Caldaropolis is a city state on the coast of Caloma, with a population of 120,000, of whom about 80% (97,000) are humans, 15,000 are tieflings and the rest are other various races.
Caldaropolis is rough and lawless, with crime a constant factor and violence never very far away. Numerous pirates who ply the seas to the west will often stop here.
The government of Caldaropolis is run by Lord Daschnar, a powerful wizard who is utterly ruthless in holding onto the top spot in the city. He is supported by both the Circle of the Purple Sapphire (an order of wizards and sorcerers) and the Bloodied Blades, a mercenary company that has now become the de-facto city guard. Lord Daschar is not really interested in law and order, and certainly not welfare or justice, but simply maintaining the current status quo. The rest of the city can do as it pleases.
Lord Daschar, Despot of Caldaropolis
Medium humanoid (human male), Neutral Evil |
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AC 11, HP 59, Speed 30ft, Init +1, Profic Bonus +5
Str 9 (-1), Dex 13 (+1), Con 11 (0), Int 18 (+4), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 15 (+2)
Saves : Int +9, Wis +6
Skill Profic: Arcana (+9), History (+9), Investigation (+9)
Senses: Passive Perception 11 (Advantange on Perception + Darkvision & Truesight 120ft when wearing Robe of Eyes)
Languages: Common, Infernal, Elvish
Challenge: 16 (15,000 xp)
Spellcasting: +9 for spells to hit, Save DC 18
Cantrips (5): Mage Hand, Ray of Frost, Friends, Message, Light
1st level (4): Detect Magic, Feather Fall, Fog Cloud, Charm Person
2nd level (3):Alter Self, Cloud of Daggers, Hold Person
3rd level (3): Dispel Magic, Lightning Bolt, Sending
4th level (3): Charm Monster, Confusion, Ice Storm
5th level (2): Cone of Cold, Modify Memory
6th level (1): Mass Suggestion
7th level (1): Project Image
8th level (1): Dominate Monster
Actions: Dagger melee attack at +11 to hit for 1d4+2 piercing damage
Hypnotic Gaze: 1 creature within 5ft must make wisdom save vs DC 18 or be dazed (speed drops to 0 and cannot take any actions) for that turn.
Reaction: Instinctive Charm. If an opponent within 30ft makes an attack roll against you, you can use a reaction to divert it towards another creature within range of the attack and closest to the attacker. The attacker must make a DC18 wisdom saving throw or attack the new target.
Notable Gear: Dagger +2, Enduring Spellbook, Ring of Spell Turning, Robe of Eyes.
For the despotic archmage ruling a large city, Lord Daschar is surprisingly even-tempered. He seems calm and logical about nearly everything, particularly around dealing with problems in Caldaropolis. However, he can get very vengeful and vindictive. Should someone cross him personally then his evil nature will show itself, possibly dragging their friends and family into his punishment. Those around him suddenly get worried when his voice turns from a well-spoken oration to a sibilant hiss (his angry voice). If he had a French accent he would sound like the Merovingian from the Matrix films.
Lord Daschar is finding the governing of Caldaropolis to be quite a job, and unlike some despotic rulers he has no intentions of taking over more cities or land - that would involve even more administration and people to deal with. Some say that the relative lawlessness of Caldaropolis is due to his lack of enthusiasm about governing the city he now has, and that he really only took over so that he could live comfortably and conduct his magical research with plenty of resources.
Vanthaine, leader of the Circle of the Purple Sapphire
Medium humanoid (Tiefling female), Neutral Evil
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based on 13th level wizard necromancer, .
AC 10, HP 49 , Speed 30ft (30ft fly with Winged Boots), Init 0, Profic Bonus +5
Str 10 (0), Dex 11 (0), Con 13 (+1), Int 16 (+3), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 13 (+1)
Saves: Int +8, Wis +7
Resistance to Necrotic Damage
Skill Profics: Arcana (+8), Insight (+6)
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, passive perception 12
Languages: Common, Orcish, Abyssal
Challenge: 13 (10,000 xp)
Spellcasting: +8 for spells to hit, Save DC 16
Cantrips (5): Chill Touch (Cthonic Tiefling), Acid Splash, Toll the Dead, Chill Touch, Fire Bolt, Mage Hand
1st level (4): False Life (Cthonic Tiefling), Burning Hands, Grease, Ray of Sickness, Mage Armour
2nd level (3): Ray of Enfeeblement (Cthonic Tiefling), Darkness, Web, Melf's Acid Arrow,
3rd level (3): Animate Dead, Vampiric Touch, Fear
4th level (3): Confusion, Greater Invisibility, Summon Aberration
5th level (2): Scrying, Cone of Cold
6th level (1): Create Undead
7th level (1): Finger of Death
Grim Harvest: Any creatures killed by your spells gives you 2hp per spell level , or 3hp per spell level for necromancy spells.
