel against the back of her neck “My, my” an infuriatingly sweet voice crooned “You must be improving, you beat me to this one” Sastasha raised her palms, gritting her teeth as she did so “I must say, I’m impressed, did you really manage to slip down here unnoticed” her rival asked, she should have known such an artistic catch would have attracted him. Sastasha took a breath as she felt his dagger point against the nape of her neck “It took some planning” she admitted “And a fair amount of groundwork, and coin” the raven haired girl added “But I’m good enough to pull it off” Sastasha added with a touch of confidence “And yourself” she asked “You don’t strike me as one to hide in the shadows”. Her rival chuckled “Yes, you’ve got me there” he admitted as he took a step back “Turn to face me, nice and slow” he ordered “Keep your hands where I can see them”. Sastasha complied, locking eyes with his, he was a devilishly handsome young man, and in other circumstances she might find herself quite infatuated with him, unlike her dark, functional clothes, he wore a lavish blue, and gold attire, a long coat with a smart white ruffled neck piece “You’re right” he smiled “I don’t take to the shadows as you do, I prefer a far more direct approach” he lectured, touching the point of the knife to his gloved finger “Nathaniel Kadgar Cradagast” he said, bowing his head softly, never taking his eyes off Sastasha “My father is Eobus Cradagast of the council of free mages, it allows me certain allowances when talking my way into places” he continued “It’s also a perfect shield, not one soul would believe that the son of the great Cradagast would stoop to such debauchery” the blonde chuckled “But, I digress, time is still of the essence” Nathaniel sighed as he stepped forward, pulling Sastasha’s face mask down exposing her fair features “I’d hate to have to hurt you” he whispered “So how about you just hand over the canvas, and I’ll” he paused as he flirtatiously tugged her hood down “O-oh” he breathed, as his eyes gazed at her soft black ears, his stare tracing the frosted white tips. He was distracted for only a split second, but his theatrics had given Sasha the opportunity she needed.

With a sharp thrust, she jabbed her palm upwards into his nose, before bringing the edge of her open palm down on his wrist, knocking the knife from his grip, she spun her body, rolling around him, and bolted for the door, she wasn’t losing her prize to him, not again. Before she could leave the hold however, she felt the air behind her crystallise, and chill. Sastasha threw herself to the side not a moment too soon, as a beam of blue white light shot past her, spidering into frost on the wall ahead of her. Behind her, Nathaniel heald his palm outstretched, a deep blue sigil traced in the air ahead of him, contrasting the crimson trickle of blood from his nose “That was impolite” he smirked “We can of course do this the hard way, it’s been a while since I’ve stretched my magics” He darted forward, Sasha’s hand going for her dagger when he caught her wrist. Her wrist was encompassed by another dark blue sigil, and suddenly began to feel painfully cold, she tugged at her dagger, but it refused to draw, Nathaniel smirked “Frost can make the blade stick” Sastasha pulled back, tearing Nathaniel's hand from her wrist, without a weapon, she couldn’t fight him, so instead, she pulled back and retreated, dancing past another ray of frost as it hurtled towards her. Stealth was no longer an option, she would have to rely on her speed, and agility, she tugged her hood up over her ears, and mask over her face, and sprinted through the holds, spinning around those who got in her way, and dodging past anyone who tried to stop her.

She burst out onto the deck of the airship, there was a single beat of silence as she felt the eyes of every member of the crew upon her, before someone yelled, and all hell broke loose. Dodging just out of the grasp of those around her she ran for the edge of the ship, making a leap of faith through the air, she became very aware of the distance that stretched out below her, and for a second, thought she had made a terrible mistake, before her fingers wrapped around one of the thick mooring ropes that bound ships to the side of the dock. With only seconds to formulate a plan, she gripped with her boots, and gloved hands, this was not going to be an easy escape. Gently loosening her grip, she allowed herself to slide down the rope, picking up speed as she followed the long cable down, and down the outside of the tower, the yells above her being drowned out by the whining of her leathers against the rope, and her nose picked up the smell of burning, and a touch of smoke. Looking over her shoulder, she judged her distance, and tightened her grip with all the strength she could muster. She slowed, the acrid burning smell from her gloves swelling as she ground to a stop several meters off the ground. She dropped from the rope onto a small awning, and rolled off into a crouch on the ground. With legs trembling from the adrenaline, and hands itching from the heat of her gloves she looked up at the docked ship, she had just pulled off the ultimate job.

Not eager to hang around she dropped her mask, and headed in the direction of the Jackdaws hideout, only when she reached sanctuary would she feel that the task had been completed. It was late, the streets were empty, and Heavantis would never admit something had been taken from them, and yet something felt off? A noise emanated from behind her, she only caught it because of the astute hearing of her ears, it sounded like metal being drawn from a sheath, she spun around, too late as a there was a sharp rending pain in her side that drove the breath from her lungs. She struggled against her attacker, pulling away with the blade still jutting from her, out of the corner of her eye she saw her assailant, a bizarley well dressed Tabaxi, with a delicate white mask over his eyes. Sastasha turned and ran, each step forcing more breath from her lungs, in her hobbled state, she was unable to move too fast. She was very aware of her assailant, he wasn’t pressing the attack any further, rather he was following, keeping pace a few meters behind her as she ran. She kept her pace for fifteen minutes, before a combination of shock, tiredness, and blood loss brought her to the floor in a dusty alleyway. Try as she might, she couldn’t bring herself to her feet, nor could she even begin to drag herself away, she was at her attackers mercy. Her attacker crouched next to her, a long, jagged dagger in his left hand “Forfeit your stolen property” he said emotionlessly as he held an outstretched palm towards Sastasha, she didn’t respond, rather she clutched the tube tightly in her hands as she bled freely onto the floor, the thick crimson liquid filling the cracks in the stone around her. Her attacker sighed “Now” he growled as he forcefully pulled the tube away from Sastasha. Until now, she hadn’t realised her strength leaving her, but as her well dressed assailant took the tube away from her with no resistance, the severity of her situation began to dawn on her.

A voice rang out from behind her assailant “What’s going on here”, both Sastasha, and the agent of Heavantis turned to the source of the voice, it was Nathaniel, the agent stowed his blade “By order of the merchant republic of Heaveantis, stolen goods were reclaimed” he said confidently “Find this citizen a doctor, my business is done with them”. Nathaniel smiled warmley “Of course sir, I congratulate your ability to dispense justice” the blonde continued charismatically as he shook the agents hand. There was a soft glow of rosy pink light from his hand, as a sigil enveloped his glove, traveling up the agents arm “Would you like me to hold that while you clean your blade” he asked warmly. The agent nodded with an odd familiarity, and handed over the tube willingly before setting to work cleaning Sastasha’s blood of his jagged dagger. Sasha looked up at Nathaniel as he looped the strap of the tube over his shoulder, he mouthed a soft apology to Sasha, before turning on his heal and calmly walking away. A span of five minutes passed before the agent looked up, he paused for a second before cursing in a foreign language, and bolting in the direction of Nathaniel, Sastasha was alone...

She tried to pull herself to her feet, but she was far too weak to do so, collapsing she felt her eyes close, she was dying here, in some alley way, she couldn’t help but think of Maugh, he would never know what happened to her… As she lay shivering on the floor, she became aware of a being nearby, she was too weak to look up, or resist when the figure lay a hand on her, checking her over, and pulling her hood down, she felt him pause before drawing her close, she tried to pull away, but there was something about him, his smell was almost familiar, safe, instead of pulling away, she huddled closer to him, letting him pick her up and move her. She was only dimly aware of the events that followed, she knew she was taken somewhere, she could feel someone patch up her wound, and was aware she was being taken care of. She finally got the strength to open her eyes and look around one morning, she was in a humble room, the bed was comfortable, and several candles kept the room warm, and light. She winced as she pulled herself to her feet, she wasn’t wearing her clothes, instead she was wearing a pair of surprisingly soft pajamas. Sastasha instantly became paranoid, she had no idea where she was, and whoever she was with had clearly undressed her which meant! She turned to a long mirror on the wall and looked at herself, her ears were on display atop her head, and to her horror her vulpine tail was hanging from behind her, whoever’s home she was staying in, knew about her more bestial aspects…

Sastasha paused and considered escaping via a window, but her belongings were missing, her leathers, equipment, and her dagger, and there was no way she was leaving without it. She tried the door, locked. Sasha returned to the bed and sat down trying to plan her next move. A short while later, she heard a key turn in the door, she stood and prepared for anything, however, she never could have truly prepared for what came through the door.

