Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Survey

Survey served in the Last War in the Brelish Army. He served with the scout corps on the borders of Aundair, Thrane, and Droaam. His unit was shuffled around on the fortress of Argonth numerous times.

Survey was one of the few warforged that was given command over a unit of soldiers. While his rank was never higher than corporal, and a warforged soldiers rank never placed him in command over any human troops, it was a rare thing for any warforged soldier to be put in command of other warforged troops. Survey's unit specialized in reconnaissance of the countryside, paying special attention to the lay of the land and how it could best be put to use to maximize the effectiveness of the deployment of Breland's forces. His small unit would be put into an area and our task was to devise a battle plan that would allow:Unit headquarters to be set up in places to maximize communication on the battlefieldObservation posts to be sited in the places giving maximum visibility to the observers and minimizing the enemies ability to locate and neutralize the observation postsPlacing siege engines for maximum effectiveness against structures/deployed troopsBasically if Breland was going to engage the forces of another nation within an certain geographical space, our unit would be able to advice commanders on the ground of the terrain and how it could be best used to support the mission of the army. We'd be sent weeks, or days ahead of the main body of the army and we'd engage the enemy only if necessary while providing intelligence back to our commanders. I was given command of the unit as over time it was determined that the warforged ability to function without sleep and without food was the deciding factor in a number of our successful deployments and our human counterparts only served to slow us down.

Being put in a position of command helped me significantly once the war was over and the Treaty of Thronehold was signed. First, i was well known in the Warforged community of the Brelish army and when I travelled to Sharn as many of the Warforged did, I became something of a community leader. I got to know a lot of different warforged soldiers and i was able to keep track of many of them as they settled in Sharn and got jobs and tried to fit in to society. Second, due to the unique position of having commanded a unit on the field of battle, I knew and was respected by a few members of the Brelish aristocracy. I had a few contacts in the Sharn Watch, in the Judicial system and in the court of King Boranel.

Being part of the Warforged community of Sharn I saw first hand how Warforged soldiers were treated as they tried to fit into society. Some fit in quite well getting jobs as bodyguards and servants, artificers or labourers, the majority however simply did not. The problems seemed systematic. Crimes committed against warforged were not investigated with the same zealousness as those against other citizens, and crimes committed by warforged citizens were investigated and prosecuted heavy-handedly and attempts to defend these warforged were stonewalled.

The resentment in the warforged community was strong. This resentment is what caused me to act on the behalf "wronged" warforged and investigate the crimes allegedly committed both by and against the warforged. I used my contacts in the Watch, in the Judiciary, and in the King's Court to shine a light on what was going on, and to ensure the the warforged were entitled to due process. Doing this earned my many friends, but also many enemies.

While investigating the mugging and extortion of Warforged labourers in the Docks District of Sharn I brought light on the illegal activites of a small thieves guild that operated there. A guild known as "The Consortium" was involved in smuggling, a protection racket, and fencing activities near the docks. They had extorted a few warforged that worked as labourers on the docks, offering them "protection" if they paid a small weekly fee. I overheard the warforged discussing it while I was in a bar on an unrelated matter. By bringing the law down on the leader of The Consortium, I thought that I had put to rest any trouble these Warforged would have.

However, the leader was released from Jail only months later on a technicality.

I returned home one evening after looking into the details surrounding an alleged break and enter of a warforged citizen only to have several member of the Sharn Watch arrest me for the attempted murder of a customs and excise agent in the Docks. I was being framed by someone. I used a contact in the Judiciary to grant me 72 hours to prove that it wasn't me.

Upon return home from the Jails, i found my home had been ransacked and all of my possessions stolen. I began investigating. I found some of my possessions being sold in the bazaar in Malleon's Gate. While asking the hobgoblin vendor where he got some of the items, I was roughed up by two ogres who warned me to stop asking questions or I would be sorry. Not to be dissuaded, I continued to investigate what was happening. I discovered that The Consortium had had an agreement with the Customs agent that had been almost murdered to "overlook" some of the shipments of good that would come in through the docks. A 100gp bribe would be used to over look 1,000gp in duties. Following the jailing on the leader however, agents were under strict supervision by their superiors and the agent in question refused to take the bribes of the guild. Attempting to kill two birds with one stone the guild framed me and attempted to kill the customs agent.

While back at home preparing my report of my findings, and awaiting my Watch contact, I was attacked in my home by a guild assassin. Only the timely arrival of my Watch friend and his cohorts saved my life. The assassin was not apprehended.

The Consortium members were arrested and sent to prison, however my contact in the Watch strongly recommended I leave town.

1 comment:

Curtis said...

Survey

Warforged Ranger - Level 7

Init +6 = +3[Dex] +3[Lvl/2]

STR 10 = 8 +2[Racial]
CON 14 +2 = 12 +2[Racial]
DEX 17 +3 = 14 +1[Lvl4] +2[Gloves]
INT 10
WIS 17 +3 = 16 +1[Lvl4]
CHA 14 +2

Hipoints = 56
Bloodied = 28
Healing Surge = 14
Surges/Day = 8

AC = 19 = 10 +3[Lvl/2] +3[Hide] +3[Dex]
Fort = 16 = 10 +3[Lvl/2] +2[Con] +1[Class]
Ref = 17 = 10 +3[Lvl/2] +3[Dex] +1[Class]
Will = 17 = 10 +3[Lvl/2] +3[Wis] +1[Racial]

Skills (Listed Trained Only):
Bluff 10 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +2[Cha]
Dungeoneering 11 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +3[Wis]
Endurance 12 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +2[Racial] +2[Con]
Insight 11 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +3[Wis]
Streetwise 10 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +2[Cha]
Perception 14 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +3[Focus] +3[Wis]
Stealth 11 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +3[Dex]
Theivery 11 = +3[Lvl/2] +5[Trained] +3[Dex]

Race Features:
+2 STR, +2 CON
+2 Endurance, +2 Intimidate
+2 Saving throws against effects that cause ongoing damage
Warforged Mind: +1 Will defence
Warforged Resolve: Encounter - Healing - Minor Action - Personal: Gain 6 temporary hitpoints; Make immediate save against one effect that causes ongoing damage; If bloodied regain 6 hitpoints
Class Features:

Archer Fighting Style - Grants Defensive Mobility as a Class Feat
Hunters Quarry
Sneak Attack (Once per encounter)
Prime Shot - +1 to ranged attacks if none of your allies are nearer to your target than you are
Feats

Defensive Mobility [Class]
Sneak of Shadows [Multiclass Rogue]
Skill Training Streetwise
Skill Training Insight
Skill Focus Perception
At-Will Powers

Careful Attack
Twin Strike
Encounter Powers

Two-Fanged Strike
Yield Ground
Cut and Run
Spikes of the Manitcore
Daily Powers

Split the Tree
Excruciating Shot
Evade Ambush
Attack: Longspear,+5 = +2[Prof] +3[Lvl/2], 1d10, Reach

Attack: Spear, +5 = +2[Prof] +3[Lvl/2], 1d8, Versatile

Attack: Magical Longbow +1, +9 = +2[Prof] +3[Dex] +3[Lvl/2] +1[Enh], d10+1, Load Free