Canoness Y'dey

Canoness Y'dey, an influential cleric of St. Cuthbert, operates under the guise of Mother Screng in the sinister village of Nulb. She is a pivotal character in the fight against evil forces, balancing her faith's teachings with a pragmatic approach to her mission. The following article details her physical description, personality, background, motivations, relationships, and secret purpose in the campaign setting.

Physical Description

Y'dey's physical appearance helps her blend seamlessly into Nulb's seedy backdrop, allowing her to gather information unnoticed by the town's more dangerous residents.

• Aged and Weathered: Canoness Y'dey, posing as Mother Screng, appears as an old and bent crone. Her scraggly gray locks spill out from beneath an aged shawl she wears year-round. Her gnarled hands and wrinkled face suggest a lifetime of hardship and wisdom.
• Eccentric Attire: Her attire is mismatched, giving her the appearance of an unkempt herbalist. Beneath this disguise, however, lies a powerful cleric equipped with plate mail +1, a shield +1, and a mace +1 when her true nature is revealed.

Personality

Y'dey’s eccentricity endears her to the people of Nulb, allowing her to work unnoticed as she identifies potential allies and threats.

• Pragmatic and Compassionate: While unconventional for a cleric of St. Cuthbert, Y'dey prioritizes common sense over strict adherence to law and order. Her focus is on redemption and protecting the innocent, even when it requires bending rules.
• Eccentric Healer: In her guise as Mother Screng, Y'dey is perceived as a harmless eccentric who provides remedies for ailments. She often wanders the village muttering to herself, collecting herbs and moss while providing unsolicited advice.

Background

Y'dey's history of opposing elemental evil makes her a vital figure in the region's ongoing struggle, despite her unassuming current role.

• The Battle of Emridy Meadows: Y'dey was a key figure in the fall of the Temple of Elemental Evil and the decisive Battle of Emridy Meadows. Her tactical brilliance and clerical power earned her respect across the region.
• Mission in Nulb: Sent by the Church of St Cuthbert, Y'dey took up residence in Nulb under the guise of Mother Screng. She is tasked with monitoring the activities of the Temple of Elemental Evil and identifying those who can be redeemed.

Motivation

Y'dey's motivations combine her clerical duty with her personal quest for answers about the nature of elemental evil.

• Redemption of the Wicked: Y'dey believes even Nulb’s selfish and cruel inhabitants might find redemption. She focuses on assisting those with potential for good, keeping them from falling deeper into evil.
• Investigating Elemental Evil: Y'dey harbors doubts about the true origins of the Temple of Elemental Evil. Her mission involves uncovering the forces behind it and preventing their resurgence.

"If you’re here to make this cesspool a little less foul, I might just have a tincture or two to help. If not, don’t waste my time."

Relationships

Lady Lmag

• Publicly: Y'dey and Lady Lmag maintain an uneasy truce. Y'dey’s herbal remedies make her useful, but Lmag’s suspicions linger.
• Privately: Y'dey monitors Lmag closely, suspecting her ties to the Temple of Elemental Evil.

Lady Lmag's men

• Publicly: Y'dey avoids direct confrontation with the thugs who serve Lmag.
• Privately: She keeps track of their movements, especially when they visit the Temple.

Otis and Murfles

• Allies in Disguise: Otis, a blacksmith in Nulb, and Murfles, disguised as Y'dey’s daughter Hruda, work with Y'dey to monitor the temple’s influence.

Temple of Elemental Evil

• Cautious Observer: Y'dey avoids directly antagonizing the Temple but works to understand its intentions and recruit allies against it.
• Y'dey's relationships are carefully maintained to gather intelligence and avoid suspicion. Her connections to Otis and Murfles form the backbone of her efforts.

Public Role

Y'dey’s public role as Mother Screng allows her to move freely within Nulb while maintaining her cover.

• Herb Shopkeeper: Mother Screng’s Herb Shop is a vital resource for Nulb’s residents, offering remedies for illnesses and injuries. Y'dey uses this guise to build trust and gather information.
• Village Wanderer: Y'dey’s eccentric habits allow her to visit homes and observe villagers without raising alarm.
• Healer and Advisor: Her remedies, though mundane, earn her goodwill, making her the closest thing Nulb has to a community healer.

"Let them think I’m a rambling old crone. The less they notice me, the more I notice them."

