Dr. Semantica Wordsmith

Level 11 High Elf High Elf Bard (College of Legalese)

STR
10
DEX
14 (+2)
CON
14 (+2)
INT
16 (+3)
WIS
12 (+1)
CHA
20 (+5)

Defense

Armor Class 15 (Light Armor)
Hit Points 63 (11d8 +2)
Speed 30 ft.

Proficiencies & Skills

Saving Throws Strength, Constitution
Skills Arcana +3, History +3, Insight +1, Stealth +2, Deception +7, Perception +1, Persuasion +5, Performance +5, Investigation +3

Character Information

Dr. Semantica Wordsmith is a High Elf bard with an uncanny intellect for legal words and contracts. Specializing in the College of Legalese, she wields her bardic abilities to navigate the minefield that is bureaucracy and legal discourse. With a passion for the nuances of terminologies, she carefully crafts her Bardic Inspiration into clauses and amendments, ready to buff allies while turning the tables against enemies. Her reputation precedes her as a fiercely clever negotiator who can find hidden loopholes poised within any situation, whether they be contracts, social challenges, or magical duels. This scholarly virtuoso, carrying her custom Harp of Amendments, sees herself as a guardian of both artistic integrity and ethical progress, forever straddling the line between rigid lawful structures and the vibrant world of bardic escapades.

QUEST -- The Contract of the Century

Dr. Wordsmith discovers a rare magical contract that grants its signer immense power. To prevent it from falling into the wrong hands, she must decipher its hidden clauses and secure it for her own purposes. This quest requires her to engage in a battle of wits with rival legal scholars and end up deciphering the lawful terms that bind them. Successfully securing the contract would allow her to unlock a new spell that enhances her manipulative abilities. Failure could result in being bound by her own words.

Current Stage

Research the mysterious contract in the infamous Library of Lost Laws and gather clues about its whereabouts.

Choice

Dedicate extra time for meticulous research

You discover hidden links between the contract and a forgotten legal historical mystery, giving you insights into ancient bardic practices.
Alternative

Rely on assistance and skimp on details

You miss an important detail in the contract, increasing the stakes and complications.
Mechanical Rewards
  • Unlock a new spell 'Binding Rhetoric' that creates verbal contracts that bind foes for 1d8 rounds.
  • Gain the ability to add 'Rhetorical Flourish' to any spell, increasing its range or duration.
  • Permanent increase of charisma score by 1.
Narrative Rewards
  • Secure a powerful legal ally that opens new spellcasting opportunities in the political landscape.
  • Gain access to hidden libraries of ancient bardic law that enhance your skill set.
  • Learn of an ancient academy for Bards where you might expand your influence.

QUEST -- The Bards of Bureaucracy

Dr. Wordsmith learns of an organization known as the Bards of Bureaucracy, who use negotiation and legalese to manipulate political powers. To gain their favor, she must complete trials that test her eloquence, legal knowledge, and persuasive abilities. In doing so, she will not only gain new allies among the bureaucratic elite but also a secret technique that allows her to call upon past legal precedents in battle or negotiation.

Current Stage

Participate in verbal duels with members of the Bards of Bureaucracy, overcoming logical traps they set for you.

Choice

Use humor alongside logic to disarm your opponents

Your lightheartedness wins you unexpected allies among the more serious Bards who need such refreshing perspectives.
Alternative

Stick rigidly to fine legal points

Your rigidity makes the duel last longer, giving your peers time to discuss your methods and spread rumors.
Mechanical Rewards
  • Acquire a new spell, 'Codex of Allies' that allows you to summon bureaucratic entities for advice and aid in battles.
  • Gain a Bardic Technique that permits a limited number of rerolls on any charmed or persuasive rolls.
  • Unlock a new subclass feature enhancing your counter-spell capabilities.
Narrative Rewards
  • Be recognized as a peer by the Bards of Bureaucracy, encouraging fruitful partnerships that lead to better contracts and connections.
  • Access to exclusive events that promote bardic civil rights, on which you can expand your influence.
  • Learn invaluable historical documents about bardic legalities, enriching your character pool.

QUEST -- The Loophole Gambit

In a wager against a powerful foe who seeks a devastating contract to enslave the world, Dr. Wordsmith must exploit the loopholes hidden within it. The gambit requires her utmost cleverness to safely navigate the binding ordeal and ultimately prevents catastrophe while making a powerful enemy in the process. She must either find a way to bind her adversary with the loophole, or risk being caught in the wording herself.

Current Stage

Debate the ethics of the contract with allies and scholars to uncover any hidden flaws.

Choice

Take the lead on ethical considerations in front of potential allies

You wound your rivals with legal reasoning and earn their respect, potentially turning foes into friends.
Alternative

Opt to make the contract sound more appealing during discussions

Your logic becomes convoluted, creating distrust from fellow scholars regarding your intentions.
Mechanical Rewards
  • Gain a unique ability called 'Enforced Clauses' that can bind an enemy to follow a command once they agree to it!
  • Receive the powerful item 'Amendment Cloak' that allows one to physically change minor spells every encounter, enhancing their power.
Narrative Rewards
  • Unlocks the insight of becoming a Legislative Advocate, establishing another layer of your influence.
  • Brings into light information about a lost civilization where laws were written in mysteries, leading to further quests to uncover.
  • Creates tension with a powerful rival who becomes obsessed with outmaneuvering her in her own games.