Standing in front of her, was a young male, a similar in height to her, his features were sharp, and he had a single small scar across his left cheek. However the most striking feature about him lay atop his head, he too was adorned with a pair of silken vulpine ears of midnight black, frosted with white. Sasha was taken aback, she paced around him taking in every detail, from the tip of his ears to the base of his, yes, he too had a dark tail “W-who are you” she muttered quietly, his scent was the same as the scent of the man who had saved her. The two stared at each other, each nearly as taken aback as the other, Sasha noticed his weapon, a dark hilted Kukri, it’s sheath inscribed with a similar set of markings as hers. The male nodded “Calcifer” he replied simply as now he paced around her “I feel like I know you” he added “Your name” the raven haired boy asked. “Sastasha” she responded “I feel I know you too, you’re familiar, but I’ve never met anyone like me” she responded, gesturing to the ears atop her head. Sasha paused “Where am I” she asked “And how long have I been here”, Calcifer paused for a second “You’re in the ‘Whitestone Ash’ Tavern, and you’ve been here” he mulled the answer over “Two days, you heal quickly” he remarked with a smile. Sastasha nodded “And my things” she accused, Calcifer held his hands up “Okrid took them, he said they needed a wash, and that we probably shouldn’t leave you with a weapon when you woke up” Sastasha cocked her head “Oh er, Okrid is my dad” he explained “Adopted, not by birth, he’s nice” the young man added with a smile. Sastasha nodded, relaxing a little, Calcifer seemed trustworthy after all.

Sasha’s gear was returned to her by a large half orc, she was told she was welcome any time. Neither Okrid, nor his Tiefling wife Astrid questioned her on the events leading up to her injury, they were just glad she was safe. When she arrived back at the abbey, she told Maugh about who she had met, casually leaving out her injury, theft, and near death experience. Initially she was unwilling to pry any further, it was in fact Maugh who pushed her to visit Calcifer once more. Over the course of the next few days Sastasha spent a lot of time at the Whitestone Ash, talking to Calcifer, and his adopted parents, it was only a matter of hours however that she made her biggest discovery. Calcifer was left in the Whitestone Ash, much as Sastasha had been left at the temple of Selune, and to make matters even more interesting, as well as a matching dagger, he was also left with a near identical note to her. Sastasha compared the note to hers “Calcifer Leveileur Demanx” she whispered, Calcifer’s cheeks glowed red “Ah yeah, I’ve always hated that surname” he admitted. Sastasha nodded, smiling as she suppressed the urge to cry “Yeah me too” for the first time since she and Maugh had shared the sight of the moon rising in their room together, she had found family.

Sastasha, and Calcifer became almost as firm friends as Sasha, and Maugh. Sastasha would explore the city with her brother whenever Maugh was otherwise indisposed with the various duties a paladin in training was tasked with. When Maugh was available, the three misfits would wander the streets, and markets, or simply relax at the Whitestone Ash, where they got to know Okrid, and Astrid. Both Sasha, and Maugh had never felt so popular. Sastasha even shared her more criminal secrets with Calcifer, spinning him long tales of intrigue, daring escapes, and fine thefts. Calcifer lay hooked on every word. Like Sastasha, Calcifer also found comfort in a less than legal profession. While he wouldn’t share much with his sister, it seemed he had found his calling as a state appointed Assassin. Sasha knew they had existed, but never truly believed they were active. Like finger, and thumb, the two grew closer, and closer, more than making up for lost time. Soon they began to include one another in their respective professions. When Calcifer needed a particularly difficult lock cracked, or someone to help him slip past watchful eyes, he would call upon Sastasha. Likewise, if Sasha simply needed somebody to watch her back, or to give her aid with a tough series of guards, she wouldn’t hesitate to enlist Calcifer in her activities. The pair swept across the city, no lock too tight, no patrol too tough. They felt invincible.

It was after one of these successful team ups, that both Calcifer, and Sastasha sat on a balcony, legs dangling above the city, that the pair found themselves talking about a future. Sastasha didn’t want to spend her life living amongst the thinly labeled prejudices of the temple of Selune, and Calcifer, as much as he loved Okrid, and Astrid, didn’t want to constantly live under their feet. So they talked. What if they...acquired, the funds to purchase their own place, where they could make the rules, Sastasha even suggested opening the idea to Maugh, three oddities who could live under the same roof, in a place they could all call home, Calcifer himself admitted interest in opening a tavern of his own. Over the course of the night, what started as a distant fantasy, began to seem more, and more a reality as they talked about it, all they would need, was money, and if there were two people in the city that could obtain a vast quantity of money, in a short time. It was them.

As well as being a hub for mages, Anordal boasted a hefty population of merchants, hundreds of stalls, and shops littered the markets, and all of those needed places to keep their money. The Vidulum was a large compound of storage rooms, and safes designed for that purpose. The plan was simple, break in, steal the money they needed, and escape via the sewer tunnels. It wouldn’t be the hardest job they had pulled, but it would require complete synergy on their part.

So, on a moonlit night, the two fox children skipped across rooftops, and slid down drain pipes, until they made their way to the Vidulum. Slipping in through the shadows they set to work, Sasha picking the locks, and Calcifer watching her back, as well as holding the gold. They were smart, taking only a skimming from each vault, as opposed to a large take from one, this way, each Merchant would only record a loss of a few gold pieces, enough to be written off as an accounting mistake. The pair went undiscovered until closing the final vault, when a Merchant, and his retinue made an unexpected visit to the Vidulum. Both parties stared at each other for a second, before chaos erupted. Arrows flew, and shouts of alarm were sounded, Calcifer grabbed his sister and pulled her towards their escape route. They climbed over the wall of the Vidulum, and dropped into the streets, the eyes of the night markets all on them. There was no time to lose, they darted forward, and dropped through a hole into the sewer tunnels, feet pounding, echoing against the stone walls as they ran through the maze of tunnels, they couldn’t help but laugh as they ran, they were almost home free. The end of the tunnel opened up to a five meter drop into a deep canal, Sastasha leapt, barley breaking her stride as she crossed the waters, and landed on the other side with a smart roll. That was when she heard a large splash behind her. She spun on one heel, only ripples decorated the water's surface. In the early dawns light, everything was silent.

The next month dragged for Sastasha, and she was only dimly aware of the proceedings. She had sat by the waters edge, shivering for quite some time, before Maugh tracked her down, she knew Maugh had entered the water, and recovered the still form of Calcifer, wrapping him in a cloak. It was funny, he almost looked as if he was just sleeping… Sasha was taken home by Martin, a squire of Maughs, while Maugh broke the news to Okrid, and Astrid. To this day they refuse to blame Sastasha for what happened, but the guilt gnawing at Sasha refuses to die. Maugh also returned the gold to the Vidulum, stating he’d simply found it, and heard the news it had been stolen. The only thing Sasha was left with, was the dark kukri dagger, now the soul owner she had lost the only blood family she ever knew, Sasha lived in a haze, it would be quite some time before she picked herself out of it.

A year later, Sastasha was almost back to her old self, besides private moments in the corners of her own mind, where guilt, and sadness still bit at her thoughts, she was once again smiling, joking, and socialising with Maugh, on the odd occasions they found themselves at the Whitestone Ash she would take some coaxing to come out of her shell, but Okrid, and Astrid were still as welcoming as ever. During one of her excursions with Maugh, to preach the word of Selune at the main entrance to the city, Sastasha met a most peculiar fellow. He wasn’t dressed like the others who milled through the gates, rather he wore a strange attire, that while seeming functional, and protective, had the appearance of something formal. He stopped to listen to Maugh for a short while. This wasn’t the first time Maugh had been sent to speak the word of their Goddess, and it wasn’t the first time Maugh had drawn a small crowd, if only for those in the crowd to stare at his unique form. As Maugh preached, Sastasha carried out various rituals, and blessings, spreading salt, handing out moon lilies, and the like. When she reached the well dressed stranger, he gently took a lilly from her basket, and smiled in thanks. His smile near melted Sastasha, smiles from handsome men had long been her weakness, and this new figure was unknowingly exploiting that.

After Maugh’s sermon had finished, the stranger waited behind until the crowd of gawking onlookers had dispersed, Sasha saw him approach and mutter some words to Maugh, it always put her on edge watching people approach the giant Lizard man, but both seemed happy, The stranger even shook Maugh’s hand before leaving. Sastasha was captivated, nobody had ever reacted so, well, kindly to Maugh before. As the man walked past she bumped into him, he turned to face her “My apologies” he said in a foreign accent, Sastasha bowed her head “No sir, my apologies, I must have let my mind wander” the man smiled again and Sastasha had to hold herself up, before excusing himself and turning to leave. Sasha stood next to Maugh “Hey big guy” she mentioned, staring after the man “Who was he” the raven haired girl asked. Maugh shrugged “Just a member of the crowd, wanted to thank me for the Sermon” he hissed. Sasha nodded “Hm” she muttered, casually opening her hand and dropping a silver pocket watch onto the floor subtly “Hey” she asked bending down, making a show of picking it up “Did he leave this behind” she asked. Maugh raised a scaly eyebrow at her, they’d known each other a long time, and it was hard to pull a fast one on him, Sasha smirked “I guess I’ll go return it….see you back at the Temple” she chirped before slipping off into the crowd after the mysterious man.