DM Only Section

Secret Mission

Show spoiler

Primary mission

• Purpose: Y'dey’s primary mission is to monitor the resurgence of elemental evil. She reports findings to Canon Hazen of Veluna using the Sending spell or homing pigeons as a backup.
• Temple Connections: Y'dey is aware of the Temple’s alliances with Iuz but suspects deeper, more ancient forces at play.

The Herb Shop

• Hidden Resources: The shop contains a small armory of magical and mundane items, including Y'dey’s +1 mace, plate mail, and scrolls of powerful cleric spells.
• Pigeon Coop: Six homing pigeons are hidden in the rear of the shop for emergency communication.

Roleplaying Tips

• Eccentric Mannerisms: Y'dey mutters to herself, randomly collects plants, and enters homes uninvited, which endears her to some and annoys others.
• Strategic Helper: She offers subtle aid to good-aligned adventurers but avoids direct involvement unless the situation is dire.

Potential Encounters

• Cultist Detection: Y'dey identifies villagers who fall under the Temple’s sway and warns adventurers discreetly.
• Information Source: She provides vital clues about the Temple and its forces, pointing adventurers toward key locations.
• Combat Support: Though she avoids combat, Y'dey can serve as a powerful ally in desperate situations, using her healing abilities and magical items.

Summary

Y'dey’s secret role as a guardian of good and investigator of evil makes her an invaluable ally for adventurers navigating the dangers of Nulb and the Temple of Elemental Evil.

Conclusion

Canoness Y'dey, in her guise as Mother Screng, is a compelling character whose layers of intrigue, compassion, and pragmatism enrich the world of Greyhawk. She balances her role as a healer and observer with her mission to root out the insidious forces of elemental evil. Adventurers who earn her trust will find a wise and resourceful ally, while those who underestimate her may miss the subtle power she wields in the fight against darkness.

"Even in this den of vice and sin, a few embers of goodness remain. The trick is to find them before the winds of evil snuff them out."

Mother Screng (Canoness Y'dey)

Medium humanoid (human), Neutral Good, Level 6 Cleric (St. Cuthbert)

• Armor Class 11 (no armor) or 18 (half plate +1, shield)
• Hit Points 37 (6d8 + 12)
• Speed 30 ft.
• STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
• 13 (+1) 15 (+2) 16 (+3) 12 (+1) 17 (+3) 13 (+1)
• Saving Throws Con +4, Wis +8
• Skills Arcana +8, History +7, Insight +8, Investigation +5, Medicine +8
• Damage Resistances Fire
• Senses Passive Perception 15
• Languages Common, Elven, Celestial, Goblin, Dwarven
• Challenge 3 (700 XP)

Abilities

• Spellcasting. Y'dey is a 6th-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 16, +8 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following cleric spells prepared:
• Cantrips (at will): Guidance, Light, Sacred Flame, Thaumaturgy
• 1st level (4 slots): Bless, Cure Wounds, Detect Evil and Good, Command, Identify, Protection from Evil and Good, Purify Food and Drink
• 2nd level (3 slots): Augury, Hold Person, Lesser Restoration, Suggestion, Zone of Truth
• 3rd level (3 slots): Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic, Nondetection, Remove Curse, Speak with Dead
• Divine Insight. Y'dey has a preternatural understanding of events, granting her advantage on checks made to discern lies, interpret omens, or uncover hidden meanings.

Actions

• Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6 + 1 bludgeoning damage.
• Sacred Flame (Cantrip). Y'dey targets one creature she can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or take 2d8 radiant damage.

Possessions

• Armor & Weapons: Half plate +1, shield, mace +1
• Magic Items: Ring of Fire Resistance, Potion of Flying, Spell Scrolls (Silence, Raise Dead, Protection from Poison)
• Healing Items: 4 potions of healing
• Tools & Gear: Herbalism kit, explorer’s pack
• Wealth: Purse with 4 cp, 7 sp, 5 ep, 11 gp

Alignment

Neutral good

Current Location

3. Mother Screng’s Herb Shop

Species

Humans of Greyhawk

Ethnicity

Oeridian Oerid

Other Ethnicities/Cultures

• Flannae Flan

Year of Birth

532 44 Years old

Sex

female

Eyes

piercing grey

Hair

scraggly gray locks

Height

5'7"

Belief/Deity

St. Cuthbert

Aligned Organization

Church of St Cuthbert

Other Affiliations

• The Order of Rao

Ruled Locations

• 3. Mother Screng’s Herb Shop

"No salve can heal a soul, but a good poultice might keep the body alive long enough to try."