Ronaldus Swanstone

Mental characteristics

Gender Identity

cis man

Sexuality

Bisexual

Education

Carpenter

Employment

Hellriders

Mental Trauma

Shortly after joining the Hellriders, Ronaldus spent an amount of time in the clutches of the vampire network as a charmed servant. Seeing and being made to do unspeakable things has changed him.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

To not focus on the past, and driven by a new purpose after got out of the clutches Vampire network, Ron pursued specialisation in abjuration magic, vowing never to be enslaved like that ever again, and helping to protect others as well. Haunted by what he has experienced, Rob will not rest before all evil is purged from the land. With the disappearance of Elturel and the Compagnion, fleeing to Baldur’s Gate en seeing the cult’s activities, he is convinced evil has returned and is keeping his city and it’s people hostage. He will do anything to not think of what happened to him ever again, and his focus on this task makes sure of that.

Likes & Dislikes

hates government bureaucracy spirituality chitchat Loves outdoor hunting Camping Fishing Whisky Meat Breakfast foods

Vices & Personality flaws

alcohol addict can't control himself when people get on his nerves or are evil / not to be trusted, especially when he's drunk.

Robaldus Swanstone was born as a commoner, learning the carpenters trade from his grandmother. When Elturel’s High Rider was revealed to be vampire and the undead plague swamped the city, Ron joined the Hellriders

View Character Profile

Alignment

Chaotic Good

Age

Birthplace

Elturel

Children

Current Residence

Refugee

Quotes & Catchphrases

'Literally everything is a weapon, son. That folder, in my hands, is far deadlier than this bow of yours.' 'I would rather bleed out than sit here and talk about my feelings for 10 minutes.' 'Put some alcohol in your mouth to block with words from coming out.”

Related Reports

Session 22: Rescue Party Report

Lucile

The fight on the road shook us a bit, but we decided not to rest and push through. We had to pursue our goal, we had to get LouLou’s memory back. Caja seemed… different after the fight. Her voice got a bit lower, and there was starting to appear a darker shade on her chin and upper lip, like you see with young dwarfs about to hit their puberty. Since it was unlikely Caja would turn into a young dwarven man, something else seemed the matter. She had an ugly scar on her arm, that started to fester and showed a thicker patch of hair. We connected the dots pretty soon after that, thinking of the creatures we had fought earlier, but Caja was stubborn. Denying she was in any danger, and seemingly confused, thinking she wanted to possibly turn into one of those evil creatures. I decided for her and cast the spell to undo a potential curse. She will thank me later. This land does strange things to my companions. They seemed so strongly convinced by right and wrong when we first arrived, but now, I’m not so sure anymore. I’m afraid they are starting to forget the importance of what we are doing here. I seem to have to remind them regularly. We had to look for our ‘friend’ Basilstein who may be able to point us in the direction of a set of astral pistons. On our way there we stopped about 100m away from the stygian dock, where a ship was docked, a big, evil looking thing, a six story tall monolith build from infernal metal. Seemingly powered by styx water, because steam came out of it. When you looked longer, horrible faces seem to emerge out of the clouds. Armies of devils where training there, whipped by chain devils. Doing target practise and doing push-ups. A line of Imps carrying big iron boxes up to the hill, into the infernal war machine. I saw Miragons, and bearded devils. And a enormous bluish fiend, big wings, with giant horns curled around their face, who seemed to be the leader Caja and Fenrir where set on walking right in there, right into those armies of evil. Getting more naïve by the day, or they just simply stopped caring about their lives. I managed to convince them to first look in Basilsteens hut, where we before caught the souls in the styx water in one of his contraptions. The hut didn’t seem to be inhabited by Basilstein. There was a thick layer of dust, but wiping away the dust, I saw one of the most unique pieces of woodworking I have ever seen in my life. A master’s work, a true artist. Bright white wood, with a red grain. The markings, the patterns, they resembled faces and I swear when I looked closer, their eyes seem to follow me. Swallowing away the emotion that overcame me at seeing such work of art, in such a dark place, we searched the house further, but found nothing that could lead us to Basilsteen. But Basilstein found his way to us. With on his heels a small army of devil’s, and most important of all, the big blue winged devil I described before. We were unable to escape before they saw us and fighting this creature was no option. We where way out of our league. Just in case this wasn’t clear enough to us, the warlord introducing their selves as General Lucile threw a fireball at us, just as a display of power. Now, I have to say, Basilstein was very brave and tried to protect us, saying we where bound to him with our souls. That this was the reason why we were here. The ruse seemed to work, until It’s attention got drawn to Bertha, who works like a flytrap to demon’s, still having a soul of her own. As a student of truth, and not able to hold her tongue when she feels unfairly treated, she spoke to Lucile as an equal, very rudely. Called her moody, and spoke back to them relentlessly. Knowing a thing or to about army dynamics, this is where Lucile had to display an even greater force of power, to maintain the respect of her subordinates. She seemed to get even bigger, and got ready to teach us all a lesson…

