Francis Urquhart

## Day 35-41 – The fourth week in Northlake

You continue in your role as a runner, but also accompany Joshua on a couple of shopping expeditions. For the moment you stay in your rented room, although you will certainly be glad to see the back of it, in fact you are looking forward to getting out of Northlake in general.

## Days up to 34

With work hard to come by, he jumped at the opportunity to act as a runner in the library for some recent research - it pays the bills at least (he is living in a small squat on the outskirts of the Shambles district). ***He has noticed that most of your fellow runners seems to somehow overlook scrolls that are obviously of value to the research going on*** - possibly time to ask for a pay rise! (Dar) - or membership of the party.

##### **Riverside organisation:**

A margraf (Alveran noble) who is responsible for protecting the Alveran holdings from Eastern Orcs and collecting taxes. He has a core force of cavalry, and can call on the various lairds to provide a levy of infantry and archers, with some cavalry (from the household of the lairds)on a primitive feudal basis. He has a (genuine, if small) castle and walled town somewhere east of Riverside. It could be close to Riverside - keeping Orcs off the lawn - or further east.

The margraf’s brother, his master of horse.

##### **Urquhart Organisation.**

The clan has 5 septs, 3 Urquhart, plus Dundonald and Cochrane. These 5, plus Urquhart, represent the normal the “castles” - actually Peel Towers, with pallisades to herd cattle, and villager houses. A barter economy, the laird pays his taxes in food (grain or salted meat), or hand woven cloth, and generates a small flow of coin from selling surpluses in Riverside, or the Margraf’s holding. In normal years F's father could field half a dozen armoured riders, 20 heavy infantry, and 40 or so skirmishers/archers

##### **Implications for Francis:**

Knighted (knight bachelor) at 18 (coming of age) – it ‘comes up with the rations’ to the laird and immediate family, since clan leadership is based on kinship. The Margraf does it to keep the lairds sweet, and remind them they owe Alvera. F would not normally use it, but it is part of his ‘patent of gentry’ if anyone doesn’t understand what ‘Urquhart of Urquhart’ means.

Family links with family of middle ranking Riverside courtiers (unspecified) on mother’s side. Not close.

## Stats

**Ranger (Hunter), 6th lvl Master of Urquhart?**

**51hp 77,348 / 90,001xp**

> Human, early 20s, 5' 11" reddish-blond, pale complexion, face and arms sun-reddened, hands calloused.
> Arms (as 2nd son); Or, 3 boar's heads erased sable, armed argent, langued gules (Chieftain's arms: Or, a boar's head erased sable etc)
>
>

* **Strength 17** (+1 at lvl 5)(+1 hit/+1 damage, +500gp weight. 1-4 doors, 13% lift gates)
* **Intelligence 14** (+4 languages) [ nomad orcish, trained by Brokev, trying to learn some elvish]
* **Wisdom 15** (+1 v charm/illusion)
* **Constitution 14**
* **Dexterity 9**
* **Charisma 13** (+ 5% reaction adj)

> **Surprise d6, 3-6**:
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> **Surprised d6,1 only**
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> Tracking Outdoors base 90%, indoors base 65%
>
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> Giant Class: +1 damage per ranger level:
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> bugbear, cyclopskin, dune stalker, ettin, flind, giant, gibberling, gnoll, goblin, grimlock, hobgoblin, kobold, meazel, norker, ogre, ogre mage, ogrillon, orc, quaggoth, tasloi, troll, xvart,
>
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> Additions to Giant Class:
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>
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> 4th lvl: Island Giants (Umar-kin) 6th lvl: Lizardmen
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>

## Weapon Proficiencies:

1. Longsword

2. Longbow (Str bonus to hit/damage, suitable for enchanting)

3. Specialization (Longsword)(+0.5 attacks per round) (+1 attack per round at 4th lvl)

4. Disadvantage (Polearms/staves)

5. Specialization (Longsword)(+1/+1)

## Starting skills:

* Foraging (ranger)

* Read/Write Language (common tongue)

* Tracks

* Riding
* Advanced riding

* Slaughtering (craft)

## Equipment

* Longsword (most valuable possession), 60gp weight (d8/d12)(donated to Shadow Clan, hilt gem kept for use as seal - kept in bag with cont. light rock)
* Longsword +3 (of direction), 60gp weight (d8/d12)+3
* Knife, 10gp
* Elven chainmail shirt (AC5+2, +2 save v element attacks) 150gp weight Movement 12"
* Longbow, (Str bonus to hit/damage, suitable for enchantment)
* Arrows (18) + case in pack (18),  (+6 silvered)
* ~~Simple~~ Decent camping gear
* Targe 30gp,
* New Metal rimmed buckler
* Hunting horn
* Ropes and cords for binding prey/prisoners
* Ring of Water-breathing
* Silver Ring (magical), inscribed with the crest of Areistan, the Elven house of Kilen (+1 Protection, +2 vs. Undead, +3 vs. Wild. +4 vs. Undead Wild) If wearer forgoes all attacks during a round (they may parry or perform other actions) they gain +4 bonus to AC, and a nominated ally within 5’ also gains +4 bonus to AC (though they may attack or perform any other actions). Use of this power resets the attack routine, i.e. resumption of attacks counts as new fight. Kilen's note kept with pedigree.

## Background

**Religion:** Wyldwood

2nd son of laird (rural gentry, one step above villagers, whom he regards as kinsman (clan surname) - and has worked beside (harvest) and hunted to provide for (support those in need or unable to work)

Absurdly proud of birth and lineage. Touchy, but will be recognised as authentic gentry (just) at least by humans.

Away from home when Elves struck, has not found word of them. Presumably pressed into service as scout - until the military dispensed with him (as pretty useless due to lack of local knowledge).

Ashamed at his lack of prowess with bow - his brother Jamie was much better (at everything)

Wants to put together expedition to home, but needs gold and experience, so not an issue in early stages.

Location of ancestral home: Just NE of Riverside, classified as poor territory simply because of its vulnerability to Orcish raids (had the potential to be a profitable holding)

His ancestors would have landed c400 years ago, probably rose to some form of prominence near Far Haven as minor warlord types, migrated south when things got too hot up there. Settled near Riverside and carved out a small fiefdom about 250 years ago, over the next 100 years via a lot of political wrangling etc. managed to get your fiefdom recognised by the kingdom as it formed..... all came crashing down with the Elven invasion. You are not sure whether your holdings were overrun by the Elves or not - if not then they will be extremely exposed to the Orcs
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1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Day 35-41 – The fourth week in Northlake
Steve, re Francis' Diary

I am quite happy with this, I hadn't put huge amounts of background into the Alveran Feudal structure (other than it does differ slightly as you head South)..... so this works fine for me.

Cheers

Darrell Sun 25/04/2021 14:34