Mister Odanais Dare

Magic, it must be said, was always her obsession, not his. Elizee took ecstatic delight at every arcane secret learned and each new spell she cast. And Odanais followed his sister's path, studied her books and tomes, learned from her mentors, and practiced daily with her in their mother's garden. For while Elizee lived for magic, Odanais lived only for her. She was his bliss.

And so things might have continued forever had their father not discovered the twins one night locked in naked embrace. Horrified, their parents vowed to keep them apart, banishing Odanais first to an unused wing of the house, and then when that proved too little distance to keep them apart to a suite of rooms in another part of town.

For Odanais, it was fate worse than death. He sank into drunkenness, depravity and despair. Until one night, a stray cat wandered through the window of the nightclub where he sat and spoke to him in his sister's voice, telling him when and where they could meet. For some time, they lived like this, using ritual magics to arrange rendezvous through animal messengers, meeting at seedy cabarets and quiet hotels.

When the messages stopped coming though, Odanais became mad with worry, staring wild-eyed at every dog or rat he saw on the streets in case they had a message for him. Finally, there was no other choice. Returning for the first time to his parent's house, he found them in a terrible state. Elizee, they told him, had been traveling on a sea journey when the ship was attacked by air pirates. Only one sailor had survived the attack, informing them that while the others onboard had been brutally slaughtered, beautiful Elizee had been bound and carried away by the captain into the sky.

For months they awaited word of her ransom, but none came. Their father had called in favors with the navy, but the pirates could not be found. They hired mercenaries and investigators to track her down, but all came up empty-handed if they returned at all.

And so Mister Odanais Dare took up magic once again, vowing that if no one else could help then he would bring his sister back himself. Each day he catches a shore bird and sends it out with a message for Elizee, letting her know that he is coming for her and asking that she send word of where she is. But no message ever returns and nightfall inevitably finds him desperately drunk with whatever consort he can find that reminds him at all of her.

Odanais Dare

HUMAN WIZARD 6
Initiative +7; Speed 6; HP 48 [Bloodied 24]; Healing surges/day 7 [12 hp]; AC 19, Fort 16, Ref 19, Will 20; Good.

Str 8, Con 13, Dex 11, Int 19, Wis 16, Cha 12

Feats:
Improved Initiative (1), Human Perseverance (1), Action Surge (2), Initiate of the Faith (4), Toughness (6)

Special abilities:
Orb of Imposition, Cantrips, Ritual Casting, Healing Word (daily)

Languages:
Common, Elven

Skills:
Arcana [+12], Religion [+12], History [+12], Insight [+11], Nature [+11], Bluff [+9]

At-will powers:
Illusory Ambush, Scorching Burst, Thunderwave

Encounter powers:
1: Force Orb
3: Flame Shroud

Daily powers:
1: Sleep (Phantom Chasm)
5: Bigby's Icy Grasp (Stinking Cloud)

Utility powers:
2: Shield (Expeditious Retreat)
6: Disguise Self (Wall of Fog)

Magic Items:

Repulsion Armor +2 (7th PH: Whenever an enemy moves into an adjacent square, you can push that enemy 1 square as an immediate reaction until the end of the encounter.) 2,600 gp.

Orb of Impenetrable Escape +2 (6th AV: When a creature makes a save against one of your powers, it rerolls its saving throw and must take the new result.) 1800 gp.

Cape of the Mountebank +1 (5th AV: When you are hit by an attack, teleport 5 squares and gain combat advantage against the attacker until the end of your next turn.) 1,000 gp.

Eagle Eye Goggles (2nd AV: +1 item bonus to ranged basic attack rolls.) 520 gp.

Rituals:
Comprehend Languages, Animal Messenger, Tenser's Floating Disc, Magic Mouth, Knock, Make Whole, Sending

Mannerisms and Appearance:
Dresses formally in aristocratic fashion. Usually has a snifter of Elven brandy floating near his head. Carries an amber and rust colored glass orb. Prefers to be addressed as Mister Dare by non-family members.

Personality Traits:
Arrogant, brooding, sophisticated, cunning, moody, cynical, decadent, perverse, quirky, self-destructive, possibly bipolar. In love with his own suffering, in awe of his own decadence.

Updated to level two.