Undead Thralls: Skeletons and zombies animated by you get +16hp and gets +5 to weapon damage rolls.
Inured to Undeath: Resistance to necrotic damage, and maximum hit points cannot be reduced.
Actions: Staff of Striking melee attack at +8 to hit for 1d8 +3 (two-handed) bludgeoning (+ optional 1d6 force damage 10 times per day).
Notable Gear: Staff of Striking, Wand of Paralysis, Winged Boots
Vanthaine is in many ways Lord Daschar’s right-hand woman. She is the leader of the Circle of the Purple Sapphire, the order of wizards and sorcerers who keep some semblance of normality in Caldaropolis, and she is beginning to see herself as Lord Daschar’s heir. Unlike her master, Vanthaine can be evil just for the sake of it and some of her necromantic experiments are quite horrific. She moved to Caldaropolis from Venthoris about 20 years ago just as Lord Daschar was emerging as the front-runner in the power struggle to rule the city. She has seen horrible things happen to her tiefling family at the hands of human supremacists and although she does not begrudge humans as a species (plenty of members of the Circle are humans), she will not tolerate bigotry about her tiefling ancestry.
General Alstaron, Master of the Bloodied Blades.
Medium humanoid (half-orc male), Lawful Evil
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based on 15th level Fighter (Champion),
AC 18, HP 110 , Speed 30ft, Init 0 (with advantage), Profic Bonus +5
Str 16 (+3), Dex 10 (0), Con 14 (+2), Int 13 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 12 (+1)
Saves: Strength +8, Constitution +7
Skill Profic: Animal Handling (+6), Insight (+6)
Senses: 120ft Darkvision, Passive Perception 16
Languages: Common, Orcish
Challenge: 15 (13,000 xp)
Action: Battleaxe melee attack at +8 to hit for 1d8+3 slashing damage + Topple (target must make DC 16 Constitution save or be knocked prone).
Handaxe melee attack at +8 to hit for 1d6+3 damage
Action Surge: Take an additional action once per short rest
Bonus Action: Second Wind, regain 1d10+15hp, usable once per short rest
Two extra attacks
Improved Critical: Critical hit on 19 or 20
Two-Weapon Fighting Style: add strength modifier to off-hand weapon damage
Defence fighting style: +1 to AC when wearing armour
Relentless Endurace: When reduced to 0 hp but not killed outright you can drop to 1hp instead, useable 1/day
Remarkable Athlete : Advantage on Initiative rolls and Athletics check
Notable Gear: Splint Armour +2, Battleaxe, Handaxe, Ring of Regeneration
General Alstaron commands 1,200 mercenary troops who form the Bloodied Blades, a combination of city watch, tax collectors and military defence force. He answers directly to Lord Daschar and he thinks Vanthaine is a bit weird and creepy, though he does not say so to her face. Unlike some other higher ups in the city, Alstaron has a strong sense of law and order (though not necessarily justice or mercy) and he and his Bloodied Blades try to stop the city from tearing itself apart in rioting, gang warfare and possibly even civil war. Vanthaine sometimes teases him about this but Lord Daschar lets him get on with it - Alstaron gets involved in small and local problems that Lord Daschar really is not interested in but knows ought to be resolved.
General Alstaron is quite good to his troops. Those that serve him well are treated well, with pay, housing and possible promotions - Alstaron got rid of paying for promotions and made sure it happened on merit and job performance. But he does expect loyalty and those who compromise their loyalty (typically bribes but sometimes other temptations) can feel his wrath.
Kantheri, Gang Leader
Medium Humanoid (human female), Neutral Evil
Based on 10th level Rogue (Arcane Trickster),
AC 17, HP 35, Speed 30ft, Init +3, Profic Bonus +4
Str 14 (+1), Dex 17 (+3), Con 10 (0), Int 14 (+2), Wis 15 (+2), Cha 14 (+2)
Saves: Dex +7, Int +4
Skill Profic: Stealth (+7), Acrobatics (+7), Perception (+6), Deception (+6) (Expertise in all, double bonuses)
Tool Profic: Thieves Tools, Forgers kit
Senses: Passive perception 12
Languages: Common, Thieves Cant
Challenge: 10 (5,900 xp)
Spellcasting: +6 for spells to hit, DC 14 to save vs spells
Cantrips: Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, Shocking Grasp
1st Level (4): Charm Person, Disguise Self, Expeditious Retreat, Feather Fall
2nd level (3): Darkness, Knock, Levitate
Actions: Shortsword melee attack at +10 to hit for 1d6+5 piercing damage + vex (if you hit and damage a creature you have advantage on next attack roll before end of next round) + wounding (+2d6 necrotic damage, and DC 15 Con save or be unable to regain hit points for 1 hour)
Shortbow: Ranged (80ft/320ft) attack at +8 to hit for 1d6 piercing damage
Sneak Attack: If you have advantage on an attack, you may add 5d6 damage. Note this can be combined with weapons with Vex quality (such as shortsword) or Steady Aim
Bonus action: Cunning Action. You may take one of the following as a bonus action: Dash, disengage or Hide.