She dashed past merchants, and between families of travellers before finding the man, and falling into line a few meters behind him, she followed with inquisitive steps as he turned off the main road, and into a side street. Without such a crowd around him she might actually get a chance to talk to him “Hey” she called out as she jogged up to him, the man turned around, a thick head of red hair atop his head, the fringe falling over his eyes “Oh, from the entrance right” he asked as she came to a stop “Yeah” Sastasha replied “You dropped this” she said proudly holding the pocket watch out to him. The man paused for a second, taking it from her hand “Curious” he muttered “I dropped it you say” the red head added, a touch of disbelief to his voice, Sasha nodded “yeah, I thought I’d get it back to yo-” the man cut in “It was clasped quite firmly to my inner pocket you see” he said simply “Are you sure it didn’t find its way into your possession when you bumped into me” he asked knowingly. Sasha’s breath caught in her throat, she was sure she’d been more careful than that, her deft fingers had never got her caught before. The man continued “Though it’s strange, if you took it from me, why would you rush to return it, were you planning on me offering a reward” he asked “The watch itself would sell for a high price as it is” the man folded his arms “No, you’re smarter than that I feel” he rationalised as he looked her over “Which means you knew what you were doing, but just didn’t expect me to realise” he frowned “Though I must say your end is rather obscure to me, what was your goal here”. Sastasha blinked, almost letting the warmth of a blush spill onto her cheeks “well you know” she stammered, excuses flying through her mind “You were just very nice to Maugh, and I wanted to” she paused letting the words form in her head “Thank you for it” she finished. The man chuckled “So you stole my watch” he asked with disbelief “That seems rather backwards”, Sastasha coughed “Look clearly it didn’t work out the way I thought it would so, I guess I’ll take my leave”. The man shook his head “No come on, you’ve got this far, Maugh” he mentioned, rolling the name around his tongue as if sampling a fine wine “Interesting, so that would make you Sastasha then right” he asked. Sastasha took a step back “You’ve heard of me” she asked a with a small touch of accusation to her voice. The man shook his head and smiled “No, no, should I have” he asked with a raised eyebrow “It’s your necklace” he said, pointing at the flint stone just poking out of her top “It has your name on it right” he asked, gently taking the flint pendent in his hand. Sastasha smiled softly “You can read it” she asked, her interest growing with each word, “So you know my name, what do I call you” she asked. The man responded in kind “Sahelanthropus of Kynesgrove” Sastasha blinked twice, the name near flying completely over her head “Sa-ha-lan” she frowned, messing up the name. Sahelanthropus gave a boyish chuckle “Maybe I could teach you the pronunciation over dinner” he asked casually “It would give you a chance to apologise for taking my watch” he added slipping the silver watch into his pocket “How about I meet you at the Temple early evening” he asked. Sastasha stammered a yes as Sahelanthropus turned on his heel “Excellent, I’ll see you then” he called over his shoulder, as he strode off down the street.

Sastasha had been on dates before, she’d even had a couple of short relationships before, it was amazing how quickly people forget their prejudices around a pretty girl. As a daughter of the temple, she wasn’t strictly supposed to behave in such a way, but they way she saw it, if Salune had a problem with it, she was bound to let her know...right? She bid farewell to Maugh, who had playfully teased her about her upcoming date all evening, as she had thought earlier, it was hard to keep things from him. Sahelanthropus awaited Sastasha across the street from the Temple, wearing a fine long coat, boots, and smart scarf, he was dressed far more finely than Sastasha, who was in what she considered her ‘best’ clothes, a White set of clothing with gold buckles, and a red trim, officially it was supposed to be her temple duties attire, for use during the sermons, and rituals inside the Temple, and it’s grounds. However a previous fling had remarked how good it looked on her, and sealed it’s fate as her go to date wear. To say her and Sahelanthropus hit it off would be an understatement, she hung off his every word, and story, enamored by the tapestries of adventure he spun with his words, he was well travelled to say the least, and Sasha found herself asking questions on every city, and every land he talked of, he explained the thin air of Heavantis, and the strange warmth of Catedrala with such detail, the vulpine girl could almost feel herself walking the streets of these strange places. She had been afraid her own stories couldn’t possible match up, but Sahelanthropus was more than interested enough in her Temple duties, her relationship with Maugh, and what she busied herself with in her day, to day life, even though Sastasha kept the more illegal activities she partook in secret, she still found the red head enamoured by every word.

When their dinner had finished, Sahelanthropus refused to let Sasha pay, despite the fact it was supposed to be an apology for the light theft of earlier “So” Sasha said, rocking back, and forth on her heels as they stood in the chilly night air “Will I see you again” she asked with a playful smirk. The red head mulled it over, rubbing his dark chin “Well” he paused “I suppose you managed to keep your fingers to yourself this time” he muttered with a teasing tone “And you enjoyed yourself” Sasha pointed out, almost impatiently. The finely dressed man chuckled “And I did enjoy myself” he repeated “Alright, I’ll meet with you again” he said “Well Sastasha Leveilleur Demanx” he said with perfect diction, causing a small shudder of disgust from Sastasha “I’ll be seeing you soon” he said with a more than perfect smile.

Sastasha, and Sahelanthropus met several more times after that, relishing each others company, it was a near seamless transition into a deeper relationship, and though it wasn’t the first romance Sastasha had experienced, it was the best. Sastasha introduced Sahelanthropus to Maugh, and in turn to Okrid, and Astrid when the three of them visited the Whitestone Ash, Maugh, Okrid, and Astrid all teased Sastasha in a playful family kind of way, Maugh never letting the jokes grow old. Both Sastasha, and Sahelanthropus were seemingly made for each other, and even when Sahelanthropus took his frequent excursions out of the town for what he called ‘business trips’, when they reunited they would more than make up for lost time.

The pair had been together for three months now, and on occasion Sahelanthropus would take Sastasha on short excursions, be it a night in an Inn in another town, or just a wander through the plains, and forests. While Sastasha had always been warned not to stray too far from the city walls for fear of beasts of the wilds, she had previously accompanied Maugh on some of his jobs in the nearby towns, regardless however, Sahelanthropus promised himself a capable fighter, and vowed to protect Sastasha should she need it, and despite the fact Sasha was positive she’d never seen Sahelanthropus draw the ornate rapier on his hip, she was more than willing to let him offer to be her proverbial knight in shining armour. On a particularly mild day, Sasha found herself wandering through one of the many forests around Anordal with Sahelanthropus, it had started like any other walk, although Sastasha felt them going deeper into the forest then they had before “Should we go this deep” she asked, doubt in her voice, Sahelanthropus paused, almost conflicted “You know” he said quietly “You’re right, how foolish of me, come let’s return to th-” Sastasha cut him off, pressing a finger to his lips “Shh” she hushed sharply, her ears twitching freely, after all Sahelanthropus had seen more than just her head, it seemed silly to keep things obscured from him. As her ears honed in on a noise emanating around them, her eyes widened “Duck” she yelped as she pulled Sahelanthropus down on top of her, as she did a man sized serpent struck out, it’s jaws closing around the space where Sahelanthropus had been not two moments ago. Like a bolt of lightning Sahelanthropus drew the fine silver blade from its sheath and stabbed upwards, piercing the serpent through its mouth, the reptile recoiled, dragging the sword, and redhead with it, deeper into the forest.

Sastasha leapt to her feet and took off after him, she had never heard of Serpent’s in these forests, the northern lands were supposed to be too cold, it was a miracle that Maugh was so comfortable up here. She drew her twin blades and slashed through the dense trees, her ears swiveling atop her head as she chased the noise of combat ahead of her. She burst into a clearing in time to see a second serpent wrap itself around Sahelanthropus, she plunged her daggers into the back of it’s head without hesitation, twisting, and tearing them out as she felt it’s body shiver, and twist beneath her. Sahelanthropus rolled out from beneath its body “You should leave” he growled defensively as he slashed out at a third Serpent, it’s body a sickly gray blue “Run the way we came in, I’ll hold them off”, Sastasha huffed as she pulled him backwards, out of the way of a fourth Serpent, they seemed hell bent on targeting him “No way” she protested, “I just cut you out from under one of those things” the raven haired girl growled as she twisted around him, covering his offhand side with her daggers “I’m not leaving you here to become snake food”. Sasha heard a chuckle leave Salhelanthropus’s lips “I knew there was a reason I kept you around” he muttered.

