Grand Magister Ronson Armitage, MLD

Ronson during the latter part of his student residency at the White Lotus Academy

### Played by

Francis Louie "Franco" Merjudio, RN, MSHI (c)

## Biographical information

### Marital status

Rumored to have a relationship with a young Harper page

### Current status

Alive, seeking a mentee to impart his teachings and learnings

## **Intro**

**Ronson** is a Blue Draconic Gnome Sorcerer who first became affiliated with a ragtag group of adventurers that eventually grew to become known in the realm as the Greasy Snitches. Having worked a professorial function at the White Lotus Academy, he does his part in providing inputs to the group's many journeys with his knowledge of lore, history and dragons. Apart from casting Lightning-based spells and Magic Missiles, he is often notable for having a pair of leathery dragon wings and finishing critical encounters by Disintegrating enemies.

## **Description**

### **Appearance**

Ronson stands at three (3) feet tall, with dirty blonde and wavy hair. He is fair-skinned, save for the presence of patches of light blue scaly sheens across his arms, shoulders and collar area. There is a sole shard-like mark on his forehead that one might remark as a bluish lightning bolt. He has recently begun to take a habit of sprouting a pair of blackish blue dragon-like wings which he effectively uses for flight, movement and traveling. He has a peculiar pair of grey eyes that are interrupted with streaks of light blue.

Preferring modesty, he currently dons a very conservative dark blue version of a Robe of Stars that is adorned with mildly sparkling black studs along its hems and a single small silver star of Mystra, denoting his Magister status and rank, on each deltoid area of the sleeves. His Robe is fastened by a dark grey strapped vest within which he usually affixes his Harper faction brooch. He usually hides under his hood for many reasons, mostly to hide his lightning bolt "scar" and the fact that he is under the possession of an Ioun's Stone of Protection that ceaselessly floats around his head. A Ring of Shooting Stars rests in the middle finger of his left hand, while a Ring of Evasion rests on his left ring finger. The wrists of slightly scaly and clawed hands are decorated with small bracelets of rope, beads and stone. He may be seen shakily holding a Staff of Thunder and Lightning which occasionally emits sparks of electricity as his fingers do.

### **Personality**

As cautious as his co-adventurer Icarus is and as sociable as his business partner Yarelvi is, Ronson believes in the value of interacting with people for gaining certain benefits or advantages. As he may well be capable with pleasantries and social graces, he tends to shy away in such encounters when deemed unnecessary, letting his co-adventurers deal with speaking engagements and participating only when needed. The same can be said of him when in explorations or in combat, as he steps in only when he is able to find a crucial role that he feels only he can fill. He believes he has yet to release the fullest extent of his capabilities, but he might just be on his way into such direction.

## **Biography**

### **Early life**

Ronson is the only child of a pair of gnome mages who have had a critical hand at the rebellion and exodus of the gnome race from the tyranny of the fomorians in the Feydark. Born and raised in the Material Plane, Ronson was a lively child with a propensity for climbing trees and watching the storm descened on the forests which his family lived.

One day, a strike of lightning from the heavens ended up being too close that Ronson fell off the treetops he was watching it from and dropped to the ground, making him unconscious. He awoke after an unrecalled period of time to see the cause of the storm and possibly all the storms he has ever watched - an ancient blue dragon resting in the heart of the forest. He stood, frozen in his place before the great being's quiet but majestic presence and sharp gaze, until another lightning strike hit the ground between them. He blacked out again and found himself with his gnome brethren who claim to have never seen a dragon when he asked how they found him.

Since the incident, Ronson has found himself ever curious about the dragon he met, that is until his ability to emit electrical sparks have begun to occur. He enrolled as a student of wizardry at the prestigious White Lotus Academy of Magic where he discovered his power as a mark of sorcery. He was duly transferred to the corresponding school within the Academy and has since trained and studied as appropriate. He graduated to the rank of Magister for his notable work on chromatic dragons and lightning magic. He was eventually awarded the honorary title Master of Lore in Dragonology for the same efforts.

As he was being gradually absorbed into the Academy as one of its lecturers on dragons, a controversy regarding alleged illicit activities linked to him came up which eventually costed him a permanent position in the faculty. He has since left the Academy, never to return.

