Medium humanoid (human), Lawful Neutral
Cisgender, she/her

Armor Class 18 (chain mail, shield)
Hit Points 12
Speed 30 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
16 (+3)	14 (+2)	15 (+2)	9 (−1)	13 (+1)	11 (+0)

Saving Throws Strength +5, Constitution +4
Skills Athletics +5, Nature +1, Perception +3, Survival +3
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages Common, Dwarvish, Giant, Gnomish
Challenge 2 (450 XP)

Fighting Style: Dueling. When Naiara is wielding a melee weapon in one hand and no other weapons, she gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls with that weapon.

Second Wind. Once per short rest, Naiara can use a bonus action to regain 1d10 + 2 HP.

Action Surge. Naiara can take one additional action on her turn. This can be used 1 time per short rest.

Traits

Finger Difference (Shape Diversity) [IE 2]. Eight of Naiara’s fingers bend sideways, away from her thumb. She has penalties to any action using her hands, giving a −2 on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws requiring grip.

Hand Stiffness [IE 2]. Naiara’s fingers on both hands are difficult to move without extreme pain. She has a −2 penalty on any action that would use that joint, including attack rolls. When she succeeds on a melee attack, the vibrations from the impact are painful, and she needs to succeed on a DC 10 Constitution check to fight the pain and continue to hold her weapon.

Actions

Light Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, range 80/320 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d8 + 2) piercing damage.

Longsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) slashing damage if used with two hands.

Assistive Devices

Compression Gauntlets. These gauntlets reduce arm or hand pain by 1 IE for 10d6 minutes per day and require an action to equip.

Weapon Brace. This brace attaches to the forearm and provides a wider grip for most melee weapons, along with a rubber strap for additional stability, reducing the IE or grip-associated actions by 1 IE.

Background

Naiara is a fourth-generation, middle-aged mercenary, spending her life traveling and fighting to provide for her family. She calls no place home, and no nation owns her loyalty, as she has seen both virtue and corruption wherever she has served. The intense fighting that has occupied her life has taken its toll on her hands as she developed arthritis in her fingers. While her fingers are weakened, Naira’s resolve remains undiminished, and her reputation precedes her as she is sought by employers and feared by adversaries.

As her hands stiffened, Naiara worked with an orthotist to develop a brace to help her hold weapons, and her favorite armorer built a compression layer into her gauntlets to aid with the pain.

Personality

Naiara clearly delineates business and pleasure. When she’s fighting, she’s all business; it’s neither personal nor passionate. When she’s off-duty, Naiara enjoys a drink and a tavern song, and woe to anyone who would challenge her or threaten her friends. She doesn’t appreciate “going to work” without payment, so when she’s done with a challenger, she will expect some compensation from the challenger “for time and services rendered.”

Between jobs, Naiara spends time relaxing with her family, most of whom work with her. She also enjoys using her time helping communities damaged by war, even if her own work brought upon the destruction. It was just business, after all, and the civilians bear no responsibility for their leaders’ decisions.

Plot Hooks

• After a massive battle, Naiara is helping the village rebuild, but the magic crystal upon which the city’s economy was built got damaged in the fight. She asks the party to track down a replacement crystal or the necessary ritual to repair it.
• During a recent battle, some of Naiara’s family were taken as prisoners. She asks the party to help her rescue them. “That’s war, but this is family.”
• Naiara’s armorer friend built an expensive suit of armor for a noble, but the noble took it and left without paying. Naiara asks the party to help her exact payment.

Sue Lightfoot (Fighter)

Small humanoid (gnome), Lawful Good

Cisgender woman (she/her)

Armor Class: 17

Hit Points: 100

Speed: 25 ft.

Strength	Dexterity	Constitution	Intelligence	Wisdom	Charisma
10 (+0)	16 (+3)	15 (+2)	19 (+4)	15 (+2)	15 (+2)

Skills: Animal Handling +6, Insight +6, Perception +6, Religion +8, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5, Survival +6

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16

Languages: Common, Gnomish

Challenge: 12

Abilities

Fighting Style (Defense). While she is wearing armor, she gains a +1 bonus to AC.

