Cale
Contents
Cale Grimaldi, Marshal and Mercenary
Cale was born in Numinas to Mara Kessler, a human scholar, and Keolus Taligari, an elven noble. The parents didn't want Cale to grow up with the stigma of being a half-breed in an elven noble house (especially since he would have none of the rights that come with noblility), so they agreed he should be brought up elsewhere. Mara took him to Menegroth, the capital of Nargothrond, thinking the metropolitan area could give him all of the opportunities that his noble parentage could not.
After settling down in Menegroth, Mara married a human smith named Adler Grimaldi, and the two raised Cale to the best of their abilities. There are very few humans in the elven nation, so they were always seen as outsiders. There was some distrust from their neighbors, but the Grimaldis were morally fair and had good ethics, so most people didn't bother them.
Cale grew up strong and healthy, and wished to join the Ivy Knights, the military of Nargothrond, but he couldn't due to his parentage. Instead, he studied at a martial academy (Adler pulled some strings), and received top marks thanks to his dedication to the art of war and strategy. It was in this time that he met Bregna, an elven maiden also at the academy, and tried to woo her. She had none of the same feelings for him, though, and eventually refused to even be seen in public with him.
At this point Cale realized that he would never be fully accepted into elven society, so he decided to head to human lands and try his luck as a mercenary captain. He left with his mother's blessing, and his stepfather's armor and spear.
When heading out of Nargothrond, Cale enlisted the aid of four friends, including his best friend Tamal Cloudfall, like-minded individuals who wanted to see more of the world than just the elven point of view. Surprisingly, Bregna stated she wanted to accompany them, and desiring to prove his worth to her, he allowed her. This proved to be misplaced trust, though, as Bregna stopped at the border of Nargothrond, telling Cale and his Company that she just wanted to see just how far the outcasts would go in their quest to get themselves killed. With a heavy heart, Cale continued east...
The remainder fled out of the mountain caverns, and headed southeast. They had not heard of Fort Lanton, which is unfortunate, for if they had, they would have taken the long way around. As it was, though, they saw some crumbling ruins and decided to investigate. A campfire and tent greeted them, and this is where they met Sabi, a dragonborn wanderer of the wilderness. After cautious introductions, the group decided to sleep in the same camp together, to increase their chances of survival should the tales of man-animals and ancient curses be true. Unluckily for them, the tales were true.
In the middle of the night, the cries of wolves could be heard in the distance. The group woke up and prepared themselves at once, but they did not realize they were surrounded on all sides. While Cale and Sabi attacked what they thought were the only foes, another had crept around behind them and took out one other half-elf. Quickly recuperating from their misfortune, Cale, Sabi, and Tamal finished off the remainder of the lycanthropes.
The next day, the three headed south to Sparrowdale, the nearest human settlement. It is here that Tamal Cloudfall and Cale Grimaldi split up, for Tamal wished to remain in the peaceful village and mourn his friend. Cale and Sabi wished to continue to the south, to Aspenwood, to bigger and better things.
Cale is something of a romantic, having heard many ancient tales of heroic knight-captains and chivalrous chieftains from his mother. In battle, he tries to inspire those around him to greatness, pointing out the weaknesses of his enemies and how to best exploit them. He is not afraid to get in the thick of combat, standing on the front line to harass his foes and skewer them with his spear.
Cale's Stats and Equipment
Class: Warlord (tactical), level 3
Physical Appearance: 28 yrs old, 6'1" tall, 170 lbs
Beliefs: Good alignment, follower of Ioun (goddess of knowledge, skill, and prophecy)
Ability Scores: Str 16, Con 13, Dex 8, Int 16, Wis 11, Cha 14
Feats: Arcane Initiate, Ritual Caster
Skills: Arcana +9, Athletics +8, Diplomacy +10, Endurance +2, Heal +6, History +9, Insight +3, Perception +1
Hit Points: Max HP 35, Bloodied 17, Healing Surge for 8 x8/day
Defenses: AC 19, Fortitude 16, Reflex 16, Will 15
Senses: Low-light Vision, Passive Insight 13, Passive Perception 11
Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven
Equipment: thundering longspear +1, dwarven chain +1, amulet of protection +1, standard adventurer's kit, climber's kit, tent, ritual book, 23gp
Ritual Book: endure elements, eye of alarm, 110gp of arcane components
Cale's Powers
At Will: Viper's Strike, Wolf Pack Tactics
Encounter: Hammer and Anvil, Inspiring Word (warlord feature), Magic Missile (half-elf dilettante power), Scorching Burst (arcane initiate power)
Daily: Lead the Attack
Utility: Knight's Move
And Now, For a Taste of Things to Come
Feats: Cale will be taking the power swap feats (Novice, Acolyte, and Adept Power), and taking the paragon multiclassing option (page 209 of the Player's Handbook), melding the martial warlord with the arcane wizard in order to fully become an eldritch knight. About half of his attack powers known (at-will, encounter, and daily), as well as two of his utility powers, will be from the wizard power list. He's also going to pick up Human Perseverance to gain a +1 on his saving throws, thus succeeding on a 9 or better (instead of 10).
Powers: Wizard powers like Icy Rays and Wall of Fire, and warlord powers like Stand the Fallen and Surprise Attack. Cale is going to blend warlord tactical powers that grant allies the edge they need in combat, allowing them to take extra actions and heal themselves, with wizard controlling powers that hinder foes or mold the battlefield into the most beneficial scenario. While not dealing much damage, he should be able to fulfill his role as leader (and some-time controller) rather well.