QUEST -- The Harp of Amendments

Dr. Wordsmith hears rumors of the legendary Harp of Amendments, an artifact said to be able to alter reality subtly through legal jargon and clauses. She must seek it out, fighting against those who wish to misuse its power. Securing the harp will boost her control over verbal combat and further FCC precision in spellcasting. To unlock its true powers, she must complete trials requiring intellect, cunning, and mastery of the art of legalese.

Current Stage

Navigate a treacherous landscape known as the Enchanted Judiciary where trials test your mind and heart.

Choice

Approach the trials with strict adherence to every law communicated verbally.

You miss out leveraging certain loopholes, forcing your allies to bypass certain enchantments that aid them.
Alternative

Navigate through the trials using crafty wordplay to bend the rules in your favor.

This earns you both allies and adversaries - sometimes your words are your worst enemy.
Mechanical Rewards
  • Possession of the Harp of Amendments which enhances her spellcasting with new amendments written into spells.
  • Unlocks all spells related to verbal manipulation at the next level, providing unique and exhilarating gameplay.
Narrative Rewards
  • Establish a contrarian movement of bards standing up for ethical practices of contracts and negotiations.
  • Provide the basis of a new bardic school focused on the art of verbal command and manipulation.

Major Decision

Context

The decision to publicly challenge a bureaucratic authority on moral grounds.

Choice Made

Challenge or concede the authority?

Impact

If she challenges and succeeds, she gains immense credibility and reputation; if she concedes, she risks losing allies.

Major Decision

Context

Choosing to ally with a powerful legal adversary for protection.

Choice Made

Secure or reject the alliance?

Impact

Securing the alliance grants her unique contracts and a feather in her cap; rejection sends her into adversarial relations.

Major Decision

Context

The choice to take on a rogue spell that threatens the legal fabric of society.

Choice Made

Risk it for potential power, or adhere to a strict interpretation of law?

Impact

Taking the spell may provide immense short-term power but risks her credibility; rejection solidifies her standing among traditionalists.

Transformative Moment

Trigger

Winning a legal duel against a rival bard.

Transformation

Her confidence swells, allowing her to manipulate words with razor finesse while wielding legal fixtures in her flamboyant style.

Mechanical Changes

Charisma

Gain 1 additional point to her Charisma Modifier due to newfound confidence in public speaking skills.

The duel reveals the effectiveness of rhetoric in debates.

Transformative Moment

Trigger

Obtaining the Harp of Amendments.

Transformation

The harp deepens her understanding of language's malleability, allowing for innovative spellcasts and unconventional strategies, embodying her unique approach.

Mechanical Changes

Spell variety

Enhance spell options with unique verbal manipulations.

She learns to fuse legalese with arcane traditions.

Transformative Moment

Trigger

Betrayal by a close ally.

Transformation

Dr. Wordsmith's view of trust is shattered, reshaping her relationships and approach to burgeoning alliances.

Mechanical Changes

Trust Mechanics

Begins to assess all new allies more cautiously, influencing her future interactions.

Betrayal forces her to put logical contracts before emotional ones.

Ally:
Lysander Quill

Relationship Scholar Ally
Influence 8/10
Loyalty 9/10

Shared History

Lysander and Dr. Wordsmith met at the Academy of Lawful Arts, where they shared a common interest in the intersection between bardic traditions and jurisprudence. Having tackled complex legal cases side by side, they've developed a deep-seated mutual respect. In times of difficulty, he often provides her with valuable insights into a legal dilemma.

Potential Breaking Points

  • Lysander has sought to use her influence in his own pursuit of academic legacy.
  • Changes in his research direction lead to philosophical disagreements.
  • His unexplained absences during critical developments raised some alarms.

Enemy:
Tavin the Ambiguous

Threat Level 8/10
Conflict Type Rivalry

Personal Stakes

The Ambiguous' skill in manipulation makes him an intellectual and competitional threat, having once outsmarted Dr. Wordsmith in public debates.

Possible Resolutions

  • Direct confrontation using her newly acquired skills and allies to stand up against him.
  • Engage in a battle of wits to uncover a deeper conspiracy involving their shared ties to the Bardic Council.
  • Seek an alliance with a higher authority to publicly discredit his manipulations without direct confrontation.

Faction: Bureau of Bardic Ethics

Standing 7/10
Influence High

Obligations

  • Report any unethical practices noticed among bards throughout the realm.
  • Facilitate discussions of ethical bardic engagements at gatherings.

Benefits

  • Gain legal assistance when negotiating contracts related to bardic performances.
  • Get preferential treatment at bardic events where obedience to ethical standards is showcased.

Unresolved Plots

  • Following whispers of the 'Great Bard's Tragedy' that persists through oral tradition, seeking the truth.
  • The potential existence of hidden legal tomes that could lead to deciphering ancient bardic secrets still locked away.
  • A mysterious call by a long-lost bard from Dr. Wordsmith's family with connections to a dark affair in legal history.

Secrets

  • Dr. Wordsmith hides a fear of public speaking behind her elite charm, using mantras to strengthen her confidence.
  • She once agreed to a binding contract unbeknownst to her rival, which may buffer her against future attacks.
  • A past involvement in underhand deals as a scholar haunts her, making her wary of duplicity in her dealings.

Fears

  • Fearing being outsmarted by a rival every encounter.
  • Betrayal from those she trusts most may lead to her undoing.
  • The inevitable decay of ethics in her field measuring her worth when faced with moral challenges.

Aspirations

  • To become a revered authority in bardic law, reshaping how modern bardic practices are viewed.
  • To challenge and transform the outdated perceptions around bardic performances and ethics into modern relevance.
  • To uncover the legal mysteries that have long been forgotten, reestablishing lost connections between law and art.

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