Comonoc the Spry
Cleric of Xan Yae, 11th level
S 4, I 15, W 18, D 3, CH 15, AC 10, HP 39, AL N
Psionic Ability 150 (75 att/75 def)
attack modes: psionic blast, mind thrust
defense modes: mind blank, mental barrier
Disciplines: (minor) domination, ESP, object reading, precognition; (major) energy control
Spells normally memorized: (7/6/5/4/2/1) command, CLWx2, light, remove fear, sanctuary, augury, hold person, messenger, slow poison, withdraw, wyvern watch, cure disease, dispel magic, magical vestment, meld into stone, speak with dead, implore, CSW, divination, PFE 10’ rad, commune (if unable to memorize commune then golem or insect plague instead), true seeing.
old, sane, precise, violent, diplomatic, cheerful, active intellect, hard-hearted, intellectualist, scrupulously honest, interested in husbandry and athletics
Comonoc is an emaciated, legless whisp. He’s well-regarded by the poorer masses because of his frequent assistance to sick or injured children and his financial support of the soup kitchen. Although the town isn’t particularly fervent, Comonoc is influential while working quietly towards his own ends, which are invested in the status quo. He often changes the course of events small and large without anyone being the wiser.
He makes his way outside of the temple either by chair (carried by bearers) or on the body of a rope golem (created via magic). While usually at his temple, he may be in the streets either on market or holidays, or when making a house call. Inside the temple he may additionally be carried by his personal servant.
Despite his own physical condition, Comonoc is intensely interested the hardiness and fitness of his community. Financed from the sale of his spells to adventurers and the rich, he maintains a training ground open to the city’s youth where they can learn the classic arts of boxing, wrestling, and gymnastics; the gifted also can learn some basic weaponry, or subjects such as reason and theology. He often observes on the fields outside his temple the activity and the instruction given by those he’s hired (from as far away as Greyhawk.) He’s also one of the best judges of horseflesh in Groat’s.
Comonoc’s services aren’t entirely altruistic: they place him in direct contact with many and allow liberal use of his precognition; casting about for those with strong potential and/or intent to impact the status quo of Groat’s End. (This rarely includes such transient folk as adventurers.) For those foreseen: the healing doesn’t work; the training results in accidents causing lameness, or rarely, worse.
Comonoc is merciless in combat, dominating opponents to slay themselves or their former allies. If using a rope golem, he may (if safe to do so) direct it to strangle an opponent while he reads it, only letting the noose slip loose if he senses it beneficial to his ends to do so. He’s either AC 10 if immobile, or has the AC of whatever is carrying him (60% of hits to the carrier, 40% to Comonoc.)
If he senses he’s outmatched, a favored tactic is to meld into stone while employing his psionic blast, then exiting to finish what’s left.
Comonoc and Wizardess hate each other, but for entirely personal and petty reasons as opposed to ideological ones. Although Conomoc has frustrated some of Wizardess’ goals in the past, and if she ever found this out the enmity could explode into open conflict.
Spells normally memorized: (7/6/5/4/2/1) command, CLWx2, light, remove fear, sanctuary, augury, hold person, messenger, slow poison, withdraw, wyvern watch, cure disease, dispel magic, magical vestment, meld into stone, speak with dead, implore, CSW, divination, PFE 10’ rad, commune (if unable to memorize commune then golem or insect plague instead), true seeing.
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Erik of Blue
half-orc cleric/assassin 3/3
W 15, D 16, AC 5, HP 13, AL LE
Notable Equipment: leather +1, dagger of venom.
Spells (4/2) commandx2, darkness, fear, hold person, silence 15' rad
old, immaculate, barbaric, obsessive, introverted, secretive, easy-going, anti-intellectual, jealous, greedy, energetic, lusty, interested in gambling and athletics.
Erik poses convincingly as a bawdy, loud, and rugged man-at-arms; an old comrade of the red shirts boss who survived long enough to retire and mentor the young red shirts at the guild. In reality, he’s an aging cleric/assassin of Gruumsh who took on the boss as a protege years ago, and now serves in turn as the group’s spiritual adviser. Erik doesn’t assassinate commercially in the city, although if red shirt leadership considers it necessary his services are available to them.
Erik gambles big on animal fights (and everything else). The boss quietly covers any losses every month with Jimmy directly. Erik secreted tools of his trade in a couple stashes at the Spur that Jimmy doesn’t know about, and discretely killed there before. He gets angry if someone goes on a winning streak against him, especially clerics of other gods; but only 50% chance he starts a fistfight over it – otherwise he plots.
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Maisee
Human 1st level cleric of Yox/Magog
S 7, W 14, C 15, AC 10, HP 6, AL CE
Spells (3) fear, portent, endure heat/cold (whichever appropriate to the season)
scant possessions, ancient rough appearance, pessimistic, superstitious, diplomatic, harsh, anti-intellectual, miserly, liar, cowardly, interested in nature and legends.