Steady Aim: When standing still for the whole turn you get advantage on your attack roll.
Notable Gear: Leather Armour +2, Shortsword +2 of Wounding (“Raggedtooth”), shortbow, Quiver of Endless Arrows (hold up to 40 arrows, generates 1 arrow per hour until quiver is full)
Kantheri is in it for the money. She dislikes violence, although if she is attacked or cornered she is quite capable of fighting. But she considers her best work is done when nobody else notices until the following morning. She prefers either burglary or confidence tricks - armed robbery seems rather crude and risky (particularly if the intended victim can fight back).
Kantheri has gathered a collection of fellow rogues who she is teaching the tricks of the trade. She has heard of thieves guilds but she thinks that is rather old-fashioned and not her style. So she runs this small informal band of 22 criminals from the back streets of Caldaropolis. She is on good terms with the landlord of the Welcoming Warthog tavern and she will meet up with fellow gang members and fences in the wine cellars under the Welcoming Warthog.
Heruune, Leader of Venom Blade syndicate
Medium humanoid (tiefling female), Chaotic Evil
Based on 10th level Rogue (Assassin)
AC 14, HP 52, Speed 30ft, Init +3 (and with advantage), Profic Bonus +4
Str 13 (+1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1), Int 12 (+1), Wis 10 (0), Cha 12 (+1)
Saves: Dex +7, Int +5
Saves: Dex +7, Int +5
Skill Profic: Acrobatics (+7), Stealth (+7), Intimidate (+5), Investigation (+5). Expertise in all (double all bonuses)
Tool Profic: Disguise Kit, Poisoner's Kit
Senses: Darkvision 120ft, Passive Perception 10
Languages: Common, Thieves Cant, Abyssal
Challenge: 10 (5,900 xp)
Spell-like abilities (Abyssal Tiefling): Resistance to Poison damage, Poison Spray, Ray of Sickness, Hold Person
Actions: 3 attacks/turn Scimitar melee attack at +8 to hit for 1d6+4 damage
Hand Crossbow range 30ft/120ft for 1d6 piercing + poison (2d6 poison damage, target must make DC 15 Constitution save or be poisoned)
Sneak Attack: If you have advantage on an attack, you may add 5d6 damage. Note this can be combined with weapons with Vex quality (such as shortsword) or Steady Aim or Surprising Strike
Steady Aim: When standing still for the whole turn you get advantage on your attack roll.
Surprising Strike: During first round of combat, you have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that has not taken a turn. If your sneak attack hits any target during that round the target takes extra +10 damage.
Reaction: Evasion: If subjected to an effect that requires a Dex saving throw to only take half damage, you only take half damage on a failed save, and no damage on a successful save.
Notable Gear: leather armour, Scimitar +1 +2 vs creatures of Good alignment, Scimitar +1 +2 vs orcs, Hand Crossbow, 20 bolts, Poisoner's kit, Disguise kit.
Heruune is a killer for hire, and the leader of other like-minded assassins. She and her gang (currently numbering 40), are the premiere killers in the city, particularly if a target needs to be taken out quietly without warning or fuss. The Venom Blade Syndicate actually spans a number of cities in Caloma, and Heruune has met her counterparts in the Venom Blade Syndicate in Venthoris, Mendopolis and Senthopolis.
Heruune is quite emotionless and sometimes seems robotic in her tone. She rarely does hits on short notice, preferring time to study and plan. However, every now and then (perhaps once per month) she will let her hair down and go out for a drink. Thats when a whole lot of pent-up emotions flood out, whether it be rage, sorrow, joy - during these binges she can be very volatile and unpredictable, killing on a whim or giving passers by hugs. She was popular at the Caldaropolis Comedy Club for a while when she did a hilarious routine while drunk. But then her popularity there plummeted two months later after an incident involving two murdered bar maids.
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