Velvet
Velvet (a.k.a. Bounty Hunter)
Physical Description
General Physical Condition
Velvet is a petite Tiefling; her body maintains softness while still being lean. has a somewhat small waist, giving her a slight hourglass shape, but it isn't dramatic.
Facial Features
Her face is fuller with round eyes, full lips, and soft cheeks dusted with freckles. There is a scar on the right side of her lip from when she was a child and another ( now mostly hidden ) beneath the base of her left horn. Her skin is a soft, smoky grey color and has a splattering of freckles along it, as well as a few scars that she can tell a good story about, while some she doesn't remember where she got them.
Identifying Characteristics
Most of the time, she wears her purple-streaked midnight hair up in a ponytail to get it out of her face, but she'll wear it in different styles depending on what she's doing and what the job calls for. The sclera of her mismatched eyes is black; one eye is a lighter icy blue, while the other has a center heterochromia with the center a deep aqua and the outer park darker. The horns that protrude from her forehead are a dark smoke, and at the tips, they shift to the same purple that streaks her hair. her tail is long and on the wiry side, with a spaded tip.
Apparel & Accessories
Her style of dress tends to differ depending on what she's doing and the type of job, but she tends to wear pants made of a thick material stuffed into her favorite pair of boots that have been worn and molded to fit her like a glove - the leather worn to the point it no longer squeaks or whines with movement. She has a belt at her hip for her shortsword and dagger. Will wear a shirt with jerkin or an underbust corset and a hooded cloak.
Mental characteristics
Education
Has no formal education as she was five years old when her family was killed and she found herself among the other urchins on the streets. Has learned to read and write out of sheer stubbornness, knowing that if she is going to get anywhere in life, she needs to know what. She can keep track of money and knows basics in math. Anything complicated, she likely won't be able to follow along, but she will try.
That said, she is a fast learner, from having to adapt while living on the streets and if she doesn't know something, she knows someone who does.
Employment
Bounty hunter and is also under the employ of Shane Davenport, owner of the Prismatic Eye in Twin River.
Mental Trauma
The loss of her family at the hands of cultists.
Social
Contacts & Relations
Shane Davenport, owner of the Prismatic Eye in Twin River — patron and employer.
Clerebold Vance, owener of Clerebold's blacksmithy in Twin River — friend.
Merlyn, magical seamstress in Hotlake — friend.
Old Man, never learned his name. An ex pirate who taught her a thing or two about swashbuckling.
Nowhere, Glory, and Despair — the group of orphaned Tieflings who are Velvet's found family. She will do anything within her power to help them.
Family Ties
Temerity, mother, deceased.
Leucis, father, deceased.
Rand, older brother, deceased.
Likely has other family, but either never met them or they haven't come around after the deaths of her family looking for her.
Religious Views
Tends to look to Avandra and Ioun for guidance, but will accept almost any god that will listen to her pleas.
Hobbies & Pets
Tawny, a tressym.
Relationships
Wealth & Financial state
Manages to have enough passive income that she doesn't struggle to find food or lodging. She also has a place to stay when she is in Twin River, but beyond that, she doesn't have wealth and what money she does have tends to go into the basic nessesities to survive, helping out fellow orphans ( especially the three she is close with ), and rarely for things she actually wants.
After many years of struggling to survive on the streets with other urchins. One day, the Tiefling's fate shifted — no longer struggling, thanks to one man's ... generosity, she now finds herself working as a bounty hunter.
View Character Profile
Alignment
Chaotic Good
Birthplace
Twin River
Family
Spouses
Siblings
Children
Current Residence
Hideout in Meatbowl, Twin River
Gender
Female
Eyes
Heterochromia - once icy blue and the other a darker teal
Hair
Midnight blue with streaks of purple
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Light dusky gray
Session 8
After the rough fight with the spiders, we decided to backtrack a little and ventured back into the room with the skeleton to rest as it seemed well fortified, and with only one entrance, we could defend it easily if anyone came looking for it. Ashton, who seems to be in the worst shape of all of us, is offered some healing by Chael, and I offer him a potion.