Maisee will tell you she’s been a cult leader for Yox since before before you were born, and that the cause is doomed because of the weaknesses of the current generation. She’s also brutally honest in her abject pessimism, and yet in her utter worminess finds a way to honey her truth so the listener has someone else to blame for why its necessary to take her advice and not <insert activity here>.
She also insists throwing chicken bones is a valid augury to Yox (it’s not), immediately proclaiming any “bad results” as divine warning to stay put. She throws chicken bones before almost any action. Any attempts to refute her claims or her methods result in her mocking detractors mercilessly. Her violent side manifests if she’s ever presented with weakness and plausible deniability.
She lives as a beggar, but can covertly provide cult members some assistance and a place to stay. Although she won’t divulge where or why she received it, Maisee owns the amulet of Roh-Man-Tapf (detailed below) – the shelter she can provide, and where she keeps her shrine. If not going along, she’ll ask how long of a rest is desired, opening up a gate back at the appointed time. Usually. She’s occasionally forgetful. Also, if a lost party is coming near a door, about a day prior to their exit the amulet starts vibrating angrily and Maisee hides it somewhere secluded. Both combine to make longer than expected stays common.
If Maisee hides her amulet, she reclaims it after a few days; after which she goes to the safe space herself for as long as she can supply. People who can make their way out from being lost are all of: unhappy; usually more powerful than she can resist; and likely needing to get somewhere else quickly. A few days out of sight usually passes any danger to her, although she does sometimes also move to a new hovel afterwards.
She also passes word of town events to any cultist quietly moving through town.
Amulet of Roh-Man-Tapf – this ancient ankh provides a gate to a microplane of 25’x50’ that is akin to, but not of, whatever plane would receive the soul of an attuned owner. The plane is empty and safe, except as described below.
The gate opening into the plane is alignment-trapped; those of alignments other than currently tuned to the amulet lose 1d10 days of time if one step removed, and 1d10 weeks of time if farther removed. Those of attuned alignment will step into an enclosed space appropriate to the plane of affinity – an ominous cave if CE, a meadow ringed by impassable trees if CG, etc. At the owner’s determination the gate reopens and those in the plane may exit.
The owner need not be in the microplane themselves, but only one party at a time may use it. If a new group uses the amulet, anyone in the microplane (excluding those lost on paths) is cast out in the amulet’s current vicinity, or, if one of the new group carries the amulet with them, where it left the prime.
Those of other alignments find themselves in a 10’x10’ passage as described above that only goes forward. (Unless through prior experience) trapped characters have no knowledge of either an exit or how long the path is. While there are no hostile creatures on the path, there are either 1d2 or 1d4 deadly physical obstacles of up to 20’x50’ which must be negotiated (no more than one per day). After traversing the path for the time rolled, those trapped come to a door exiting safely back onto the plane of origin in the amulet’s vicinity.
However they do need to survive the march. Having only the supplies they brought, and unable to regain spells, they must be able to survive the necessary number of days to make it to the door. The passage will contain both spirits and bodies; bodies may retain any equipment the DM wishes to place except for food and water – most die of deprivation, and any rare other is already looted by someone who either made it out or died farther down the line. (One exception to this are bodies in the physical obstacles (50% chance of food/water) although reaching them should be an additional danger.)
The amulet can be realigned to another plane by casting a plane shift spell on it for this specific purpose. If done, all the trapped spirits of the same broad good-evil axis as the new plane depart for their afterlife.
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Mathias the Chandler
half-elf, 3rd level cleric of Pholtus
W 16, CH 14, AC 10 (or 5), HP 13, AL LG
Spells memorized: (4/3) CLW, lightx2, protection from evil, augury, hold person , know alignment
scant possessions, mature, dandyish, kindly, studious, egoist, cheerful, soft-hearted, avaricious, brave, energetic, virtuous, interested in exotic animals.
Mathias doesn’t advertise his presence in Groat’s – it wouldn’t be welcomed since slavers come through often spending money – but he does keep a watch out for any newcomers who look like they’re good folk. If he sees a symbol of Pholtus he’ll make contact almost immediately; others get a longer period of observation. Where he can offer his services to a flock, he will, if assurances of secrecy are made. Flattery is a path to his favor; he can't resist it.
He’s known instead for his candles, mostly made from the tallow of the beef trade; fewer know him for the obscure treatises he reads by them. His predilection for having few possessions, but only of the highest quality, is also noted by some. He came to Groat’s as low-level eyes and ears for the church after another agent passed through and recognized Erik for who he was, relaying that info to Mathias’ superiors in Dyvers who sent him here after deciding it was worthwhile observing further. Mathias remains watchful, but hasn’t managed to piece together the larger purpose of Erik and his boss for the red shirts.
Comonoc has discerned the truth of Mathias, but says/does nothing as he (correctly) views Mathias as a potential check on the red shirts’ boss’s ambition.
Mathias keeps a suit of chain mail + shield and a mace but is loathe to break cover except in extremis.
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