Calder Kildé

Character art by evans-endeavors

**Calder Kildé** is a Fighter (Eldritch Knight) half-giant from the Frigid North, specifically, the Ice Knife. He is played by Jake Hurwitz in campaign 3. Calder is a huge, soft-spoken man with exceptional fighting and magical skills, but he lacks confidence. He is a former Mothership D-Class Synthetic Knight.

## Bio

Calder grew up in the Frigid North as the smallest in a large family of half-giants. He has older siblings and a protective mother who coddled him for being the smallest in his family. After receiving his manastone, he was classified as a D-Class Synthetic Eldritch knight because of his inability to cast any fire-based cantrips or spells.

## Description

Calder is a giant, 7' 7" goliath with close-cropped blue hair and a trimmed blue beard. His skin is pale blue, and he is incredibly muscular, but he holds himself like he is much smaller. He has a helm adorned with antlers, and he wields a huge, icy blue greatsword. His manastone is implanted in his bicep. He is quiet and kind, supporting his friends with understated kindness and surprising pacifism when possible.

His magical abilities are all flavored as cold-related powers, forming snowballs, icicles, and sprays of frost.

## Role In The Story

#### The Mothership Saga

Calder is a D-Class Synthetic Knight working at the Mothership in a squad with Solum Bufo and Calliope Petrichor. He is given a trial run to be fast-tracked to S-Class Synth Knighthood, but fails to light the pipe of Mothership CEO Paetina Glenbottle when brought in to test for the opportunity, instead casting *Ray of Frost*.

When given the upgrade to become synthetic knights, Calder is able to resist the *Symbol* spell implantation the most effectively, and help Callie avoid succumbing to it wholly, despite the physically taxing nature of the procedure. When faced with a botched upgrade and a lab of murdered scientists, Calder is pragmatic and cool under pressure, and is able to form their plan to escape. Among their party, Calder proves to be the most resourceful and has a knack for putting together pieces of information that put them on Beatrix Netherin's trail. As Duck Team align themselves with Mob Goblin, Calder develops an animosity toward's Sol's friend, Albin, and the two have frequent spats, often driven by Calder's unwillingness to yield to Albin's petty grievances.

#### The Dragon Elf Chronicles

Calder pledges himself to Princess Shiverblight pretty quickly after his arrival in the Living Wood. He was too ashamed to continue with her, and faked his death. In her hoard he finds the Helm of Ultrus, introducing him to the giant warlord Ultrus, and giving him some of his power. Ultrus attempts to take over Calder's body, but is unable to thanks to the support Calder got from his friends.

Calder uses the Helm to help defeat the High Prince Cobalt, and then goes to the Crick. Eloise sends him and the rest of Duck Team to the Beastlands, where he becomes a champion of the Mouse King. They return and plan to kill the High King Durretar, an ancient blue dragon.

After sneaking into the Sapphire Scale's lair, Calder reunites with Shiverblight, claiming he's a revenant and came back from the dead to serve her. The two of them are the only ones left standing by the end of the battle, and Calder attempts to bring down Durretar with his spellcasting, trying to prove he doesn't need Ultrus. He fails, but Shiverblight is able to finish off the High King.

After killing the dragon, Duck Team is lead into a pit trap by Glen and the Inhospitable Coven, and he is knocked unconscious. Glen attempts to steal the helm, as his plan failed, but Calder refuses to let him take it and gives over control to Ultrus. Ultrus leaves and Calder is stuck in the helm.

#### Legends of Irondeep

Calder is stuck in the helm, slowly losing track of time. He is unsure whether he's been trapped for days or years, and sometimes he can't even remember his friends' names. He is rescued from his solitude when Jaina Bronzebeard is sent to the helm as a prisoner by King Ecktar, and she starts training him. Together they try to escape the helm, but can't quite move fast enough to get past the reforming barriers and the Order of the Runny Eye.

## Powers and Abilities

### Racial Abilities

* ***Stone's Endurance.*** Calder can reduce damage by 1d12 + Constitution modifier as a reaction once per short rest.
* ***Mountain Born.*** As a half-giant (Goliath), Calder is resistant to cold damage.
* ***Powerful Build.*** Although his size is Medium, Calder can act as if he were one size larger when calculating his carrying capacity and the weight he can pull, drag, and lift.

### Class Abilities

* ***Fighting Style: Superior Technique.*** Calder knows the Battle Master Maneuver: *Riposte*. His saving throw DC, where applicable, is 16 (8 + proficiency bonus + Strength modifier). He gains a 1d6 superiority die to use it.
	+ ***Riposte.*** When a creature misses Calder with a melee attack, he can use his reaction and expend one superiority die to make a melee weapon attack against the creature. If he hits, he adds the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll.
* ***Second Wind.*** Calder can use a bonus action to regain 1d10 + 8 (fighter level) hit points once per short rest.
* ***Action Surge.*** On his turn, Calder can take one additional action.
* ***Martial Archetype: Eldritch Knight***
	+ ***Spellcasting.*** Calder augments his martial prowess with the ability to cast spells. He learns spells from the Wizard spell list, but mostly from the Evocation and Abjuration schools.
		- *(At 8th level, he knows 2 cantrips and 6 spells. Only 2 of the spells can be from a school other than Evocation and Abjuration.)*
	+ ***Weapon Bond*.** Calder cannot be disarmed of his chosen weapon unless incapacitated, and if the weapon is still on the same plane of existence as him, he can summon it with a bonus action, and it will teleport to his hand.
* ***Extra Attack*.** At 5th level, Calder gets a second attack when he takes the Attack Action.
* ***Martial Archetype: Eldritch Knight***
	+ ***War Magic.*** At 7th level, when Calder uses his action to cast a cantrip, he can make one weapon attack as a bonus action.
* ***Indomitable.*** At 9th level, Calder can re-roll a failed saving throw once per long rest.