Once we gather, we head north along the hall, finding ourselves outside a door that is warm to the touch. Within it are two ghosts, who thankfully ignore us as long as we don't bother them and their tools. They seem locked in a loop of what they did in their lives, working in a forge. Chael offers his weapon for them to work upon and leaves some so they aren't hammering air, and they almost seemed pleased, but as they were expressionless and didn't talk, this is only an assumption or me projecting my wants onto them.
I watched them for a while, fascinated by their work, but when Arlanval and I ventured deeper into the room, we spotted a crumbled wall that led into a crypt with three tombs.
Not one to heed caution, Harper reaches into one of the tombs and attempts to pull a green gem from one of the bodies. Unlike this, the body came to live with two pieces, what I assume were living armor, and another battle broke out. This was another brutal battle, but once we defeated one armor and the zombie, the other armor ceased functioning.
Again we found ourselves hurting and needing rest, I suggested we rest here for the night as this seems to be the safest room as it is away from the main halls and anyone who wishes to get to it has to go through the ghosts.
As we begin bedding down for the night, Harper seems fascinated by the gem he found, and before I could stop him, he pulled a bolt from his pack and plucked his eye out from his head. Replacing it with the gem. Shocked, I stumbled backward and screamed, totally oblivious to what he was up to. If I had known he was in a trance-like state and would do something like that, I would have tried stopping him.
Pushing that memory from my mind, I tried to get as much rest as possible, as this dungeon seemed to want to kill us.
When we venture into the next room, we encounter more goblins and a kitchen. After defeating them, we find ourselves with more food and an interesting cup that turns water into whatever fruit we think about and makes it fizzy if we yell at it.
Venturing down the hall, we come across a room with a drawbridge, and it makes those magically attuned feel strange within the room. Noticing a lock on the mechanism that lowers the bridge, I worked to pick a masterful lock, and before venturing further, we decided to clear the floor.
We headed into the room next to the kitchen, where a hobgoblin and two guards were waiting for us. He said that we either leave or he'd kill us, so we engaged in combat with no room for negotiation, knowing that goblins were causing trouble for travelers along the road between Twin River and Hot Lake. It is another rough fight, and just as we are about to take the boss hobgoblin down, he turns invisible. We try to see where he is through magic but fails, and Mara takes a chance to swing in front of her and finishes him off.
Having a bit of a hero worship moment, I lose my composure and fangirl over Mara before we take another short rest. It is a new day, and there are likely more fights and goblins awaiting us deeper on this floor and below.
Session 7
Begin writing your story here...
Session 6
Once we finished resting, we descended the stairs into a labyrinth of hallways filled with ancient traps, goblins, and treasure.
Being the most adept at handling and spotting traps, I decided to take the lead, as I didn't want any of us to stumble into any. At first, I was wary of doing it because I didn't want to step on any toes as several of us seemed like leaders, but I naturally fell into the role as it's the one I take with Nowhere, Despair, and Glory.
Rounding the corner and heading down the stairs I saw when scouting earlier, we found ourselves in a room filled with statues and goblins. We made quick work of them, which had us in another, smaller room that seemed to veer deeper into the area. Before leaving the site, I spotted a fake wall and the mechanism that opened it. Not wanting to miss this opportunity, I asked if we should continue down the path we were on or take this new one, and everyone agreed to venture down the hidden path.
There were several old and in disrepair traps, so they were easy to take care of. We slipped through several hallways, which seemed like a maze, before finding ourselves in a room with two statues flanking a chest. There was a strange, sticky moss-like substance on the floor, and upon investigating further, or rather Arlandval stumbling upon it, we found another false wall that led into a room that nearly mirrored this one, but the hands of the statues were different. We discovered that one could be turned, and while I lacked the strength to do so, the others could. We decided to open both chests at the same time, I opened the one in the newly revealed room while Arlandval used mage hand to open the other.