The pair fought hard against the Serpents as they coiled, and twisted maliciously, at first they strangely seemed to focus Sahelanthropus, practically ignoring her to snap, and lash out at him, however once she felled another Serpent, they began to attack at her too, trying to drive themselves between the pair, and separate them. After what felt like an eternity the tide of serpents stopped, their sickly bodies fizzling into the ground as if someone had doused them in acid. Sasha panted heavily “Now, let’s get away from he-” Sahelanthropus held a hand up, he was almost unnervingly collected, had Sasha not seen it herself, she never would have believed he had fought as hard as ten men only moments ago, his gaze was fixed on a shadowed patch of trees not far from them, maybe fifty meters in front, she slowly turned, and followed his gaze, her darkvision kicking in, what she saw caused a shaky exclamation of fear to leave her throat. Waiting, no, watching, only two meters behind the shadow of the trees, was the head of an enormous Serpent, vicious red in colour, with eyes like daggers, Sasha could feel them upon her, hungrily staring, it slowly began to move forward, slithering it’s massive girth through the tree’s. Sastasha turned to run, but Sahelanthropus caught her wrist “Don’t” he snapped “If you run I can’t protect you from her”. Sasha looked up at his, eyes wide with fear “H-her” she stammered. Sahelanthropus nodded “I’ve not been strictly truthful with you Sastasha” he said with a look of determination “You asked why I came to Anordal so long ago”, Sasha pulled against him as the titanic beast crested the treeline and glared angrily at them, a tongue bigger than her tasting the air, tasting her fear “Truth be told” Sahelanthropus said, his cold voice calming her, she loved the sound of his voice “I was hunting her” he nodded towards the beast as it coiled itself, why wouldn’t it attack? It seemed almost apprehensive “Andskoti” he growled at the Serpent in a foreign tongue. The serpent hissed something in return. Sahelanthropus turned to Sastasha, and took her face gently in his hands “Listen to me” he said sweetly “No matter what you see, I’m still me, I’ll explain everything to you in time, but for now I need you not to run, no matter what, I cannot protect you if you leave me” he said hurriedly “Wh-whu” Sasha tried to question, but her worries were cut off when Sahelanthropus leaned into her, and kissed her on the lips, a long, lingering kiss that seemed to stretch for eternity “I’ve got you” he whispered as he pulled away.

Sahelanthropus turned, a silver glow to his body, he yelled something in an odd language, sounding similar to both a hiss, and the noise one makes when one clears their throat. It was familiar, in fact Sasha was sure she had heard Maugh speak such words. However before she could rationalise the language longer, Sahelanthropus began to change in front of her eyes, his very form changing as silvery clouds steamed from his body, frosting the ground beneath him, his size more than tripled, a long thick tail began to stretch out behind him, vast wings sprouting from his back, he tipped his head back and yelled, but the roar of thunderous clouds echoed from his mouth, as his head shifted into a predatory jaw full of knife length teeth. Sahelanthropus was no mere man anymore, what stood in front of Sastasha, on four muscular legs, was a Dragon of brilliant shining silver.

Dragon and Serpent roared and clashed against each other, their blows shaking the ground beneath Sasha’s feet, she was so awestruck with the sight, she couldn’t have ran if she wanted to. The two titanic creatures tore trees from their roots, and dealt rending blows to each other. Sastasha’s breath caught in her throat as the serpent wrapped itself around the dragon, tighter, and tighter as it tried to crush the beast between it’s coils. Suddenly, the dragons freed its front claws, and drove them deep into the serpents eyes. There was a screech of pain, before the dragon pulled the beasts mouth wide open with a sickening crunch, leaning down it roared a roar of pure icy cold down the serpents gullet. The serpent thrashed, before finally settling, exhuming its last breath, before clashing to the floor, and melting away into nothing…

Sasha sat in shock as the mighty dragon stared down at her, after an eternity she swallowed and looked up at it “Y-y-your Sal” she asked timidly. The dragon nodded before speaking with surprising softness, it’s voice was different to Salhelanthropus’s, and yet so similar “yes” the Dragon said “It’s still me”. Sasha nodded and gently reached out to touch him, his scales were smooth, and shiny, like pearls in a jewelry box “are you afraid” the Dragon asked, Sasha nodded “Yeah” she chuckled in shock “You’re terrifying” she muttered with uncertainty as she looked across the injuries that marked the silver scales, years, upon years of scars, each no doubt telling a story of battle, and triumph, including one particularly large scar noting a heavy puncture wound of old in the side of his neck “Are you hurt” she asked, the Dragon shook it’s huge head “Of course not, My strength is unwavering” Sasha knew he was lying out of pride “I-I didn’t think so” she recovered “Can you” she paused “Change back” the vulpine girl asked looking up at him. With the reverse of before, his body began to change back, his wings folding up, and becoming the long tails of his coat, and his claws shifting into the silvered blade of his dagger.

Despite this rather grand secret, Sastasha, and Sahelanthropus stayed together, it definitely took some adjusting, but the pair were open with each other. With this openness came honesty. Sahelanthropus confessed that while he would never tell Sasha what to do, he had never been comfortable with her thieving nature. In the next few months, Sahelanthropus began to take more frequent, and longer business trips, instead of days, he would be gone weeks, often with little notice to Sastasha. On one occasion in particular, he missed a dinner the two had planned for some time, when he returned, he had seemingly forgot all about it. The relationship began to strain, and it was Sastasha who broke first, she had noticed Sahelanthropus growing more, and more distant from her, and confronted him. Sahelanthropus, infuriatingly didn’t see the issue, as far as he was concerned, his duties to justice, and peace came before anything, and like many Dragons, he was never going to stay rooted to one place. Sastasha argued with him, souring the night they had planned somewhat, until he interrupted her. “Sastasha” he said firmly “I’m a Silver Dragon, my priority will always be my duty” the red head frowned “And those duties will take me away from this city” he continued “I can’t promise to be here every night, or ready to drop everything for you” there was a touch of wisened understanding to his voice. As he went to explain further Sastasha held up a hand “I” she paused, gathering the words “I won’t be an anchor to you” she murmured as she began to see the bigger picture. She was a young thief of indeterminate species, he was a Silver Dragon, defender of peace, justice, and law, more than twenty times older than her. It was never going to be a permanent relationship.

Sastasha heald a lot of unfair resentment towards Sahelanthropus for some time, despite their surprisingly mature, and good natured breakup. They had promised each other to remain firm friends, and if they were ever in the same place, at the same time? Who knows. In a short time, Sastasha forgot her resentment, and once again remembered Sahelanthropus as fondly as she had when she first met him. For now however, she lives in the present, the only things on her mind are Maugh, and her own well being, the thrill of the next theft, and whatever handsome smile catches her eye.

[thesunguardmg]

Sunguard System Update 5.5

Massive changes in the terms of character sheet templates, balancing, etc. Find more listed here. This update will require changes to ALL character sheets via formatting.

As always, there is a 1 week grace period to change your sheet with new changes if something was impacted by the update.

Find more below:

Character Sheets:

The largest update is the change to the character sheet! Note that Hero Mode and Commander Mode have traded places! Both will need to be filled out by the player when making character sheets! Check out the new template here: http://the-sunguard.com/forum_threads/2408362

Hero Mode:

Major/Minor Actions: Added a description where when you perform a major action that ends your turn. Also added a note that you may only perform one minor action per turn.

Pet/Summon Mechanics: A subnote has been added to the Hero Mode doc regarding Pets/Summoned creatures requiring a 30ft leash/tether to their owner/player. This will keep events flowing better as previously pets were sent all across the map and were overly confusing to DM’s.

Challenge Checks: Updated the list of magical challenge checks to include Blood, Decay, and Elemental checks.

Challenge checks are also considered to be minor actions.

Taunting: You may taunt enemies that are within melee range of your character.

Virtues/Vices:

The description for Expert has been changed to allow a player to reroll any failed Challenge rolls during an event versus any roll.

Animalistic now has a (Once per event) note on the virtue.

Dueling Virtues now require 3 points of vices to take instead 2 points.

Demon Master added: Allows you to calm a non-boss demon once per event.

Elementalist added: Allows you to calm a non-boss elemental once per event.

Spirit Guide added: Your character has a +4 to elemental based challenge checks.

Challenge Rolls:

A more distinctive guide of what types of challenge rolls are used for what and when has been added.

Wounds:

The debuffs applied by wounds have been greatly increased.