### Spells

#### *Cantrips*

* *Ray of Frost*
* *Booming Blade (Cold Damage)*

#### *1st Level Spells*

* *Catapult*
* *Expeditious Retreat*
* *Ice Knife*
* *Shield*

#### 2nd Level Spells

* *Freezing Ray (Scorching Ray with Cold Damage)*
* *Misty Step (Boon from Mouse King during the Beast Lord Trials)*
* *Rope Trick*
* *Invisibility*

### Ability Score Improvements and Feats

* ***ASI @ 4*.** Unknown
* ***ASI @ 6*.** Unknown
* ***ASI @ 8.*** +2 INT
* ***Heavy Armor Master.*** *(Boon from the Mouse King)* While Calder is wearing heavy armor, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that he takes from nonmagical attacks is reduced by 3.

## Stats

### The Mothership Saga Statistics (L5-6)

* Armor Class: 18
* Hit Points: Average of 54-64HP (with his CON Modifier and Fighter class)

 Dexterity
 Wisdom
 Charisma

### Dragon Elf Chronicles Statistics (L7-8)

* Armor Class: 19
* Hit Points: 76 HP

 Dexterity
 Charisma

Statistics are the same as above. A new chart will be produced if Calder's statistics change

### Skills

* Perception
* Athletics

## Items

* ***Icy Greatsword***
* ***The Helm of Ultrus.*** A cursed, antlered helm possessed by the ghost of the giant conqueror, Ultrus, based out of the Frigid North.
	+ +1 to AC
	+ +2 to Charisma
	+ Before making an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, the wearer can harness the strength of Ultrus. The wearer's strength becomes 25 and they can add a d12 to their weapon damage on a hit. Each time they do this, they add a charge to the helm. If the user does this after making an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, the number of charges expended is doubled.
	+ If an attack brings the wearer to 0 hp, they may harness the strength of Ultrus to remain at 1 hp. Each time the wearer does this, they add 2 charges to the helm. The number of charges accumulated is doubled each time the wearer use the ability before resetting on a long rest.
	+ As a bonus action the wearer may expend 1 charge on the helm to command an ally within 30ft to make an attack as their reaction.
	+ ***Curse***. After acquiring any charges, upon taking a long rest, Ultrus will try to conquer the mind of the wearer. The DC to resist being conquered is a CON save equal to 8 + the number of charges expended. All charges clear after a long rest

## Quotes

* "That frog pal isn't just Albin's frog pal, he's all of our frog pal... And Callie's not unstable... she knows exactly who she is... and I'm going to kill your fucking rabbit."
* “I think you’re brave and you’re strong, that’s good… but just because you’re big doesn’t make everyone else small.”

## Trivia

* Calder is a Scottish word for "rough and turbulent waters".

## References

1. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 2: Symbol of Ezry (The Mothership Saga)
2. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 3: Missing Soldier (The Mothership Saga)
3. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 7: Ma Goblin's Mob Goblin (The Mothership Saga)
4. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 39: Hang On! (Legends of Irondeep)
5. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 11: Beatrix (The Mothership Saga)25:00
6. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 14: Unfinished Business (The Mothership Saga)
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 C3 Short Rest E28
8. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 1: D-Class Knights (The Mothership Saga) 1:03:30
9. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 9: Lightkeepers (The Mothership Saga) 1:09:15
10. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 3: Missing Soldier (The Mothership Saga) 1:20:50
11. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 1: D-Class Knights (The Mothership Saga)
12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Campaign 3, Episode 1: D-Class Knights (The Mothership Saga) 49:10 (21 Initiative without declaring a Natural 20)
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Campaign 3, Episode 4: A Frog in the Fog (The Mothership Saga) 50:15
14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Campaign 3, Episode 17: The Green Lord (The Dragon Elf Chronicles) acquired Ultrus Helm
15. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 14: Unfinished Business (The Mothership Saga) 1:23:20
16. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 24: Serpent Knight (The Dragon Elf Chronicles)
17. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 16: The Terrible Fate of Sir Calder (The Dragon Elf Chronicles)
18. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 17: The Green Lord (The Dragon Elf Chronicles)
19. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 6: The Man Wizard & His Bunny Bud (The Mothership Saga) 26:06
20. ↑ Campaign 3, Episode 17: The Green Lord (The Dragon Elf Chronicles) 1:41:00