### **Life as an Adventurer**

Becoming officially unaffiliated with the Academy, Ronson set off to travel the realm to further expand his knowledge of dragons and of electrical energies of the Weave, all the while searching for answers with his own source of powers. But having no stable means to sustain his researches, he has come to settle at a lakeside town at the northern edge of the Moonsea. This place is known as Phlan and it was here he met what would be his permanent and long-standing adventuring party, The Greasy Snitches, which was then composed of Black Dragonborn Paladin of the Crown Nefarian, Tiefling Bard of Lore Yarelvi, Tiefling Swashbuckler Rogue Kohr, High Elf Necromancer Wizard Icarus and Halfling Monk of the Open Hand Temman. With them, Ronson was able to not only continue his studies into the arcane, but was also able to explore the surroundings of the Moonsea region and many other areas of the continent.

### **Out of the Abyss**

Having no prior experience with traveling to the Underdark, Ronson teamed up with the Snitches at various points in time to explore the depths and deal with the likes of drow society, demon lords and extra-planar entities. His most notable experiences include the destruction of a beholder by his Lightning Bolt and his own near-death experience at the hands of the Demon Lord Jubilex. He has also met some people whom he has come to recognize in later journeys such as Avalon the Knight and Mary the Avenger.

### **Reclamation of Phlan**

With Phlan under the wrathful control of the already-aging green dragon tyrant Vorgansharax, the Snitches rallied together with other adventurers in taking back the city through a unified assault in many directions. While they were unable to directly confront the dragon, the Snitches played a crucial part in ensuring that its forces, among them including the Cult of Dragon, were held at bay if not outright stopped from assisting their master.

### **Hecatomb**

As the threat of a cult from the Underdark grew larger due to their intent of serving their goddess enough souls for her to manifest into the Material Plane, the Greasy Snitches reunited from their long journeys away from each other to vanquish the avatar currently amassing power from within the dangerous bowels of drow territory. As the final battle with the avatar ensued, Ronson was initially incapacitated by the animated ceiling infested with biting skulls. As he was assisted down with Yarelvi's simulacrum Robyn (Robyn got stuck in the ceiling in the process), Ronson unleashed his greatest power and aimed at the avatar. The avatar was instantly Disintegrated. While a joyous moment within the group, the mission overall was a failure due to various other avatars successfully consuming enough souls to fully manifest the goddess into the world.

### **Tales from the Yawning Portal**

During one of his explorations into the Quivering Forest just a mile north of Phlan, an accident befell him, causing him to stay in comatose for days. He was rescued and nursed back to health by a wood elf Ranger resident of the forest, only to awake with no recollection of nearly his entire life save for random flashes of memory and thought. He was assisted with traveling back to Phlan, where he was welcomed by the Snitches who, for some reason, have undergone radical changes in their appearances but not personality. They have since began to reorient themselves with adventuring with one another, all the while attempting to help Ronson (or Rons, as he is currently referred to as) regain his lost memories.

## **Relationships and Affiliations**

While Ronson acknowledges only the Greasy Snitches as his adventuring party and second family, he has since been acquainted with other adventurers in his lifetime:

### **Paul (played by Paul Gabat)**

During their early days of adventuring, the Snitches would team up with Paul, a Human Ranger among the Blackfist Guards, the military and peacekeeping force of Phlan. Despite being the Lord-Regent's son, Paul prefers activities such as exploring the wilderness, a habit that earned him his place with the Blackfists. Ronson's most memorable adventure with Paul was when they journeyed north to the mountains to track a certain Spurnick, which Ronson eventually pelted and assassinated with Magic Missiles in a later encounter.

### **Erebos (played by Paul Gabat)**

The young and brash Human Necromancer was first seen by Ronson during one journey to the Underdark via the Moonsea town of Hillsfar, along with his twenty (20) or so "acolytes". As Ronson sees through the kid's antics of dressing up his dead in white clergymen garbs, he often leaves the Wizard to his devices, to which Yarelvi may sometimes end up obliging to help. Ronson last journeyed with Erebos during one mission into the Dragonspine Mountains north of Phlan involving Subterfuge.

### **Avalon (played by Aldrin Teodoro)**

Ronson first met the Knight during a mission in the Underdark involving the collection of peculiar reagents and materials for a certain mad drow mage and his plans to destroy the city of Menzoberranzan. Ronson acknowledges the knight's capabilities and would often rely on him to provide assistance during dire times. He has yet to journey with Avalon beyond the Underdark or any missions not involving the drow.

### **Mary (played by Cherry Lyn "Chepay" Miguel)**

Having met her recently, Ronson journeyed with Mary in exploring both the heights and the depths of Durlag's great tower and expansive tomb. He also came to journey with her again as they lead the assault on the drow city of Maerimydra that revealed the presence and involvement of demon lords in the Underdark. Though strong and lethal, Ronson appreciates her cheerful demeanor that hides her power. He would often be carried by Mary by the feet when a secure way of movement was crucial, such as during their time in said tomb.