Within the chests, we found money, greaves made of a strange green metal, and a cube made of jelly in the other. It didn't seem pleased that we opened the chest, in which it was hiding or calling home, and attacked us. Chael sadly fell victim to being devoured by the thing, but we managed to survive and defeat it.
There were more winding halls to venture through before finding ourselves in a room with a strange door in the ground. It was cold to the touch and, according to Ashton, made of a material known for repulsing ghosts. Curiosity wanted to get the better of me, and I wanted to see what was within the door, but it seemed that many opposed it ( not that I blame them ). When turning the mechanism one way, it opened a door with a chest with some silver and weapons.
I hope we come back to this before we leave, as I and Harper are curious to find out what is within.
With nowhere else to do, we backtracked towards the room we had orignally found ourselves in, but the secret door was closed. Momentary fear ran through me, but we managed to find the switch to open the door from this side and headed down the other hallways, where we found another large room with a fountain in the middle and several goblins. Three of which were bigger than the others.
During this fight, I found myself down again, and this was the closest to death I had ever been. Without a healer, I fear I will knock on death's door more than I would like and need to keep more potions on hand, though I feel I may be relying on Chael too much and will have to repay him for his skill and kindness.
After that fight, we decided to rest and returned up the stairs where Chael's cart awaited. I got a few hours of good rest before it was my turn to take watch, from below I heard some rustling, but nothing came to bother us. It seemed goblins were ready for an ambush, but Mara could easily take care of them.
Venturing down into the maze again, we found more goblins within the fountain room, and I am officially tired of fighting goblins, but if we don't take care of them, then someone else will be stuck with them and might not be as capable as we are, and I don't want that possibility weighing on me.
Session 5
Once we wrapped things up at the tailor's shop, we went back to the inn to meet up with everyone else. We decided to lend our skills to the guards as they are short staffed and with that creature — as I can't call him a man anymore — in their custody, I feel like they need all the support they can get, but I also don't want them to feel obligated or pressured into helping because it is what I desire.
Still, I appreciate all the support I have gotten in the short amount of time I have known them.
Something in my gut told me this was a mistake, but there was no turning back. I couldn't let an opportunity like this pass me up because I don't know if I'll ever have him so close again because I fear it is only a matter of time before he finds a way to escape the cell he is in.
While attempting to interogate him, he taunted and teased me. That he was nothing more than a husk of a man or a corpse walking and with the body around him dying, it would asscend to other things, it sounded like. I felt so powerless in that room and I swore that no one would ever make me feel that way again, and he still managed to do so. Ripped out all the strength and courage that I've built over the years and left me that sobbing five year old hidden beneath the floor boards. Before his body gave out, he lunged at me, his hands ripping from his body and on instinct, I lashed out at him. It was a blind reaction, done in sheer terror and panic, but my blade found home within his husk of a body and he left, leaving me shaking and sobbing.
Ashton tried to help me, I think, but I flinched from any touch while I bottled everything up and tried to get my head back into the game.
After dealing with that, we all decided we would take care of the plant problem around town for the alchemists. Once we took care of them, collecting the parts that were requested in the job request, we continued out way on towards Hot Lake. Which Harper seems to want to avoid at any cost and we assured him we are only heading along the road, looking for the goblins anbd plants and won't reach the city.
Though, it does make me wonder what is there that he is avoiding so.
Spotting some smoke in the distance, I ventured into the forest to investigate. Which I came across a group of goblins and as I was unnoticed, I returned to the group to relay what I saw and we decided to take care of them, as they might be the goblins we wer told to take care of in the job posting.
Making quick work of the goblins, we decided to make camp in the abandoned area they seemed to be guarding. It reminds me of an abandoned vault, like one you would see in one of the banks in the bigger towns and when I ventured deeper into it, the place was once trapped, but someone had sprung them and wasn't finished looting the place or didn't know how to put them back.
Needing a rest, we decided to camp here to gather ourselves and repare for whatever might be lurking below.