Classes:

Sanguine Replenishment: Damage taken while Sanguine Replenishment is active will heal the Death Knight for the full damage dealt. The Death Knight cannot be knocked out while Sanguine Replenishment is active unless they take double their maximum HP as damage in a single attack.

Power Word Dominance: Now requires a 1d20>12 roll at the start of the priest’s turn to maintain the mind control mechanic. The initial turn Power Word Dominance is applied does not require the roll. The target will also move/attack on the Priest’s turn instead.

Mirror Image: Added a base damage to Mirror Images of 1d12+2 and have 20HP.

Prestige Classes:

Courtly Investigator

Detect Weakness: The description for Detect Weakness has been updated to better make sense of what the ability does. The DM will determine the weakness and inform the Courtly Investigator. Increased its usage by +1.

Felmancer

Annihilate: Has gained an additional usage.

Ascendant

Possession has had its description changed to reflect similar changes to Power Word Dominance save the roll to maintain mind control is 1d20>8. If the Ascendant fails then the target will die and the Ascendant will take 2d10 damage to self.

Revenant

Spirit Host: A large balancing change has been made to Revenant where only Spirits of War can be summoned each turn. The Spirit of War has had its HP decreased.

Commander Mode:

Subunit descriptions have been added to each of the different types of Commander Mode sections.

Sunspear

Swordsmen +5 max damage

Spearmen +5 mod damage

Heavy Shields decreased max damage by -10

Macemen +5 max damage

Two-Handed Maces increase max damage by +25

Splint Mail decreases max damage by -10

Thunderclap will now strike all enemy units in melee range.

Pathfinders

Waywatcher Assassins +5 max damage

Night Venom increases max damage by +10 and mod by +15.

Truefeather Heralding increases max damage by +15 and mod by +15

Dawnmenders

Black Templar Champion is now a passive but costs 2 commander points.

Priests of Belore +5 mod healing

Suncasters

Sunreaver Archmage grants to the player whatever abilities their troop choices give and commander points give as well.

Oathsworn Magister +5 max and +5 mod

Blizzard and Emberlight Pyromancers no longer split damage between targets in their explosion template.

Scryer Dragonhawks increases damage by +10.

Thalassian Inquisitors +5 max damage

lllythien Domination has had its description changed to work like above mentioned Mind Control abilities.

Suncaster Demonologist +5 mod damage.

Cabal of the Dying Sun

Naga Brood +5 mod damage/healing

Greyheart Broken +5 max damage/healing

Briarsoul Satyrs +10 max damage

Fel Orc Clans +5 mod damage

Hybrids

Oakvale Avengers -10 max damage/healing

Siege

Bleaklight Hydra +5 mod damage

Can be used by everyone now

Prestige Class Units

Spell Reflect increased usage by +1.

[razxion]

Vinchenzho: The Dragon’s Mark Pt.4

(Part 3 of his Waywatcher Assassin Prestige class story.) (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3) (A little music?)

A portal jump while concealed was a new thing for the monk to have experienced.  Mage lights were alit and runes radiated a soft glow in the dark, damp and cold location he had been transported to.  Vinchenzho adjusted his mists quickly to refract such lights while he had moved into a corner before those on this side caught a glimpse of him.

His heart ached as he had seen the whelps, each one he cared for was within those containers, and once more crying out in confusion, in fear, and for help.  One of the thieves had beaten the cages to try and silence the whelps.  A few curled up, shaking in fear, while a couple others continued their cries in spite.  He had to restrain himself from lashing out too soon, but he had vowed to pay that one thief back that had scared the whelps, with their blood.

As the portal had closed behind the last of the thieves, Vinchenzho noticed they had carried the cage of one special whelp, the little princess, his niece Sil’vii.  Golden scales shimmered in the low lights, like she was a beacon, and all the thieves near were entranced as the cage passed.  Sil’vii was such a rare find that she was headed directly to their leader for inspection, and Vinchenzho followed every step of the way.

Rows of cages, both empty and filled were passed by, and Vinchenzho had briefly glanced into most.  All of the occupants could have fetched someone a large amount of gold.  There was a hiss, a familiar one, and it caught the monk’s attention as Sil’vii continued to swat her tail at the fingers that held her cage.  She was not giving up without a fight.

It had not been long before they had rounded a corner and the thief presented the cage he held to their boss.  A goblin woman that sat atop a rather plush and comfortable looking chair while she counted coins and wrote in a journal.  She had sounded rather displeased with being interrupted, but as she had seen the golden scales within the cage she was excited.  She called all of those nearby to rally around and see the prize that was just obtained, and footsteps were heard from the hallway the monk just came from.

Vinchenzho’s mists shimmered as he had tried to get Sil’vii’s attention while all of the attention was on her.  She chirped to signal she had indeed seen him.  The monk had covered his eyes just in time as the whelp flashed them all with a blinding light.

That was his opportunity to act.

The thief that had beaten the cages was the first to die by Vinchenzho’s hand; he had struck the base of their skull swiftly and severed it from their spinal column.  The only mercy given to them had been the speed at which they died.

The goblin had been the next to go.  Vinchenzho leapt from the new corpse he had made, struck her small body with precision and stopped her heart.  With the leader dead, his objective was completed.  Quickly he had taken Silvii’s cage out of the goblin’s hands before anyone else had a chance to get closer, and destroyed the lock.  The golden scaled whelp shimmered as she flew out of the cage and crawled around the monk’s neck.

Then his voice boomed through the halls as he took a defensive stance.  He ordered all of them to surrender to him or die.  Simple instructions that were listened to as each of them within earshot had dropped to their knees with their hands empty, save one.

An elven man continued to sit in a chair with an injured creature in his lap.  The man smiled and raised his hands momentarily to signify he surrendered.  He had then taken a drink from a seemingly enchanted mug as on the bottom of his mug shadows swirled and revealed an insignia, the very same Vinchenzho had been given.  That was his informant.

The monk had taken the journal that the goblin woman wrote in as it contained all he really needed to present to the Uncrowned that his job had been completed.  He stashed it away into a small pocket and had begun to work in freeing the whelplings while he ordered every one of the thieves into the larger cages that were present.  They would be released, either by the Uncrowned or by the informant, it mattered not to him.

Each whelp was accounted for before Vinchenzho figured out how to open up a portal on the machine that the thieves had used.  It did not take long as the informant had assisted.  He heard his brother on the other side, complaining in a dramatic and righteous fit over the mortals of Azeroth and how they take until their hands are full and then kill until their hands were empty.  He knew it was home on the other side.

Vinchenzho ushered each whelp through the portal, and had counted them to ensure that each whelp came home.  Fourty-three whelps in all were counted before it was down to just Buttons and Sil’vii.  Buttons waddled and gurgled happily as he went through to the other side, and Vinchenzho now heard so much joy from his brother he smiled.  With Sil’vii around his neck, the monk stepped through to be greeted by Reynllin.

Vinchenzho waited until the next day to bring that journal to the Uncrowned.  His test had been completed.

[razxion]

Vinchenzho: The Dragon’s Mark Pt.2

(Part 2 to Vinchenzho’s Waywatcher Assassin Prestige Class Story.) (Part 1 found here.)

A few days passed from Vinchenzho accepting a job with the Uncrowned, and after his ballista was destroyed by fel bats, he became too injured to pursue his target.  A struggle to stay within his cave so he could heal his wounds on his own, was thwarted by his brother Reynllin's persistence. Though this allowed others a small glimpse of their secret.

He followed the mender's orders, for the most part: rest for his body and mind while at home, and no transforming.  But Vinchenzho had to acquire the information still on his ‘test’.  Just as that man had mentioned, his information was attached to a package of clay he receiving in Silvermoon.  Though after running into the mender that healed him, he had to endure a light scolding from them before he could return home.

More days had passed, and one of the monk’s personal problems had begun to arise.  The voices within his mind had become louder.  This time though he was unable to do as he usually has done for the past 10,000 years: transform and bash his head into rocks until there was silence again.

He became exhausted quickly as he attempted to use only meditation to keep the voices at bay.  But his luck turned for the better as the day he was to check in with the mender, Aenys came to see him.  A discussion with a lightly Light filled touch, and his mind had become clear enough he could pursue his task again.

After some tea.

[razxion]

Vinchenzho: The Dragon’s Mark Pt.1

(The start to his Waywatcher Assassin prestige class story.)

Cloths and leathers of black and red shifted with each step the monk took across the floating city of Dalaran, black hair lifted in the light breeze of passerby’s.  The goods within his cloth pack barely shifted upon his shoulders as he took each stone step with care in the Eventide.  He ascended the stairs and passed through the doorway to the Glorious Goods merchant that he was a frequent customer of on the first of each month, for the past couple years.