### **Khorgol (played by Lance Martin Lu Tan)**

Ronson experienced many instances of time-related mishaps in his adventurers which result in him going back into the past and forth into the future a good few times. With his most recent dealings with the Red Wizards of Thay, he and the Snitches were to investigate an incident that occurred in an old Netherese magic laboratory, when he was somehow thrust back to the beginning of their journey, without any of the Snitches with him. He has since set up to (redo and) complete the mission alongside new allies such as Khorgol.

### **The Harpers**

Ronson came across the Harpers during his journeys across Faerûn and on his researches and readings on dragons. Having heard of like-minded individuals interested in the pursuit of knowledge and learning, he eventually managed to have himself enlisted in their fold and eventually rose up the ranks as one among their Wise Owls, prominent members who were second if not third in command to the faction leader. Ronson denies any particular desire of obtaining the role of faction leader, especially in lieu of the activities that took in place on behalf of the Harpers during the Hecatomb incident. He also abstains from commenting on said faction's involvement in said incident.

### **The Greasy Snitches**

His mainstay adventuring party, Ronson has journeyed with them for the most part of his lifetime. Having gone through the Tyranny in Phlan, the Underdark and other experiences and planes of existence with them, he hardly sees any alternative to them. He would speak highly of his comrades, although will openly express agreement in most if not all of the Snitches' reservations with their monk member Temman.

### **Yarelvi (played by Duane Lemuel Galang)**

Being some of the only pure casters of the Snitches, Yarelvi, Icarus and Ronson have decided early on to cement their friendship based on mutual admiration and respect. While staying at Madam Freona's Teakettle, they have acquired a separate room for themselves and their arcanist activities.

As some of the frequent flyers of the group, Yarelvi and Ronson do their part in scouting areas during adventures and ensuring the Snitches are covered in aerial control and defenses. They co-owned a hotel and spa establishment in Phlan, until the city was attacked by the Priests of Bane, forcing them to retreat to other parts of the Moonsea. Ronson also has the habit of hiding slightly behind Yarelvi's dress, which he sometimes would use to his advantage when devising his movements in battle.

### **Icarus (played by Lanz Frago)**

Being some of the only pure casters of the Snitches, Yarelvi, Icarus and Ronson have decided early on to cement their friendship based on mutual admiration and respect. While staying at Madam Freona's Teakettle, they have acquired a separate room for themselves and their arcanist activities.

Previously, when Icarus used to conjure a magic mansion in the outskirts of Phlan as an alternative meeting place for the Snitches and friends, Ronson often had the habit of retrieving objects from her mansion's writing desk using Telekinesis. Some of the things he picked up in this manner include a perfectly red apple that he would sometimes eat upon reaching his hand. Icarus truthfully expresses curiosity over Ronson's liking towards apples and why there are even apples in her mansion in the first place.

## **Character Information**

### **Magic Items**

* Ioun's Stone of Protection
* Robe of Eyes
* Elemental Gem (Yellow)
* Staff of Thunder and Lightning
* Robe of Stars
* Shortbow +1
* Ring of Shooting Stars
* Ring of Evasion

### **Feats**

* Elemental Adept - Lightning
* Tough
* Lucky

## **Ranks and Titles**

* **Common**
	+ Master of Lore in Dragonology
	+ Wise Owl of the Harpers
	+ Elelctro-Dragonologist of the Realm
	+ Sorcerer Supreme of Abeir-Toril
* **Gnomish**
	+ *​*Bon-draca zeniin polod
	+ Iindor curu
	+ Vambar burro

## **Quotes and Moments**

* (lowers hood) *"Hello. My name is- urgh!"*, swats floating Ioun's Stone from circling at eyebrow level
* *"You are seriously not trying to fool me into believing we are related"*, to Temman.
* *"Yeah, he can't sit with us"*, to Icarus and Yarelvi, upon acknowledging Temman's incapacity for magic.
* *"Duck!"*, to everyone in his line of sight while casting Lightning Bolt.
* *"I'll have a look around"*, as he begins to fly up to scout the surrounding areas in an adventure.
* *"Put it down!"*, to everyone once a gigantic monster decides to attack.
* *"Hmmm... what to wear today..."*, to himself, while deciding to wear either Robe of Eyes or Robe of Stars
* Using Telekinesis to consistently take apples from Icarus' writing desk.
* Pulling on everyone's robes and clothes to catch their attention.