Session 4
Once the mage was defeated, we investigated the room and found some strange yet interesting things.
In addition to a health potion found by Harper, which he gave to me, Ashton found some strange objects with eyes attached to them. They moved around when jostled and then settled; I'm curious to see if there is enchantment on them or if someone was bored and needed some amusement. On the mage's body, I found a few sheets of what I assume are pieces of magic parchment; no one seemed interested in taking it, so I'm going to hold onto them for now, a scroll that would be better in the hands of someone that can wield magic, and some gold which I divvied up between us.
Out of habit, I divided the coins between us, like I do when I'm on a job with the others, and suppose I could've kept the coin for myself, but it didn't feel right considering all we've been through down where and maybe it's because of everything that has happened, but I feel like I can fit in well with this party.
Though I say that warily as I know Glory will get jealous, thinking I will replace them, which I would never do. It's good to have allies and people we can count on.
Feeling that we searched the room well and stopped anything that was being brewed, we went to the next room, where we found these shambling creatures. One was dragging that bandit running from us toward this pool filled with a red substance. These creatures went down quickly, but not quickly enough as one of those flying things attacked us, and the bandit was thrown into the liquid, never to be seen again as it seemed endless when Chael put his staff in and couldn't feel the bottom.
With no way to help the bandit and nothing left in the room, we started making our way back out. Stopping in the room with the gargoyle to finally check that out, I disabled the trap, and Harper could pull the scarf out of its mouth.
Not wanting anything to go to waste, I looted the remaining bodies, and curiosity got the better of me, so I looked into the cracks in some of the tombs, only one of which had a name ( one that I didn't recognize ) of McManlarge engraved on it and within was a beautiful blue vest that I couldn't stop myself from getting. The only other thing I could collect was a black bag with a strange black cookie that I gave Mara.
On the upper level, we collected the man from the barrel and made our way to the church. They were surprised to see us, expecially with a captive, we were paid and decided to make out way to the guard barracks before making out way back to the inn the others were staying.
When we arrived, we were told it would be a bit before the guard captain came back as he was out arresting someone. We had the option to stay or come back later. I offered to stay while the others retired for the evening, but they decided to stay. While waiting, I browsed the job boards, picked up a posting for caravan guards, dealt with goblins, and helping the local alchemists with some plant creatures on the outskirts of town.
It was about an hour before the guard captain returned, and the captive had a familiarness to them. It wasn't until I spotted the tattoos that I realized who it might be, but with the person hooded, it was only a hunch I was going on. Speaking with the guard captain, I admitted I might know who it was. He seemed skeptical and hesitant for a minute, likely wondering if I was in league with the cultists, but I admitted to being a victim of a cult, and they had killed my family, and with hesitation, he allowed me to identify the man and ... it was Kerrim.
A husk of a man. Stringy blonde hair, a sunken face, hollowed out eyes with one menacing yellow slow emitting from one of them while the other remained a void. He seemed stunned by the light, likely spending too much time in the dark depths of wherever their cult lingers. Then, he saw me and laughed. That laugh will haunt me, as will the way he looked at me. Even those hollowed out features, I knew he recognised me.
Whatever they are doing, they are killing him. Using his body for parts? I don't know; I can only guess since it looked like his eyes were missing and sounded like his tongue was gone.
Unless the guards have some kind of magic nullifying chains or can take him somewhere, no one will find them. I fear he will escape, and now that he knows where I am, he might come after my friends and me. I need to warn everyone of the danger they might be in.
Returning to the group, I can't bring myself to tell them what I saw, so I suggest we retire for the evening. I take some hot food home to Glory, Despair, and Nowhere since I feel horrible eating like that when none of them can, and when I finally depart from the party, I return to the barracks to tell them everything I know about Kerrim, the cults, and what happened to my family.
