Laren Nightmaster
by Daniel MayerLaren Nightmaster (formerly 'Firefriend'), 4th lvl fighter/17th lvl wizard, human, 36 years old
Str 16 (+3) (14 at 1st lvl, +1 at lvl 12, +1 at lvl 16)
Dex 15 (+2)
Con 16 (+3)
Int 22 (+6) (18 at 1st lvl, +1 at lvl 4, +1 at lvl 8, +2 due special at lvl 15)
Wis 14 (+2) (13 at 1st lvl, +1 at lvl 20)
Chr 13 (+1)
Saves
Fort +15 (12 + 3 ring of protection)
Ref +11 (8 +3 ring of protection)
Will +16 (13 +3 ring of protection
Alig. NG
Speed 30
Size M
AC 26 (20 at ease, bracers only when adventuring)
HP 132 (+4 stored in Elminster's Evasion)
Base Melee Bonus +15/+10
quarterstaff base: +16/+11/+6, 1d6+5 damage, Crit 19-20, x2 dam. Nightstaff: +21/+16/+11, (1d6+10)x2 dam., x3 on crit. Quarterstaffs are most likely used as 2-weapon-combo, resulting in +14 base attack (3 attacks), +19 (#att:3) with Nightstaff. So he's a master in quarterstaff fighting...
Base Missile Bonus +14/+9
Special: Dracologist (5th lvl, Master of Silver Dragon), Spell Combination, Quicken Spell (Instead of summon familiar feat) (All taken from Glantri GAZ)
Permanent Spells "onboard": Mind Blank, Elminster's Evasion, True Sight
Feats: Scribe Scroll, Spell Mastery (6 Spells), Forge ring, Craft Staffs, Craft Weapons & Armour, Combat Casting, Silent Spell, (Quicken Spell), Spell Penetration, Combat Reflexes, Focus: Quarterstaff, Specialised: Quarterstaff, Impr. Critical: Quarterstaff, Improved Initiative, Ambidexterity, Two-Weapon-Combat, Impr. Two-Weapon Combat.
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Dwarven, Sylvan, Celestial, Orc.
Skills: Alchemy +14, Climb +10, Concentration +23, Craft (Gemcutting) +16, Craft (Weaponsmith) +16, Diplomacy +8, Heal +11, Intuit Direction +9, Jump +9, Knowledge (Geography) + 11, Knowledge (Arcana) +21, Knowledge (Religion) +10, Knowledge (Planes) +14, Profession (Teacher) +12, Ride (Horse) +10, Ride (/Flying) +14, Scry +17, Search +8, Spellcraft +22, Swim +8, Wilderness Lore +8 (Total Mods)
Possessions: Bracers of Defence +6, ring of wizardry (III), ring of Mobility (Teleport & Telekinesis), +5 Robe of Shadows (3/day shadowwalk, 3/day Wraithform, Deeppockets, clean, non-detection, as armour of blackflame, may changed by mental command into any form of (black) clothing), ring of protection +3, +5 Staff of Laren (no charges: as staff of power (OD&D), staff of elemental (OD&D), nightfire I & III, Spell Turning, Summon Staff, Fortify, 2x phys. damage, x3 on crit.), Carpet of Flying, Nefradin's Identifier, Amulet of the Planes, 6 metal vials of full healing, many lesser items stored in the Tower of Dreams.
Spells known (4/6/6/10/5/5/5/3/2/1): An Extra Spell-List should be available some time in the future. Laren learned in Glantri, so I took the Great Net spellbook as basis. Of the "standard"-known spells, Laren should know all 1st-5th lvl spells, and some really extraordinaire 1st-7th lvl spells. He owns the Tower of Dreams, an 1000 year old tower, located in Karameikos near Lake of Lost Dreams. Many old Traladaran spells were found there. And Laren likes to walk planes since he learned that spell. So some Greyhawk- and FR- spells are known to him, too. As minimum, you can estimate all spells of Core Rulebook I as his own - some perhaps in an old-fashioned way...