A simple nod in greetings was exchanged between the red haired merchant behind the counter and the monk while he approached.  Various goods were removed from the cloth pack and set upon the countertop with care; envelopes of herbs, inkwells filled with different inks, copied recipes for many types of foods, and small glass containers with an assortment of sparkling dusts and crystals within.   The merchant man rolled up his sleeves before he began to dig into a box behind the counter.  “Your usual order of cloth bolts and parchment just came in this morning, Vinchenzho.”

“Good.”  The monk’s reply was quick and short.  Vinchenzho was focused on business today and wanted to get this done as quick as possible.  He set the last piece from his pack down delicately; a small vial of dragon’s blood.

The merchant attempted to strike up a conversation while setting bolts of cloth and stacks of parchment on the counter.  “I still wonder how you manage to get all of these items in such good condition so quickly.”  The vial was picked up, rolling across the man’s palm while the monk packed his ordered goods.  The merchant whispered, one that barely went farther than the desk, “You’d have to get into some tight places to get a few of these.  Crossing some faction lines even.”

Violet eyes glared up at the man, the human, before the elven monk packed his shipment away.  “It’s been a pleasure, as always, to see you, Red.”  There was a hint of annoyance in Vinchenzho’s voice this time in his farewell while placing his pack upon his back to leave.

Just as he turned, Red placed a sealed letter on the counter.  “One more thing.  I’ve got a letter that was left here for you.  Recommend reading it before you leave.”  Vinchenzho’s right eye twitched, but after a deep breath he turned around and gently took the letter.  The seal, a crown split in twain by a dagger, was broken, and the letter was read.

One black brow rose as he looked up from the letter to Red, and he muttered a phrase mentioned in the letter that only made the man smile.  Without another word, the human looked around to ensure there were no other customers that came in before the nearby sconce was touched, and a secret doorway was revealed.  A quick head jerk towards the wall and Vinchenzho made his way through; the doorway sealed right behind him.

He kept ahold of the letter in one hand while he stood as tall as one with a five-foot-five stature is capable of.  Each step taken was more silent than the last, and each filled with confidence.  His violet eyes locked onto that of a human that appeared before him, blocking his path.  “Ah, you gotta be that violet eyed monk the Uncrowned are expecting.  Go on then.”  Vinchenzho spoke no words as he passed the man.  He felt the shadows watching his every move with each of his steps that lead further into the Hall of Shadows.

A gnome woman that stood on a stack of boxes, was trying to catch his attention, and caught it she did indeed.  Vinchenzho approached her with letter in hand, and the look from the gnome reminded him that the letter was supposed to be destroyed.  In a puff of smoke from his hand, it was no more.  Another sconce was touched, and the bookcase moved further within the wall, revealing the stairway he was to descend.

A secret location within a secret location, the meeting place of the Uncrowned, and he was greeted with a nearly empty wooden table.  Only one person sat at the head of it, an older looking man that waved for him to come closer.  “Vinchenzho I’d assume.  I’ve been waiting for you.”  The monk approached, standing still once he was within an acceptable distance.  “The Uncrowned are interested in the possibility of you joining our organization, as you caught our interest when you assisted another associate of ours a few months back.  So we have a job for you, to test those skills of yours.  That is, if you are interested.”  The man’s brow rose as he looked at the monk to see his reaction.

“Depends on what sort of job it is.  I have plenty to do to keep me occupied and satisfied in my daily life.  I also have previous commitments that I will be attending to coming in the next few days that have a higher priority than your...test.”  No more muscles than Vinchenzho’s eyes and mouth had moved in response.

“That is understandable.”  The man took a nearby scroll and held it out towards the monk.  “An easy enough task.  Find the one in charge of a small thieving syndicate and end them.  Return to us with proof, and the location you found them at.  No others need to die, but if it occurs so be it.”  Violet eyes look to the scroll and then back up to the meet the man’s gaze; silent still as he’s not satisfied.  “We have a man on the inside getting information out to us, so you will not be working alone so to speak.”

“Very well.” Vinchenzho took the scroll, and stuffed it into a pouch hidden within his robes.  “Where, when, and how will this information get to me?  Am I to travel here to obtain it?”

“Ah, this is where our information about you comes to play.  We will send it attached to a clay shipment, just for you, that will arrive at Silvermoon.  The auction house in the Royal Exchange.”  The man held out one more thing, a small insignia within the palm of his hand.  “Take this and carry it around at all times.  Only way we will know you are who you say you are.”

Vinchenzho took the insignia, examining it for a moment before placing that too within a hidden pouch.  “Is that all you have for me?  I wish to resume my tasks before I get behind schedule.”

“Yes.  For now. You are dismissed.”

The monk turned and left in a hurry.  He had things to do, and even though the prospect of more sounded wonderful, he had previous tasks left to finish before the day’s end.

ITEM ACQUIRED: Vinchenzho’s Uncrowned Insignia

[Heroic Jewelry]:  [+10 to Initiative] [+1 to All Social Options]

(Part 2 found Here.)

[thepilgrimofwar]

A Daughter of Wind and Winter

4.

Zarannis took aim at the warparty that passed below them. Hidden atop snowpelted trees, the company lay in wait as Woods counted there to be two hundred trolls. Twice their number. If it had been anymore, or if they were coming at them for an open battle, Zarannis would have let them pass unharmed. But her ambush would more than make up for only having half their numbers. So, the company of Rust, the assassins and scouts of the Kestrel Lodge, waited amongst the spruce and snow. Bows drawn and arrowheads tipped in venom.

When the last of the warparty entered their kill-zone, Vicren let out a bird call, signalling a hundred bows to rain death upon them.

“For the Lodge!” Zarannis let out her battlecry as she fired arrow after arrow, slaughtering the smaller trolls that surrounded her quarry. He was a mountain of muscle, had deep green skin, long tusks and two double axes.

“Thowers!” He bellowed in Zandali, and the warparty retaliated with javelins and throwing axes.

Like aerial dancers, Farstriders descended from the trees on ropes that had kept them in place, spinning with their blades and bows as they landed. Looking to finish off the larger trolls who were not felled by arrows, Zarannis cut herself free with her belt knife and charged into the chaos. Drawing the battered blade across her back, her strikes were wide and sweeping, bearing enough momentum to cut down trolls in a single swing. A necessary fighting style to make their regenerative powers of her prey useless. The troll leader matched her ferocity and cut a bloody path towards her. Stabbing her sword into the ground, she fired her bow and planted arrows into his face and chest. But unlike the others, the berserker merely splintered the wooden shafts in his body and let out a terrifying warcry.

“Excellent!” He cheered. “Your skull has earned its a place amongst the strongest.” The heads of fellow Farstriders dangled from his belt, their horrified expressions locked in mid-scream.

Zarannis did not honor him with a response, shouldering her bow and pulling her sword from the ground. She pounced, bringing it down in a great cleaving arc, and shattered every bone in the berserker’s arm as he attempted to block it.

The troll dropped one of his axes from the force, but laughed. “Drinking in your strength will be beautiful.” He grabbed her by the head with his broken arm and slammed her into snow.

Saved from death by the white powder, she rolled to her feet, stabbed her sword into the ground once more and buried several more arrows in him. But he seemed to heal almost as quickly as her attacks were made. Picking up her sword as the troll rushed her, she plunged her blade through his chest as he brought his axe down into her shoulder. Splintering both bone and steel plates through her pauldrons. Kicking him backwards, she parried the second axeblow before cutting him from shoulder to waist.

“What is your name,” she asked in Zandali. “So I may add your name to the berserkers I’ve killed.”

The troll roared and swiped her backwards, cracking her against a tree. “Kurumu!” He annouced with a guttural laugh. His wounds were already healing. Magical, alchemical, biological, it did not matter to Zarannis. Her foe was still standing and she was not. But as she rose to her feet, the berserker charged her once more, still laughing his name.

She rolled aside as Kurumu came crashing into the tree and sword she had positioned behind her. With a single maneuver, Zarannis spilt his steaming guts into the snow. She ran, drawing her bow and pinned his entrails to the tree with well placed arrows.

Though this hardly slowed down the berserker, it was clear that he was not healing correctly. Regenerating flesh closed around both arrow and organ, only to be torn moments later as he continued on a frenzied rampage of pain and rage towards her.

Zarannis kept several steps ahead of him at all times, emptying her quiver into the troll who was quickly bleeding himself dry. When her quiver was empty, and Kurumu had slowed to a crawl, she charged back into melee. This time she used the flat of her blade, aiming to break and rupture instead of cutting. Shattering bone and organ as his healing finally began to slow.

“You are beaten, Kurumu the Gutless,” she announced, standing over his battered body. More of him was outside rather than in.