In the morning, I group back up with the others for breakfast, with Glory, Nowhere, and Despair tagging along so I can get them fed before sending them to Shanes. We discuss the jobs we have available, likely going to take care of the plant creatures and goblins while we wait for the caravan to arrive. I also tell the party about what I saw, how I talked with the guards and my worries about Kerrim escaping. They offered to talk with the guards to guard him, as they are short-staffed, but I'm not sure what we can do if they decide to break him out.
Chael propositioned Glory and I to come shopping with him and provide out measurements in exchange for a few outfits.
Session 3
Upon wrapping things up with Shane, I again acted out of selfish desire as I advised we head towards the temples to inform them of the information we gathered with the cultists near Maford.
Given the nature of those around me, I'm sure they would understand my plight and understand my near zealot desire to find information about this cult and the members involved, perhaps even want to help me, but as we have just met, I can't see myself willing to disclose that information to them completely yet nor involve them in such dangerous situations, even if we do find our selves in them as we have traveled together.
This is my fight and burden to bear, I won't let more innocent people get hurt if I can help it.
Remembering that Mara and Ashton had shown interest in the Church of Kord back in Maford, I thought it would be best to head to the one here in Twin River first. Give them a chance to commune with their god, while I talked with whoever was in charge. And as I had predicted, Mara immediately went to pray somewhere ( at least that is what I assumed she was doing ) while I looked around, eventually settling my eyes upon who looked like the man in charge, and approached to inform him of what happened deep in the forests around Maford.
Introducing himself as War Cleric Rabalt, he appreciated the information given to him, and when we asked if there was anything we could help with, he pointed us toward Berthold. Admitting that his forces were thin and some activity needed investigation, we agreed to head to one of the hovels in Oakshade and began our way there.
For as long as I can remember, other than the occasional vagrant staying here, this place has been vacant. Upon entering, it looked nearly the same as the last time I was here, but there were subtle differences. I found footprints within the layer of dust on the ground that led to a crate in a corner, and when I investigated further, I discovered it was a hidden door with a ladder that led below, likely to a basement.
The basement looked abandoned — at least it seemed that way until someone sneezed, and a battle ensued. More cultists. We were able to take down two of them and capture another, who didn't want to be taken alive and attempted to run into a pillar to collapse the ceiling around us. Thankfully, we subdued him further and shoved him inside a crate for safekeeping.
Speaking of crates, hidden behind them was a set of stairs that descended even further down, and using my stealth, I went to the next level, which appeared to be a catacomb filled with bones, death, and mustiness. Seeing it was safe, I called for the others to join us.
As we went deeper in, there were more cultists, more of those dogs, which Shane had informed us what they were, but that name illues me. It's not something I want to put to memory. Then, these creatures seemed to blend into their surroundings, attacked us. One struck me down with a fatal blow, and if it weren't for whoever picked me up, I would have been done for as when I came to, I could see where the creature tried to burrow through my armor and into me. I need to figure out who that was and thank them later.
Venturing deeper into this floor, we spotted one chamber with a gargoyle; it had a piece of cloth within its mouth, and I was very suspicious of that, but it seemed harmless for now, so we continued.
With my little health, I approached the next battle warily, choosing to fight from a distance instead of engaging face-to-face. With Mara and Ashton in their face, we brought them down when they rejected Chael's desire to offer clemency.
Once we are out of here, I must remember to give Chael the ingredients I bought while in Maford to have more healing potions. I will need them, especially if I am not careful and not thinking clearly while in battle.
I'm curious to see what is beyond the next door, but also fearful, as I don't want to go down again and be a burden upon the others.
Session 2
After wrapping up our dealings in Maford and with the letter given to me by Stagdew, we began making our way to Twin River.
Traveling with these individuals is strange, as I am used to it only being Glory, Nowhere, Despair, and myself. Shane is a strange outlier, and without him — well, I doubt I would be where I am today without his generosity. I can't help but wonder if we will part ways once we arrive in Twin River or if this is some strange happenstance that has brought me within the influence of other people.
On our way, we ran into some goblins camped out just off the highway, and not wanting to leave them for someone else to run into, we got rid of most of them.