To the Karameikan population, Laren is known since his appearance as ambassador of Glantri in 1005 AC (Laren F4/W13). He lived there in the diplomatic service for 4 years, cleansing Krakatos and the main area around the Lake of Lost Dreams (LoLD) when time allowed. When Terari opened the School of Magecraft, Laren felt himself a little under pressure to make a great deal himself. His goal was to fully clean the once beautiful land near Haven. So he organized a political drama in Glantri, resulting the Belcadiz ambassador noted in the GAZ to be posted as ambassador against her will, freeing him of that responsibility (F4/W15). He went on adventuring with Flosi and Elaya to gain information about the Tower of Dreams and its inhabitants (1009-1012).
He met the Seer at the LoLD and learned much, including about its heavy defences. Not being able to cast 9th lvl-spells himself -and therefore not able to counter the main defensive spell- he researched a spell to modify that spell once it is in effect (See the story "Shadows lifted"), eventually gaining the ownership of the tower after a heavy hack-n-slash (spring 1013).
He lives now (1016) with a staff of 5 wizards (lvls 13, 10, 9, 9, 8) and about 10-15 students of the Art. In addition, the tower is run by a small staff of household beings, like a fire elemental in the cellar for heating air and water, at least two invisible stalkers, and some servants for defence. The elemental (fire) and the stalkers (=air) are there by free will as payment for a service Laren and his friends did for them some years ago. All three change here and then, because it's a hundred-year service paid by lesser rulers of these planes. The fire elemental is changing each week, sometimes larger, sometimes smaller.
The stalkers only change every two years, because they have much fun watching the students and all the fairy people showing up the tower irregularly (unicorns, elves, fairies, centaurs, etc.). Notable defences of the tower are of course the Nightfire and three "Blades" (HD10 Sword-Demons, each attacking with 2x 2-handed swords +3). They are only activated when special conditions occur, defined by Laren or DM.
The students are most likely from the whole duchy. Laren takes no money for teaching, so some of the students may even come "from the street".
Laren and his colleagues sometimes craft items for rich people if money gets low. Students at his tower may freely choose to multiclass with ranger or fighter, gaining the training from Elaya (F14/W5), Thrandir (R15) or the other elves living around. Laren himself trains every student at quarterstaff-fighting, so all his students have to take the corresponding 'focus' feat. Laren gained access to the dracologist cult in Glantri. IMC there's a high master for every dragon colour, choosing a head of the cult between themselves by vote. Each mage has to take the colour according to his alignment.
The tower stands on a clearing in the Vyalia-Elf-Woods, a few hundred feet near a medium-sized waterfall of the River of Lost Dreams. The ground surrounding the tower is pure and smooth rock, enhanced by the Nightfire-spell. The entrance of the tower is even-grounded and flanked by two statues of unicorns. Until his conquest of the tower, these were two 'stoned' unicorns, freed by Laren now. The unicorns organized the replacement somehow over night. During the three years Laren owns the tower now, some other 'fairy'-statues found their way to the area surrounding the tower. Special magic of the elves made flowers grow from the stony area, so the tower stands in a beautiful garden now. These three years Laren crafted his staff, his robe and then walked some planes and alternate realities.
Officially, Laren holds the title of a baron of this area. In fact, this is just the formal title to give Laren free access to all major cities and courts. The elves rule themselves and go along quite well with the new neighbour, since Elaya is Vyalia and a hero in addition.
Laren is on neutral friendship with Terari, since the minister of magic recognises the political, divine and arcane power the 'Silver Stones' hold: Aurelius (P11/Templar 8) runs a fortified abbey near Krakatos with Flosi Hammerhand (F4/C14) at his side, and Thrandir (R15), Elaya (F14/W5) and Laren (F4/W17) live in eastern Karameikos at the LoLD.
By the way, Laren was raised from dead two times. He had a busy life so far.