Laney

> "*You say all these things, but what else am I supposed to do? I can either waste my efforts or waste away entirely. Besides, I'd like to see someone try to 'void' this place once I figure out how to make a Fireball trap...*"
> ― Laney
>
>

A young urchin and leader of her own small gang. Got her start in illicit business by painting abstract, magical works imbued with charming spells that make them easier to sell, using the funds from such to keep herself and members of her crew afloat. Recently has been asked by the CEO of a certain company to put her magical knowledge to more legal use.

## **Statistics**

* Expertise: Stealth, Arcana
* Proficiency: Sleight of Hand, Perception, Deception, Persuasion

## Appearance

Laney is a short, thin kid, clearly used to giving most of what she'd eat to people who she thinks need it more and working off what she does keep for herself. Her hair is a faint strawberry blonde over fair skin, with brown eyes that usually remain focused ahead, but ready to snap back around should something else arise. For clothes, she wears a cloak, shirt, pants, shoes. All-in-all basic thief garb. When she's off the criminal clock, though, she sheds the cloak as to prevent snagging. When she's in a more professional setting the best she's got is a long-sleeved striped shirt. Her hideout has plumbing intact, so she and her clothes are cleaner than what one might expect from the regular street urchin variety.

## Personality

Laney puts the wellbeing of her crew above everything else. When they're out of the picture, she tries to weigh options against one another and choose whichever seems better in the long run. She has a soft side for those she watches over, and her rougher edges rarely come out except for when others might try to convince her against her choices. With that in mind, she's stubborn, but quick to flee when things seem insurmountable.

Laney's base is rigged with nearly every manner of arcane and mechanical trap on each entrance. While the traps may not always stop intruders, they keep the ones who aren't serious away, and the ones who are in the prime spot to be ambushed and thrown out. So far it's worked. Laney keeps this approach in many aspects of life. Even if she doesn't have the best preparation, she keeps in mind a plan on what she can do, and isn't half-bad at improvising either.

## Character Relationships

Al, Timmy, and Tia: Her crew. At the top for obvious reasons. Al's the chubbier one, technically second-in-command. Timmy and Tia are the younger twins.

Jake: Gave her an opportunity to earn a more honest living. She supposes she should be grateful.

Chrys: Weird lady, but the crew seemed to like her.

Maren: Stole from her. Gave the thing back. Maybe she can teach her how to gain more spell slots?

Carden: Creepy, cryptic man with a gun. *Will* attack him on-sight if she sees him around her crew's base again--or at the very least run up and kick him in the shin.

## Skills and Abilities

### Acquired/Learned Abilities

* **Sneak Attack**: What it says on the tin. An attack with sneak attached.
	+ Everyone knows how this works, right? Good.
	+ D20 Mechanics:
		- Laney's Sneak Attack damage is 2d6.

* **Cunning Action**: What it says on the tin. An action with cunning attached.
	+ Look it up if you don't know.
	+ D20 Mechanics:
		- Laney can Dash, Hide, or Disengage as a bonus action.

### Skills

* **Spellcasting**: Laney knows magic! Generally reserves her slots for stuff that could come in useful in a pinch, or when she's selling paintings.
	+ D20 Mechanics:
		- Laney's spellcasting ability is INT (Save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared.
			* Cantrips: Booming Blade, Mage Hand, Gust
			* Lv 1 (2 slots): Disguise Self, Fog Cloud, Sleep

* **Arcane Knowledge**: Knows a lot about magic, despite not being able to use it the best. Can tie magical effects onto otherwise mundane objects (like paintings) up to and around "second level".
	+ Also knows how to make potions.
	+ Has taught Al how to make potions, too. He's actually kinda better at it than her...

### Weaknesses

* **Kind of a Kid**: Despite how much responsibility Laney's put on herself, she can't escape her natural age, and usually ends up falling into things someone of greater mental maturity would easily pass by.
* **Frail**: Look at that negative-one constitution modifier. One good hit from nearly anything could take Laney down in a snap.

## Equipment

### Other Equipment

* **Thieving Cloak**:
	+ A cloak for thieves. Has very deep pockets on the inside!

* **Leather Armor**:
	+ Worn under her disguises, or when she's trying a small heist for money.
* **Shirt, Pants, Shoes**:
	+ Simple, functional, nondescript urchin wear.

### Inventory

* **Dagger**: Can be thrown, too.
	+ She'd keep a shortsword on herself as well but she doesn't fight that often
	+ D20: 1d4 piercing, finesse

* **Ball Bearings**: Good in the chance that one is being chased.
* **Potion Pocket**: Laney keeps some potions on her just in case.
	+ Always has one *Potion of Climbing* and *Potion of Invisibility* on her in case of emergencies.
	+ The Climbing potions are strawberry-flavored.
		- Restocks whenever she heads home.
	+ The Invisibility potion is her only one and is reserved for do-or-die scenarios.

## History

Laney lived a quiet, low-status life until, before her eighth birthday, a band of ne'er-do-wells broke into her house, murdered her parents, and stole nearly everything else besides what she herself owned. She never figured out why, but without any way to support herself she was forced to the streets. Luckily for her, she had the wits to stay away from any true danger and slowly build herself into a more comfortable standing--or at least as comfortable one can get living without a roof over their head.

In the process, she learned of another similar victim, her to-be-crew member Al, who was even younger than she was. Feeling pity she searched him out and took him in. This turned out to be a good decision, as Al was clever enough to give Laney ideas she wouldn't have thought of herself. In short, this put her on the path to learning magic to better herself in her circumstances. Later on, another pair of orphans--twins--named Timmy and Tia, were snatched out of worse circumstances by her. Or rather, they came to Laney, having noticed her and being too afraid to look for help elsewhere.

Laney quickly realized that the two extra mouths in her gang would mean she'd have to kick herself into high gear to make sure things went smoothly. She delved deeper into magic--what she couldn't cast, she figured out how to imbue into paintings and potions. The latter she kept for herself, but the former she sold as charming works that magically encouraged strangers to buy them. Long story short, this worked, though carried as much risk as one would think. She also figured out magic to keep herself disguised and largely out of suspicion.

One last notable stroke of luck came to Laney when she found an old abandoned warehouse in the shadier-but-sleepier side of town to use as a base of operations for her crew.

Recently, though, she overshot a bit and attracted some unwanted attention to herself. Fortunately, not from authorities, but there's a good amount more resting on the success of her actions in the near future.

## Trivia

* Thinks her given name is way too flowery. Greatly prefers to be called "Laney".
* Laney's parents were killed by the same individuals who found Lien the Topaz Bolt.
	+ Laney is not aware of this fact, and all Lien knows is that the perpetrators had a record of similar acts. Neither knows each others' names or direct connections.