Fighting Style (Protection). While wielding a shield and a creature she can see attacks a target other than her within 5 ft., she can use her reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.

Gnome Cunning. She has advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against magic.

Improved Critical. Her weapon attacks score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20.

Indomitable. She can reroll a saving throw that she fails — she must use the new roll. She can use this 1 time per long rest.

Natural Illusionist. She knows the Minor Illusion cantrip. Intelligence is her spellcasting ability for it.

Remarkable Athlete. She can add +2 to any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution check she makes that doesn’t already use her proficiency bonus.

Second Wind. Once per short rest, she can use a bonus action to regain 1d10 + 2 Hit Points.

Speak with

Small Beasts. She can communicate simple ideas with Small or smaller beasts.

Actions

Multiattack. Sue can attack three times, instead of once, whenever she takes the Attack action on her turn.

Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.

Action Surge. She can take one additional action on her turn. This can be used 1 time per short rest.

Traits

Leg Pain [IE 2, Frequent]. Sue experiences chronic pain in her legs. Any action that requires concentration (e.g. maintaining a spell) requires a successful DC 12 Constitution saving throw per round to maintain concentration. Her daily walking distance is reduced by 40 percent. In addition to the usual Frequency, any round when she exerts her legs (e.g. running, combat, jumping), she must succeed in a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or experience one level of exhaustion, cumulative each round of exertion, requiring 5d20 × 2 per level of exhaustion minutes to recover afterward. Because she’s used to managing pain, even though this doesn’t reduce the experience of pain, she has a +2 bonus to saving throws against psychic damage.

Service Animal

Dunlap

Large monstrosity (owlbear), unaligned

Armor Class 19 (plate barding)

Hit Points 102 (12d10 + 36)

Speed 40 ft.

      STR            DEX           CON            INT            WIS            CHA
   20 (+5)       12 (+1)       17 (+3)         3 (-4)        12 (+1)        7 (-2)

Saving Throws STR +9, CON +7

Skills Athletics +9, Intimidation +2, Perception +5

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 15

Languages -

Challenge 7 (2900 XP)     Proficiency Bonus +4

Evasive Maneuvering. If Dunlap is subjected to an effect that allows them to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, Dunlap instead takes no damage if they succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if they fail.

Keen Sight and Smell. Dunlap has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight or smell.

On The Job. Dunlap is immune to being charmed by magical and non-magical means.

Plant. Dunlap has advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks.

Reactive. Dunlap can take two reactions per turn instead of one.

Bonus Actions

Bolster (5/Long Rest). As a bonus action Dunlap can give their adventuring partner advantage on Strength and Constitution saving throws or ability checks that would knock them prone.

Actions

Multiattack. Dunlap makes two attacks: one with their beak and one with their claws.

Beak. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one creature. Hit: 10 (1d10 + 5) piercing damage.

Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +9 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (2d8 + 5) slashing damage.

Supportive Protector (5/Long Rest). Dunlap can use his action to help his adventuring partner regain their footing. When they are prone, standing up uses only 5 feet of their movement.

Background

Sue grew up with a lot of siblings. As the oldest of all of them, she quickly became responsible for them and helped her parents around the house every day. She also had to learn how to protect them from others in her village who were not always so kind. She taught herself how to fight in order to protect her family and eventually passed on all of that knowledge to her brothers and sisters.

She loved the idea of taking care of young children and eventually had children of her own. Sue lost her husband only a few years after they gave birth to their first child. She has had a hard time trying to find love again, even though her child has now become an adult. Instead, she now focuses all of her time and attention into taking care of other people’s children. Sue helps a lot of families whose parents are busy at work, especially the families whose parents are off at war. She has a special place in her heart for those families because she lost her husband during a war.