He looked about with blood hazed vision. His warparty was completely routed, and he found himself alone and surrounded by the Kestrels. “End this,” he spat. “Add me to your list. Atal’jin will be claiming your skulls soon enough.”

“Not yet,” Zarannis said, taking a knee next to her foe. “The lodge. Was that your doing?”

Kurumu laughed, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. “It made a fine storehouse.”

“Where’s the Lord Ranger?”

The other members of the Kestrels closed in around him, like birds of prey who were ready to tear him apart.

“Your Leader? He’s a trophy now.”

Zarannis brought the blunt of her blade down on him again, shattering one of his tusks. “Where,” she punctuated her blow.

“Squealing at the top of his lungs for mercy in every language he knows!”

She struck him. “Where.” And when he continued to taunt her, she struck him again, and again, and again. Until Kurumu had ceased his jeering.

“Tor’Watha,” he said through broken lips and chipped teeth. “We brought him to Tor’Watha.”

“Spirits save you,” Zarannis said coldly, and crushed his skull with one final blow.

Art from Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness Manual

@retributionpriest @thanidiel @stormandozone @thenaaru @dorksworn @spiralsandbloodknights @felthier

P-Class Story: Waywatcher Assassin 

Waywatcher Assassins are a product of the often morally gray needs of Quel’Thalas. Trained in the secrets arts of the swift kill, assassins prowl the battlefield hunting their target. Using powerful toxins, lighting fast reflexes, and bloodthirsty desire to kill, the battlefield assassins are rightly feared.

[thesunguardmg]

Sunguard System Update 5.2

There is a new balancing system’s patch designed at reducing the power of damage avoiding instants and increasing mobility.

Also increased love to Commander Mode. 

More below!:

Hero Mode

The focus of these updates are again to reduce the number of instants per event to increase event speed but overall reduce the reliance on life-saving instants. Because there are so many and players stack them, they negate challenge in a particular way. Rather than using a big ax to cut them all away, the majority will no longer behold complete damage immunity, instead, will force the player into stronger more situational uses. Invulnerability Potions are paid items and as such will remain untouched. 

Also included are changes to a few skills increasing their viability in a tactical sense. Please see below:

Death Knight

Dancing Rune Weapon: Has an added Minor Action indicator in the ability.

Death Grip now has a chance to stun gripped enemies on a 1d20<12 roll. Also changed this ability to be a Minor Action.

Aura of Damnation now has a chance to fear enemies within the aura on a roll of 1d20<12 for each non-boss enemy impacted with it. 

Demon Hunter

Metamorphosis is now a Minor Action instead of an Instant. 

Nemesis has had a minor description change for continuity sense.

Hunter

Hunting Traps has had a minor description change for continuity sense.

Nightshade Venom has had a damage buff to the initial attack and a buff to damage dealt by the poison and healing negation.

Harpoon Throw has had a minor description change for continuity sense. 

Mage

Arcanic Leap has had a usage reduction. The indicator about usage when taking damage has been removed making it more a tactical skill over a survival skill. 

Iceblock no longer reduces all damage taken and instead gives a 30hp shield. The player can now be healed through the Ice Block effect.

Frost Nova has had a minor description change for continuity sense.

Monk

Fresh Brewed Ale Here! Now makes you drunk when you use it. Not sure what that means but it’s funny :)

Roll has had an indicator change that removes the need to be in combat making the ability more of a tactical skill over a survival skill.

Mist Storm has had its aura distance reduced.

Paladin

Crusader’s Seal also now removes any CC effects on a player.

Dawning Glory has had its damage/healing numbers increased.

Priest

Atonement has gained an additional usage. 

Rogue

Subdue has had a minor description change for continuity sense and added an effect where they do not need to roll for the CC check while in stealth. 

Deathmark has had its usages increased, the percentage of HP% lost on the enemy target is now 50% over 25%, and a description change for continuity sense. 

Shaman

Spirit Wolf has had a minor description change for continuity sense.

Totemic Protector is now a fulltime pet removing the need to summon the elemental at the start of combat.

Warlock

Summon Demon has had its base attack increased.

Banish has had a minor description change for continuity sense.

Warrior

Taste of Blood has had its bonus mod damage decreased to +2 from +3.

Threatening Shout is now a Minor Action.

Shield Bash now deals full damage to fortified enemies. 

Commander Mode

Sunspear Infantry

Sunspear Infantry’s Shield Wall now only costs 1 Commander Point.

Penetrating Charge now costs 1 Commander Point.

Spearmen’s Porcupine has had a usage increase and now costs 1 Commander Point.

Macemen’s Thunderclap has had a usage increase and now costs 1 Commander Point.

Oathsworn Cavalry

Blood Knight’s Sanguine Traditions now costs 1 Commander Point.

Blood Knight’s Light Mastery now costs 1 Commander Point.

Hawkstrider Outriders’s Hit and Run now costs 1 Commander Point.

Dragonhawk’s Sunweave Arrows has had a description change for continuity sense and has changed to cost 1 Commander Point. It also now deals the base damage of the player with a chance to ignite on a 1/2. 

Pathfinders

Elkwood War-Horn now adds a 30hp shield up from 25hp.

Reaper now adds an additional die onto your attacks that turn and no longer makes the character take double damage. 

Oathsworn Fusilier’s Trick Shot now costs 1 Commander Point.

Pathfinder Ranger’s Flare ability now lets all ranged Pathfinder units to attack a ‘Flared’ enemy target from any location on the battlefield regardless of range for a turn.

Waywatcher Assassins' Nightshade Venom now costs 1 Commander Point.

Waywatcher Assassins’ Truefeather Heralding now costs 1 Commander Point.

Dawnmenders

Priest of Belore’s Dusk Priests now costs 1 Commander Point

Dawnmender Guardians Desperate Intervention now costs 1 Commander Point.

Suncasters

Arcanist Regalia now increases max damage by +10

Sunreaver Archmage no longer restricts troop choice bonus abilities.

Sunburst now costs 1 Commander Point.

Thalassian Inquisitors’ Illythien Domination now had its usages increased and costs 1 Commander Point.

Cabal of the Dying Sun

Power Overwhelming now costs 1 Commander Point.

Hybrid Troops

Sunseeker Templar’s Hallowed Justice now costs 1 Commander Point.

Sunseeker Phoenix-Bound Templar now costs 1 Commander Point.

Thalassian Marine’s Blackjack Finest now costs 1 Commander Point.

Squallshaper’s Dawnbreaker Waveweavers now costs 1 Commander Point.

Mage-Guard’s Runic Nullification now costs 1 Commander Point

Siege Weapons

Bleaklight Hydra’s Blackblooded Bile is now moved above the (Choose Only One) descriptor meaning it can be selected in tandem with another beast choice.

Prestige Troops

Dreadnaught’s Icebound Resilience now costs 1 Commander Point.

Phoenix Guard’s Wardrums now costs 1 Commander Point.

Phoenix Guard’s Glorious Rebirth now costs 1 Commander Point.

Swordmaster’s Dervish Swiftness now costs 1 Commander Point.

Wildwood Ranger’s Waywatcher Swiftness now costs 1 Commander Point.

Wildwood Ranger’s Spirit of the Oakhall now increases damage done out of Ambush and Stealth by 1 die instead of 2x.

Spellbreaker’s Spell Reflect now has a range of 20ft.

Spellbreaker’s Spellwarding now has a usage but only costs 1 Commander Point. It also has explanation on how much damage/CC can be transferred onto a shield.

Spellbreaker’s Hurling-Blades now only costs 1 Commander Point.

[thesunguardmg]

Sunguard System Update 5.1.2

Hey all,

Based off some balancing notes, here is a mini update for our system taking effect now:

Bellow the cut

Hero Mode:

Riposte is back! It is now reflective of how the new weapon bonuses work.

Bramblethorn Aura had its Commander Mode notation removed from the ability description.

Taste For Blood’s damage increase impacts basic attacks only and has had its description updated to show it.

Commander Mode:

Throwing Daggers for Waywatcher Assassins has been changed. It now gains a charge but no longer deals a set damage number and relies on the player's basic attack.

Waywatcher Assassins Nightshade Venom of not being able to be healed while active has been removed. 

Dusk Priest damage has been buffed and its description has been changed to make sense.

Removed the roll requirement of Illythien Domination

Demonologists have been reworked significantly! They now summon actual units instead of having abilities.

No longer replaced Imp Swarm so you can have multiple summons at once! 

Dying Suns have gained a new Broken retainer known as Vindicator of the Broken Spear for their efforts to save the broken of Outland.

They have also gained Broken Talbuk Knights as a commander point option.

