Nanli Ironboot, Fighter of Rockhome (3.5e D&D, Mystara)

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Preamble

The adventure module XS2 Thunderdelve Mountain is an Expert Solo Adventure for dwarf class BECMI D&D characters. Unlike O2 Blade of Vengeance which puts the PC in the role of the avenging elven scion, Thunderdelve sees the player's dwarf approached by a dwarven clanmaster to rescue another dwarf from the occupiers of the mountain.

When I discovered this module, I thought it was a perfect opportunity to place a dwarven hold close to the home of Erystelle, the protagonist solo PC from module O2. A spur of the Rockhome mountain range, the Dwarfgate Mountains, thrusts west into Darokin's hinterlands between Alfheim and Ethengar. Close to the northwest is the humanoid territory of the Broken Lands. 

Even though canonically the adventure module B2 Keep on the Borderlands is Castellan Keep in the Altan Tepes mountains in Karameikos I felt this would make an excellent alternative with plenty of adventure and conflict potential. 

Per the Republic of Darokin gazetteer, there are three forts and a settlement, Grukk, C'kag, Xorg, and Dast respectively, in these mountains. The forts are belligerent orc strongholds and the settlement is trolls.

The name Nanli Ironboot I've taken from two of the dwarf pregenerated dwarf characters in the BECMI D&D Thunderdelve Mountain adventure. Apart from that, everything is new - characteristic scores rolled fresh, skills, feats, and equipment selected new for third edition.

In developing the backstory, I did what I usually do with soloing anything - asked questions and made assumptions, then rolled on a general oracle and interpreted the results. It's a d% table, and I've included the raw rolls in the write-up, but not the questions nor the table results.

It might seem weird, but I'm adopting the ++X notation to indicate a bonus stacks with whatever other bonuses are applicable. It makes sense in my head.


Character

Class: Fighter 1, Level: 1

Race: Dwarf

Sex: Female

Alignment: Neutral Good

Religion: Reformed Orthodox Dwarven Immortal Veneration Cult

Characteristics

  • Strength: 17 (+3)
  • Dexterity: 14 (+2)
  • Constitution: 16 (+3)
  • Intelligence:  12 (+1)
  • Wisdom: 10 (±0)
  • Charisma: 14 (+2)

Combat:

  • Initiative: +2
  • Base Attack Bonus: +1
    • ++1 vs orcs, goblinoids
  • Melee Bonus: 1 + 3 = +4
  • Ranged Bonus: 1 + 2 = +3
  • Armour Class: 2 + 10 w/ Scale Mail (+4) = 16
    • ++4 dodge vs giants (check how this rule works)
  • Hit Points: 14

Saving Throws:

  • Fortitude: 2 + 4 = +6
  • Reflex: 0 + 2 = +2
  • Will: 0 + 0  = ±0
  • ++2 vs poison
  • ++2 vs spells

Coin:

  • gp - 2
  • sp - 7

Skills:

  • craft 1 + 1 = 2
  • disable device 1 + 1 = 2
  • hide 1 + 2 = 3
  • jump 2 + 3 = 5
  • knowledge dungeoneering 2 + 1 = 3

Equipment:

  • Dagger 1d4
  • Battleaxe 1d8 (1)
  • Shortbow 1d8 (1)
  • Arrows (30) (3)
  • Scale Mail +4 (1)
  • bedroll 5lb
  • flint & steel
  • 1 week trail rations
  • backpack

Feats & Special Abilities:

  • armor proficiency light
  • armor proficiency medium
  • armor proficiency heavy
  • martial weapon proficiency
  • shield proficiency
  • simple weapon proficiency
  • tower shield proficiency
  • stonecunning 
    • ++2 check unusual stonework, e.g. hidden, traps, safety, passive 10'
    • ++2 appraise stone & metal

Languages: 

  • Common Human (Eastern Brun common Thyatian)
  • Rockhome Dwarvish

Story:

Nanli is (66, 08 guard + 62 family) a dwarf from the community of Clanmaster Nimron, (30) formerly head of Thunderdelve, (93) but lately of Rumble Bell, the hill community to which refugees fled when Thunderdelve was lost. Receiving (08) no help from Rockhome, (87) they were invited by the smaller Darokin dwarven community to help bolster the settlement in the face of humanoid aggression. 

Not content to sit idle in Rumble Bell or herd goats, she has hiked to the new Darokeen keep joining any who would take a stand against the blight of chaos and evil spreading in the land.

Commentary:

I'm repurposing the famous Keep on the Borderlands adventure, complete with its Caves of Chaos, and setting it somewhere between Glanti, the Broken Lands, and Alfheim. I will generate a 1mi hex map for hex crawling and generation of the region. 

I think this is a perfect location for Thunderdelve with a highly dynamic political and trade situation, violent humanoids, and stories that the dwarven clan driven from the extinct. 

This chargen is quite rushed. I'll probably review it later when life slows down some and I have more hobby time. Right now, responsibilities demand my attention.

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