Sue decided that the best way to help as many families as possible at the same time would be to create a nursery and care for little children every day. However, there are many days where it can be a little too much for her to handle for herself, especially now that she is getting older and has injured her leg. She relies on her Steady Service Animal most days. In addition, her assistive device helps, but there are many times where she may ask the town members for assistance if the young children are too energetic for her that day.

Personality

Sue has a tender heart. She has a motherly nature about her that always comes first in her life. Sue is always patient with the people around her, even when they are being disrespectful of her. She knows how to maintain her composure and be respectful in any type of situation. Sue is also a truly humble person. She doesn't like receiving attention for the work that she does. She serves others with a smile and is content with a thank you every once in a while. Sue is one of the most supportive people that a person can meet. She is always there when someone needs her.

Plot Hooks

1. Sue needs help taking care of one of the most energetic children. She asks the party if they can help her babysit. Little does anyone know; the child was born with magic and causes a lot of chaos.
2. Sue can be found in areas that may be full of nature as she is taking the children on a field trip. A monster may appear, and she’d need the party's help to keep the children safe.
3. Sue is in charge of creating a craft fair with all of the children she takes care of. However, something goes terribly wrong at the craft fair as soon as the party comes to town.

Arioch Morningstar (Druid/Fighter)

Medium/Humanoid (High Elf), Lawful Neutral

Cisgender man, he/him

Armor Class: 16

Hit Points: 83

Speed: 30 ft.

Strength	Dexterity	Constitution	Intelligence	Wisdom	Charisma
18 (+4)	14 (+2)	16 (+3)	10 (+0)	16 (+3)	8 (-1)

Skills: Athletics +10, Insight +9, Intimidation +5, Perception +9, Survival +9

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 19

Immunities: Disease, Poison, Poisoned

Languages: Common, Druidic, Elvish, Minotaur

Challenge: 13

Abilities

Spellcasting. Arioch is a 13^th level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 17, +9 to hit with spell attacks). He has the following Druid spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): Druidcraft, Guidance, Mending, Resistance

1^st Level (4 slots): Cure Wounds, Entangle, Thunderwave

2^nd Level (3 slots): Barkskin, Flame Blade, Gust of Wind, Lesser Restoration, Spike Growth

3^rd Level (3 slots): Call Lightning, Dispel Magic, Plant Growth, Water Breathing, Wind Wall

4^th Level (3 slots): Control Water, Dominate Beast, Freedom of Movement, Polymorph

5^th Level (2 slots): Commune with Nature, Conjure Elemental, Greater Restoration, Reincarnate, Tree Stride

6^th Level (1 slot): Heal, Sunbeam

7^th Level (1 slot): Fire Storm

Action Surge. Once per short rest he can use an additional action on his turn.

Land’s Stride. Moving through nonmagical difficult terrain costs him no extra movement. He can also pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed and without taking damage if they have thorns, spines, or a similar hazard. He has advantage on saving throws against plants that are magically created or manipulated to impede movement, such those created by the Entangle spell.

Natural Recovery. Once per long rest during a short rest, he can choose expended spell slots to recover. The spell slots can have a combined level of up to 5, and none of the slots can be 6th level or higher.

Nature’s Ward. He can’t be charmed or frightened by elementals or fey, and he is immune to poison and disease.

Second Wind. Once per short rest he can use a bonus action to regain 1d10 + 7 HP.

Wild Shape. As an action, he can magically assume the shape of a beast that he has seen before twice per short rest, max CR 1. He can stay in beast shape for 6 hours before reverting back to his normal form (or as a bonus action earlier or if he falls unconscious, drops to 0 hit points, or dies) and can transform two times per rest.

Traits

Agitation [IE 3, Frequent]. He gets annoyed or restless easily, more than is typical, with less provocation than expected for his emotional response. This can lead to difficulty in social settings and relationships. When this feeling surfaces, he must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom (Insight) check to realize that his feelings are an agitation flare-up. On failure, he can attempt another check every round. Until successful, he has a −3 penalty on all Charisma checks except Charisma (Intimidation), with which he has a +3 bonus. He also has a +3 bonus to saving throws against being charmed.