Chael offered redemption to one of them and it has left me thinking about things that have happened in my life and where redemption could be given or when I wish I had been given this clemency.
It feels good being within the comfortingly familiar streets of Twin River. I know them like the back of my hand, and I don't feel so out of place as I did in Maford.
Being home, I decided to go home instead of staying at the inn with the others. It was nice catching up with Nowhere as he was still awake, and I told him about what happened with the information he gave me. Since I got paid, I also left them with some money. It isn't much, but I hope it helps.
Meeting up in the morning, I told the group we should stop by the church district to let them know about the cultist activity; they will want to know — even if they don't do anything — since cults have been terrorizing this city from it's founding if I remember my history correctly.
In case they needed to get some shopping done, and for my own selfishness, I stopped by Shane's shop. We asked about the strange liquid we found and he told me to send Nowhere or Despair his way as he had a job waiting for us.
Session 1
The information Nowhere relayed to me was really good — I'll need to find a way to repay him.
He pointed me toward bandits along the highway stealing cultesque items like silver, magic components, and people while leaving other valuables behind. Some of these items were valuable to the city of Maford and Stagdew.
While tales and rumors of cults are commonplace, enter any tavern in the late evenings, and someone will whisper about cultists abducting children and their rituals to summon otherplanely creatures. Most of the time, it is ramblings of some drunken old fool, but not this lead. However he came across this information, I don't know, but it led me, and a group of others, to a fort deep within the forests surrounding Maford, and His cultists were there.
Of course, He wasn't there, the bastard, but I at least know he's still out there, and it's only a matter of time before I catch up with him.
In the thick of it, with my emotions all over the place, anger and fear fueling me — I almost lost myself. I almost tortured a man by wanting to burn his tattoo off, and I would have if Chael hadn't stopped me.
I'm not saying these cultist assholes don't deserve punishment and to be judged for the hideousness they do, but wanting to hurt someone like that? That isn't me. I don't know where that ugliness came from, and I don't like that it is within me. It makes me no better than Him and all the horrible things he has done.
Guess I need to think about this and maybe pray to whatever God out there will listen to me. Help me overcome this darkness settling within my chest and hope it releases me before I — I don't want to complete that thought.
After meeting with Stagdew and running into these new ... acquaintances, I think I'll stick around for a while. They seem like they can hold themselves, and most seem trustworthy, but it might be too early to tell.
Mara - a strong, tall young woman around my age, I believe, who carries a terrifying-looking sword and swings it with ease.
Ashton - another person with a giant sword. He's got a strong body; maybe he worked on a farm or other manual labor? Doesn't seem trusting of Tieflings, so I will need to keep an eye on him. Sounds like he came from Simmerlake.
Arlanval - magic user who came from the Academy in Simmerlake. Brought something to Stagdew, but it seemed to be missing a key, which led to their small group getting involved with the bandit problem.
Harper - another Tiefling who has a way with words. Doubt he has ever experienced struggle or strife in his entire life, and I'm confident I could fund the others for the rest of our lives with the bobbles and trinkets that adorn him. I doubt I would have lived a life of luxury like he must live, but I often wonder what my life would have been like if He hadn't chosen us for that sacrifice. But I can't find myself wishing that upon anyone else either, even if there is this gaping hole within my chest that threatens to rip me apart.
Chael - this is the young man who stopped me from doing something I would have regretted. Very kind and willing to help. He and Harper seem to be traveling companions and perhaps in business together. Chael made a healing potion for me before we ventured off; I forgot to offer him compensation for that and need to remember to do so.
Chael and Harper came with a young woman who seemed wary of Arlanval — I am curious about that. Perhaps in time, I will find out.
After reading the journal, perhaps I can talk with the others about helping me find more information on the cult — especially after seeing the vileness of the ritual and the horrors they summoned.
Still, I don't know what their end goal is or why my family was chosen.
Please, whoever out there that might be listening to my silent prayers, please put me on the right path to finally bring this all to an end.
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