I switched Dungeoneering to Religion, because I think it makes more sense for Odanais (dungeons just seem so.... damp!). Also it's somewhat likely that he's going to multi-class cleric for the Divine Oracle path.

gridley wrote:

Also it's somewhat likely that he's going to multi-class cleric for the Divine Oracle path.

Going for a path which allows you a bunch of rerolls, I see. Good move. Maybe Wayne and Mike should go that route too.

At least now that you've picked up Action Surge, you've got a pretty good chance of hitting with whichever power you use an action point on. With the feat and Artichoke's warlord ability, you'll get a +5 to hit when using it (and +4 to damage).

shilsen wrote:

Going for a path which allows you a bunch of rerolls, I see. Good move.

I'm also having loaded 20 sided dice custom made me for me!

shilsen wrote:

At least now that you've picked up Action Surge, you've got a pretty good chance of hitting with whichever power you use an action point on. With the feat and Artichoke's warlord ability, you'll get a +5 to hit when using it (and +4 to damage).

Sweet!

Since we're all doing the Crazy 8s, I would like to trade two points of strength [10 -> 8] for one point of wisdom [14 -> 15].

Is that ok? Or do I need to wait until next level since I also switched two skills around at this level?

gridley wrote:

Since we're all doing the Crazy 8s, I would like to trade two points of strength [10 -> 8] for one point of wisdom [14 -> 15].

Is that ok? Or do I need to wait until next level since I also switched two skills around at this level?

We're still on the learning curve here, so any changes people want to make are fine.

Sweet! Thanks!

For my Level 3 Encounter Spell, I was hoping to take another one of those illusion spells from Dragon magazine (http://www.wizards.com/files/364_Dragon.pdf )

Quote :

Maze of Mirrors [Wizard Attack 3]
You envelop your enemies in an illusory labyrinth made of mirrors, which conceals the world around them.
Encounter Arcane, Illusion, Implement
Standard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squares
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: Intelligence vs. Will
Hit: The target is immobilized and takes a penalty to attack rolls equal to your Intelligence modifier until the end of your next turn.

Does that sound ok, DMs?

gridley wrote:

Does that sound ok, DMs?

Looks okay to me. John?

Also, Steve, since we're mostly sticking to the PHB and also treating this campaign as one to learn the rules, I suggest just grabbing PHB spells in future and reskinning them as illusions. For example, Icy Rays could easily become Rays of Fear, and Shock Sphere could become Mind Blast. Same mechanics, just different flavor.

Updated to level four.

Your hit pts are one level off, Steve. You should have (22 + Con score), which would give you 35. You had 31 at 3rd.

And Alertness as a feat? You really worried about being sneak attacked in the surprise round?

shilsen wrote:

Your hit pts are one level off, Steve. You should have (22 + Con score), which would give you 35. You had 31 at 3rd.

Oh, sweet! Thanks!

shilsen wrote:

And Alertness as a feat? You really worried about being sneak attacked in the surprise round?

I guess so. Truthfully, there aren't that many heroic level feats that I'm dying to get. But I'm open to suggestions.

gridley wrote:

I guess so. Truthfully, there aren't that many heroic level feats that I'm dying to get. But I'm open to suggestions.

That's true. There really isn't that much out there for wizards among the heroic level feats. Expanded Spellbook isn't bad and Toughness does seem like a feat to get for everyone, but both of those can wait. I'm guessing that when the new Arcane Power book comes out (April) it'll have a lot of choices for you (and Asarlai).

Come to think of it, Initiate of the Faith might be a good choice for Odanais. With the way we play, a 1/day Healing Word is essentially a 1/encounter Healing Word, and he is kinda fragile. And he does worship the pig, after all

I definitely plan for Odanais to take Initiate of the Faith, but I'm holding out for a religious epiphany that he himself didn't help to manufacture.

shilsen wrote:

Come to think of it, Initiate of the Faith might be a good choice for Odanais. With the way we play, a 1/day Healing Word is essentially a 1/encounter Healing Word, and he is kinda fragile. And he does worship the pig, after all

After his near-death-experience on the last mission, I'm definitely convinced, Shil.

Would it be okay if I tossed out Alertness for Initiate of the Faith now between missions or should I wait until next level?

gridley wrote:

After his near-death-experience on the last mission, I'm definitely convinced, Shil.

Would it be okay if I tossed out Alertness for Initiate of the Faith now between missions or should I wait until next level?

