Boz

Boz is a male gnome wizard NPC in the Om campaign.

Boz was one of the original Royal Explorers, but abandoned the group on Socortia, do in large part to Fynn. He eventually was able to leave the island, surfacing on Tyris and establishing himself there. He still clearly nursed a grudge for Fynn, however, and later attempted to murder him.

## Background

Ikermepfkin Bumberfund, Bufonem Proelio Magnum, Uttengeiger, VoZentral Schwarteentaggleald, Shwazlegruper, (usually called Boz for short) is a gnomish wizard, scholar and fungi enthusiast. He specialized in creating small magical trinkets but was pursuing studies to expand his creations to more powerful objects. Boz has revealed little of his origins or past beyond this. He signed up with the Gildornian Royal Exploration Committee for the opportunity to study the new forms of fungi on Elira.

Boz was assigned alongside the rest of the Royal Explorers. Their mission was to travel to Elira to explore and map new territories, establish trade and contact with new peoples, and to advance the interests of the Gildornian Crown. Secretly, they were also issued orders to gather intelligence on the Orlesan colonies and their military strength. If possible, work to undermine their alliance with the Dwarves of Moradurn.

The Explorers sailed from Gildorn in the summer of 465 aboard the *Morning Star*, along with several colonists bound for new opportunities in New Gildorn.

## Journey to Elira

### **Mysterious Deaths**

The journey to Elira across the Trackless Ocean was a long one, and the voyage of the *Morning Star* met with several troubles along the way. After only a few days at sea, people began to go missing. At first it was dismissed as someone falling overboard at night but suspicions and tensions were raised and when a dead sailor was found bereft of blood the only conclusion that could be made was that someone (or something) was responsible.

Captain Christoff Fontaine asked the Royal Explorers to investigate and they eventually discovered that the merchant passenger Braxton Wilk had been an Orlesean agent and had smuggled a fledgling vampire onto the ship to take it to the New World. The Explorers tracked down and slew the vampire, though Karvok had entered into and uncontrollable battle fury. Boz attempted to calm him with a spell, but got too close to the furious insane dwarf and got his arm chopped off. Boz promptly bled to death, and Karvok was ultimately killed by the Vampire before the rest of the Royal Explorers managed to slay it.

Braxton Wilk was arrested, and the Explorers exerted their commission to get the ship's cleric, Yalrick, to use the ships only *Resurrection* scroll magical scroll to return Boz to life.

### **Mutiny**

Captain Fontaine had Braxton Wilk executed, but paranoia seemed to have taken hold in the captain and he began growing more authoritarian and unreasonable in his decision and disciplinary punishments among the crew. Morale suffered and a mutiny seemed a forgone conclusion.

First Mate Clint Connery ultimately led a mutiny, feeling he was forced to for the good of the crew. He was aided by the Royal Explorers, The mutiny was a success and Captain Fontaine, Hitashi, Guthra, and Falcus Yorn, as well as a handful of sailors who remained loyal to the captain were given supplies and set adrift in a lifeboat.

 Marooned on Socortia

Clint Connery's command was short lived, however. Shortly after marooning the senior crew a terrible storm struck the ship, damaging the mast and leaving the it dead in the water. At the same time the ship's medic and cleric, Yalrick, vanished with much of Braxton Wilk's gold which led to speculation he was involved in the storm.

The *Morning Star* drifted, eventually coming to the shores of Socortia. The Royal Explorers and one of the sailors, "Barnacle Brain" Bob Youngin, rowed ashore to investigate the island and seek supplies for ship repairs.

Unbeknownst to them, Socortia was a haven for the pirate band called the Brotherhood of the Coast, and while the Royal Explorers were on shore the pirate vessels quickly captured the damaged *Morning Star*.

The Royal Explorers made their way deeper onto the island where they encountered a group of natives, called the Umani, led by a man named Zayeek. However, initial contact soured quickly when the man made a dismissive comment towards Fynn, and the half-elf responded with a gout of flame to the Umani's face. A skirmish broke out, but a Ki-Thian monk named Wu Xen suddenly appeared and created a distraction for the Royal Explorers to escape.

They fled the Umani party successfully and Wu explained that he had been a passenger on another Gildornian vessel, the *Derry Boy*, that had been sunk by pirates. He stated that he'd washed up on the island, and unable to effect a rescue of the passengers and crew but that he did have a decent idea as to where the pirate's town, Darsah, was.

Boz, however, was more than disgusted with his companions. He viewed the first meeting with the natives of Secortia as needlessly disastrous and seemed to take umbrage that Leandra did not participate in the brief skirmish with the Umani. He left a note lambasting the Royal Explorers and slipped away in the night.

## Settled on Tyris

Boz managed to make his own way off of Socortia, ultimately arriving in Tyris, one of the twin islands of the Gnomish Confederation. There he resumed his studies on his own terms. On the 10th of Twins, 465, he was amazed to encounter Jasper Conroy, one of the Royal Explorers, suddenly appear.

Harboring no ill will towards Jasper, Boz greeted him warmly and showed him around Tyris. Jasper explained that he had been teleported there accidentally and needed to get to the Kirathi Forest as soon as possible. Jasper also brought news that Captain Fontaine and his officers had been found and lodged charges of mutiny against the Royal Explorers, Boz included.

Boz thanked Jasper for the information and helped him get the assistance he needed. The two parted warmly, with Boz even giving Jasper a magical *Windbreaker of Faith*. Secretly, Boz had not let go of his grudges against Fynn and Leandra and was able to use the magical gift to track Jasper, and therefore Fynn.

## Attack on Fynn

By tracking Jasper Boz was able to determine where Fynn was likely to be. On the 13th of Twins he ambushed the half-elf just north of Stonewatch Abbey near Fynn's Crater. Fynn teleported to the area alone but for three manacled humans magically disguised as elves.

Boz turned himself invisible and immediately launched an attack and tried to convince the humans to aid him in killing Fynn. The humans merely attempted to flee and were slain by one of Fynn's fireballs. The two exchanged spells but ultimately both were invisible and out of spells that would help them locate the other. Left with a stalemate, Boz merely left a letter with *Explosive Runes* upon it and teleported back to Tyris.

## Murder of Fynn

After his failed attempt to murder Fynn, Boz located some unknown magics to capture Fynn the next time he teleported alone. His ritual would re-route the half-elf to a small manmade bunker he'd located in the Ironwall Mountains south of Silvercliff.

On the 25th of Twins, 465, Boz finally had his chance after Fynn attempted to teleport back to Stonewatch Abbey after teleporting a trio of elven delegates to locate the leaders of the Nilthanar Tribe. When Fynn attempted to transport back, the half-elf found himself alone in the bunker with no escape and unable to teleport out or contact his comrades.

After spending some time preparing defensive spells on himself and gloating, Boz attacked Fynn and the two dueled. Having managed to prepare defenses to protect himself against Fynn, Boz was able to best the half elf, blasting him with a lightning blast and slaying him outright with a followup blast of cold.

While Boz spent some time taunting and occasionally kicking Fynn's corpse, Wu Xen, using the power of Fiyang’yellak, teleported into the bunker and launched a surprise attack on the gnome. Boz attempted to dissuade the monk from attacking him, arguing that he did not want to hurt Wu but that Fynn had to die because he was too wild and "would screw up the mission," but Wu refused to relent. After suffering a few painful punches Boz was finally able to cast a spell that clouded Wu's mind and prompted him to sit and meditate rather than continue his attack.

Rather than execute Wu, Boz merely left the bunker, even setting the duration of his spell from ten days to merely four hours, to prevent Wu meditating so long that he would die of thirst or hunger.