Anhedonia (Social) [IE 3, Chronic]. He has resistance to being charmed and a +3 bonus against other forms of enchantment magic but a −3 penalty on Charisma (Performance) checks.

Diminished Motivation [IE 3, Frequent]. Arioch experiences a lack of motivation to start tasks. Due to this before starting a new task, he must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom check. He reattempts the check every 3d4 minutes.

Emotion Fluctuation [IE 4, Chronic]. Arioch’s emotions fluctuate between Amplified Emotions (Enjoyable) (30 percent) and Baseless Emotions (50 percent) or both at the same time (20 percent). These episodes fluctuate every 1d20 days and last 5d8 + 5 days.

Stimulus Avoidance [IE 2, Triggered by Social Settings]. When faced with social settings, Arioch starts to feel panic resulting in heart palpitations, sweating, and other responses. When triggered, all spell casting and ability checks require he succeed on a concentration check or make the subsequent checks with a −2 penalty, and tasks that normally require a concentration check are made with a −2 penalty.

Actions

Extra Attack. He can attack twice whenever he takes the Attack action on his turn.

Mace +2. Melee Weapon Attack: +12, 5 ft., single target. Hit: 9 (1d6 + 6), bludgeoning damage.

Assistive Devices

Chloe’s Helm of Tranquility

Wondrous Item, uncommon

This helm has 3 charges. While wearing it, you have advantage on all emotion-related saving throws, including emotional conditions such as Baseless Emotions and the Charmed and Frightened conditions. You can expend 1 charge as an action to cast the Calm Emotions spell. The helm regains 1d4 − 1 (minimum 1) expended charges daily at dawn.

Background

During the first 150 years of Arioch’s life, he struggled with his strong emotional fluctuations. He would go from the depths of despair to intense anger that at times would lead to bouts of aggression. Once old enough to fight, Arioch became a mercenary with a group that spread chaos throughout the land. He would take any contract, regardless of the consequences of his actions. However, no matter how many lives he took or the riches he amassed, it did not stop the deep pain that Arioch felt.

On his 150th birthday, his grandmother sought out a local wizard and, with the money she had saved up, made a Wish. She wished that Arioch would find peace and be able to find balance both within himself and the world around him. Soon after, a traveling healer and tinkerer came to town. Seemingly by chance, the healer-tinkerer ended up at the grandmother’s door and spent the night, where she told him of Arioch’s pain and troubles. Touched by the love of this grandmother for her grandson, the tinkerer created the Helm of Tranquility.

After placing it on his head and gaining relief from his inner turmoil, Arioch thanked his grandmother and went on a long trip through the local forests alone. There he made a vow to the deep spirits of the forest to create balance, not only within himself but also the world around him. He began studying the druidic arts as a way of embodying this idea, and soon returned to taking on work as he felt called to it. Some of the work brought joy to the world, others pain. However, it was always in balance.

Personality

Until Arioch was gifted the Helm of Tranquility on his 150^th birthday by his grandmother, he was a very angry young man. His life had been defined by this anger and expressing it in violence towards others. Once he donned the helm, Arioch moved instead towards finding balance in all things and follows this goal militantly. Due to this, Arioch will work for those both good and evil, constantly working towards a sense of balance related to a higher power and purpose. All that matters is that balance is created through his actions both within and without.

When around others, Arioch is caught in an internal struggle and actively works towards avoiding feelings of panic. When not donning the Helm of Tranquility, he is prone to feelings of hopelessness that have put his life at risk on more than one occasion. Due to this, he largely keeps to himself far from others and civilization unless called to a cause. Part of this is to protect himself since others cannot see the pain is grappling with and have invalidated his feelings in the past.

Plot Hooks

1. The group is lost deep in the forest and in need of a guide.
2. The group is looking for extra support for a quest either noble or questionable.
3. Arioch presents himself as if called to the party’s aid in a moment of need to help restore the balance.