You can change it now. Who am I to stand between a man and his religious epiphany?

shilsen wrote:

gridley wrote:

After his near-death-experience on the last mission, I'm definitely convinced, Shil.

Would it be okay if I tossed out Alertness for Initiate of the Faith now between missions or should I wait until next level?

You can change it now. Who am I to stand between a man and his religious epiphany?

Sweet... thanks!

That's updated now. Since Religion comes as a free skill with Initiate of Faith, Odanais suddenly has a skill slot free, so I took Diplomacy to represent all the public speaking he's found himself doing lately.

gridley wrote:

Sweet... thanks!

That's updated now. Since Religion comes as a free skill with Initiate of Faith, Odanais suddenly has a skill slot free, so I took Diplomacy to represent all the public speaking he's found himself doing lately.

Sounds good. I like the idea of the PCs developing over time, including in ways the players didn't plan on, so just shifting their mechanics around to fit seems good.

Updated to level 5.

Took Bigby's Icy Grasp and Stinking Cloud for my level 5 daily.

Also, I would like to switch out my current encounter powers for the ally-friendly damage dealers Force Orb (Encounter 1) and Fire Shroud (Encounter 3) if I can.

gridley wrote:

Updated to level 5.

Damn, you really do like to do this early, don't you?

Quote :

Took Bigby's Icy Grasp and Stinking Cloud for my level 5 daily.

Also, I would like to switch out my current encounter powers for the ally-friendly damage dealers Force Orb (Encounter 1) and Fire Shroud (Encounter 3) if I can.

All sound fine. Though I'm mildly disappointed at losing the future sight of Odanais setting Heyoka and/or Yatagan on fire while blasting enemies.

Oh, there'll still be plenty of ally-aggravating scorching burst and thunderwave action. I'm just expanding my options.

Having come to the realization that Odanais' form of Diplomacy is more often than not outright lies, I've switched that skill to Bluff.

And since he's been beaten to a pulp so many times, I figure he's starting to get a little tougher, and so he now has Toughness.

His new utility will be Disguise Self (with Wall of Fog also in his spellbook).

Materialism-wise, his clothes have gotten pushier, his sunglasses deadlier, his orb less escapier, and his fashionable new cape a bit fleeier.

NEW STUFF:

Repulsion Armor +2 (7th PH: Whenever an enemy moves into an adjacent square, you can push that enemy 1 square as an immediate reaction until the end of the encounter.) 2,600 gp.

Orb of Impenetrable Escape +2 (6th AV: When a creature makes a save against one of your powers, it rerolls its saving throw and must take the new result.) 1800 gp.

Cape of the Mountebank +1 (5th AV: When you are hit by an attack, teleport 5 squares and gain combat advantage against the attacker until the end of your next turn.) 1,000 gp.

Eagle Eye Goggles (2nd AV: +1 item bonus to ranged basic attack rolls.) 520 gp.

Ritual: Sending (360 gp)

gridley wrote:

Having come to the realization that Odanais' form of Diplomacy is more often than not outright lies, I've switched that skill to Bluff.

And since he's been beaten to a pulp so many times, I figure he's starting to get a little tougher, and so he now has Toughness.

Sure. Both of those make sense. And it looks like the group is taking the "beaten to a pulp" theory to heart, considering most of them have Toughness.

Quote :

His new utility will be Disguise Self (with Wall of Fog also in his spellbook).

Materialism-wise, his clothes have gotten pushier, his sunglasses deadlier, his orb less escapier, and his fashionable new cape a bit fleeier.

Less escapier, eh?

Quote :

NEW STUFF:

Repulsion Armor +2 (7th PH: Whenever an enemy moves into an adjacent square, you can push that enemy 1 square as an immediate reaction until the end of the encounter.) 2,600 gp.

Orb of Impenetrable Escape +2 (6th AV: When a creature makes a save against one of your powers, it rerolls its saving throw and must take the new result.) 1800 gp.

Cape of the Mountebank +1 (5th AV: When you are hit by an attack, teleport 5 squares and gain combat advantage against the attacker until the end of your next turn.) 1,000 gp.

Eagle Eye Goggles (2nd AV: +1 item bonus to ranged basic attack rolls.) 520 gp.

Ritual: Sending (360 gp)

Looks good. Just one question (re. the goggles) - when does Odanais ever use a ranged basic attack?