Ashtongue Assassins have had a slight buff in max damage.

Hatefury Barbarians have had their damage buffed.

Withervine Druids have had their max damage buffed.

Wastewalker Ashmancers have had their max damage/healing buffed.

Bleaklight Hydra has had its damaged buffed.

Prestige Classes:

Sunshatter Ardent’s Crusader’s Fury has had its range decreased.

[thesunguardmg]

Sunguard Update 4.4

Good morning all,

While there are a few balancing updates within this patch, it will focus on rewards earned through the Edge of Night campaign. Here is a breakdown on what you’ll find inside!

Introducing the Shal’dorei! With Suramar liberated, the Resistance has now become defunct to the command of First Arcanist Thalyssra to rebuild and repair their fair city. Still, many hundreds of Shal’dorei are not content to wait while the Legion clashes with armies across the bay. As such, several have joined the Sunguard as Retainers! 

While you are not forced to take these new retainer options as actual shal’dorei, doing so is encouraged to keep along the theme, but ultimately this storyline development could mean that they are training new recruits or influencing old allies into their way of combat.

Commander Mode: Several troop options have had their base class HP increased to match the 70hp standard for the ‘solo’ option. Please check the Commander Mode Troop Table!

Siege Weapon Commander Points!: Several commander points have been added under siege weapons. More to come!

Hero Mode Balancing: Some minor updates to buff up some unused skills.

Stats respeccing: You may now spend 1 Renown to change your character’s stats. This is assumed there has been enough character development to justify the change. 

More details about the change found below!:

Shal’dorei retainers by subunit! 

Sunspear Infantry: Runic Fencer

Oathsworn Calvary: Mana Saber Dragoon

Pathfinders: Nightblade Ranger

Dawnmenders: Nightweaver Adherent

Suncasters: Starfall Astromancer

Dying Suns: Felblade Battle-Weaver

Commander Mode HP Adjustments:

The following units have had their HP Buffed:

Blood Knight Lancers

Hawkstrider Outriders

Dragonhawk Riders

Oathsworn Fusiliers

Pathfinder Rangers

Waywatcher Assassins

Oathsworn Clerics

Priests of Belore

Dawnmender Guardians

Oathsworn Magisters

Thalassian Inquisitors

Suncaster Demonologist 

Briarsoul Satyr

Thalassian Marines

Mage-Guard

Ironclaw Ballista

Wildwood Rangers

New commander points for Ironclaw Ballista and Arcane Construct

Stats may be changed at any point at the cost of 1 Renown Point

Slight Hero Mode balance:

Aegis of Light: Increased HP shield gained, now deals damage to all enemies within 5ft of the total damage dealt to the shield.

Furious Charge: Damage increased to 1d20 and has a chance to stun an enemy non-boss unit with a 1d2. 

[thesunguardmg]

Sunguard Roll20 Update 4.3

Lots of minor and major updates listed here! Based on feedback provided during our open feedback session! You can still provide feedback until 3/31 here!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wxK3p8Z8p4rdE6gRN4vgMdHBn_4bxDi3pYMUUWBQaXo/edit?usp=sharing

Still a significant amount of changes to be made based on feedback! Expect a 4.4 update here very soon!

Updates under the Read More:

Hero Mode:

Updated the Hero Mode thread in layout and expanded the information on the following topics:

Major/Minor Actions

Turn Order

Taunting

Character creation

DoTs and HoTs

Equipment Slots

Enhancement Shaman Elemental Fury has had a tooltip update to show 35ft!

Demon Hunters are given a base range of 20ft when using offensive and healing spells!

Players are considered to by flying while Metamorphosis is active!

Priests Fortified Soul has been replaced with:

Saving Grace[1]: The priest attempts to save an allied player/character by pulling them to their location with light magic within 15ft. May be used as an instant!

Range: 15ft

Rogues' Premeditation has been replaced with:

Cloak of Shadows[1]: Using subtly and tricks, the Rogue is able to cloak allied players within 5ft of them, allowing them to be stealthed and gain the +5 modifier on attacks when they come out of stealth. No rogue characters cannot attempt to restealth. May be used as an instant. 

Range Self.

Prestige Classes:

Bladelord’s Break Them has been moved to being a passive of the Swordmaster Commander Mode troop choice. Instead, they have gained:

Bladesong[Passive]: Whenever the Bladelord is attacked in melee, they may roll 1d2 to determine if they will strike the enemy attacking them before they are struck. A roll of 1 is considered to be successful. The Bladelord will always strike before they attacked. Some boss abilities will circumvent this mechanic. 

Warbringers 

Blood Mage’s Verdant Spheres has been reworked to be more on par with other prestige classes. The new text is:

Verdant Spheres[2]: Amplifying their spellcasting abilities, the Blood Mage summons verdant spheres to increase the damage of their next ability. Rolling 1d5, the number rolled will determine how many additional die they can add onto their next basic offensive spell. 

Range: 35ft

Waywatcher Assassin’s Hunter Seeker, no longer can gain the additional skill usage benefit from Combatant. 

Warbringers Battle Frenzy has been balanced to take into account of different weapon types, it now reads: 

Battle Frenzy[1]: The Warbingers thrive in battle and their wounds only push them to fight harder. The Warbringer can activate their Battle Frenzy, changing their die to 1d20+5 (crit on 15-20 for +5), and addition additional die at the following threshold marks. 1 additional die at 100%, 2 additional die at 75% health, three additional die at 50% health, and 4 additional die at 25% health. Can be used as an instant 

Range: Self 

[thesunguardmg]

Minor System Update

Change Log:

Auras have been reworked to say personal aura size, versus a set number. This allows the DM to work with auras to see what is fair versus what is related to the map size. By all means, most auras will feel the same and this has been how our systems have worked over the last several events.

Channeling on Offensive Spells/Class Abilities has changed, instead of doubling damage, the weapon benefit adds an additional die to your roll. So for an Offensive Spell that deals 1d20+5 damage to a target, with a channel it deals 2d20+5 to a target. This allows a more dynamic roll and helps balance how powerful casters were. 

Windfury Potions have been updated so they can no longer be used on self. The original intent of the potion was to create ‘epic plays’ with your squad. While I may not stick with this change, I do want to try it out. Because of this playstyle change, the Diminishing Return debuff has been removed. Windfury potions are not instants but can be used in conjunction with other abilities. 

Retainers are NPC characters which can be taken the same way as a Commander Point. They cost 1 Commander Point and add additional benefits to a player’s army. Retainers are seasoned warriors, wise magisters, cunning farstriders, etc which your character may have recruited through their time within the Sunguard. These characters could be loyal retainers to your character’s house, a life-long friend or family member. Players are encouraged to develop their retainer and their story in relation to your character. On the character sheet page, there will be a new Retainer line allowing characters to indicate which retainers they have chosen in Commander Mode. Those who are particularly interested in this expanding on this concept can contact a token creator to have a retainer designed one for your Commander Mode token. There, they will be present on the battlefield with your characters fighting at your side.

More updates under the cut:

New Retainers (Unlocked from Nightfallen Reputation)

Seasoned Battlemaster (Sunspear)

Questing Knight (Cavalry)

Veteran Ranger (Pathfinder)

Venerated Cleric (Dawnmender)

Master Arcanist (Suncaster)

Exalted Hunter (Dying Sun)

Clarification Updates: I have updated wording on several documents to make them easier to understand. These topics include:

Bonus stats from prestige classes

Sunreaver Archmage has had a wording change

Reputation Unlocks:

Reputation gains with the Awakened Mind has unlocked new Arcanic Enhancements in the Dawnforge (New enhancement in green text)

Reputation gains with the Cenarion Enclave has unlocked new Nature Enhancements in the Dawnforge(New enhancement in green text)

Reputation gains with the Nightfallen Resistance has unlocked Retainers(Shown in green text) options for all subunits

Balancing:

Courtly Investigator: Death Sentence gains an additional charge.

Detect Weakness no longer has a base 1d100+20 roll and now relies on the individual player’s perception. It no longer has a limited usage. If used successfully on certain bosses, the weaknesses will be more apparent.

Merchant Prince: Added seduction to the types of bonus social options for the class. 

Added an element where enemy units CC’d through Glimmering Distraction take double damage while CC’d. 

Waywatcher Assassins Ambush has been changed from dealing 2x damage when coming out of ambush to dealing a +25max damage when attacking out of Ambush.

Sunreaver Archmage has had a wording change where it no longer forces a player with a set class into a base unit choice. Increased base HP from 50 to 80.

The maximum HP total of a magic shield is now 30.

[razxion]

Vinchenzho: The Dragon’s Mark

Prestige Class Story: Waywatcher Assassin

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4