Genku rescue mission

After meeting that REAL Jim Darkmagic fellow, my stomach felt off. He talks too much and I do not trust him one bit. I mean, come on, he has an amphitheatre full of corpses, took our faces away, he doesn’t pay his staff, and now he is building 16 warmachines, and NOBODY is worried. What is a performer going to do with 16 infernal machines? And now Fenrir not only has a talking bag and a talking shield, he now also has the eye of a Hag in his face, with which she can look at us through him. His eyes are standing in different directions most of the time, and it doesn’t make him look more intelligent. Maybe we should give him an eyepatch, give him some mystique. Before we went off to our next adventure, we finished some shopping. There was a sex worker pixie, who tried to sell me her body. Leo was flirting with the fiery market lady, but she had none of it. He even tried to impress her by firing a magical bow, but it rejected him, just like it’s owner had done. Fenrir got himself some new plate and Bertha got herself a magical Lyre (a fine piece of work). Caja came back with a Satyr skull stuck on her shoulder. I don’t think she is able to get it off again. After that we went on our way. We used the motorcycles Mad Maggy set us up with and drove disward for what seemed like forever. When we set up camp, Caja and Leo caught ashy worms for diner. Loulou was positive and supportive as always, and after frying them above the fire Leo acted like it was the best thing he ever ate, but to be honest they tasted like mouldy ash sausages. They were nutritious, so I didn’t say anything and bravely pushed through. We needed our energy for what was to come. The dome I set up was sturdy and kept us safe through the night. Some fiery rats of about 2 feet tall tried to get in, their faces pressed against the exterior, little nails scratching against the surface. We found an enormous ship without sails, with a huge christal sticking out of the back. It was crashed on the rocks. The genku we sought where trying to salvage an infernal machine. The ship didn’t look like a machine, but since there was nothing else in sight, we thought it possible they had stumbled upon this thing as well. It wouldn’t hurt to have a look. We were greeted with hostility. Halfway into the fight, a Jackyll looking captain appeared, and tried to bargain with Fenrir. He wanted first Fenrir’s shield, and then he asked for Caja’s sword. Caja gracefully offered her sword for the 2 Genku, and they agreed, but when we turned our backs these cowards attacked us with great force. The smaller insect like creatures where already great spellcasters, but the Jackyl turned out a master in magic. I had a rough time keeping their spells under control. In the end only one of the insects and the Jackyll where left, and they fled. Too bad, because the Jackyll left with Caja’s sword and who knows whatever he had on him. We tried to talk to the Genku’s. They have an odd way of communicating, just repeating everything we say. I think the trick is to trigger a response, to get something out of them they heard others say in the past. They said for example ‘I used to be Zariels mount’ in loulou’s voice, which indicates they have talked to Loulou before, like , before we met her. They also said something about Archangels Zariels collectables. We searched the ship thoroughly and found a half elf. The poor woman was gagged and bound, and any attempts to talk to her failed. She was just screaming on the top of her lungs, her eyes wide in confusion. Our theory is she was dipped in the Styx, or has some kind of curse on her. We gave up our efforts and decided to take her with us. Our best option was to put the motorcycles on the ship, and try to sail home with it. We searched the ship and we found a lot of useful things. First of all, a text in primordial, which I was able to read through some spellcasting: (TEXT)

The Mirror’s Edge is powered by a special kind of water elemental formed from the waters of the river Styx.

The strange mark on Barriel’s forearm is tied to the wheel of the ship. When Barriel touches the ship’s wheel, it can bind the elemental to the Mirror’s edge.

Binding the elemental to the ship should unbeach the Mirror’s edge from the rocks

The stygian water elemental is trapped in a magic item somewhere on the ship, but after souring the area’s below deck Vorcas has not found it.

Further more I found a spellbook, an elemental gem, used to control elementals and an iron flask, like bertha also has. I seems magical by nature and i think it is possible it holds the stygian water elemental.

The Bloodwhore

Journal entry 49 It wasn’t my idea to lead a humanitarian mission to the vampire market. I don’t mingle in politics. But But my companions where set on going and I couldn’t let them transport two full carts over a ravine by themselves. If I could have gotten my hands om some good quality wood, I would have built a beautiful bridge that would have served these people for eons to come, but all the wood in Avernus is dead a nd dry and time wasn’t on our side. Nearing the edge of the ravine, we saw a gnome tinkering away at some metal contraption. They suggested one of us would take place in said contraption and be LAUNCHED to the other side. I would have expected Fenrir to rush in to this, because it was exactly the stupid thing that gets his blood all fired up, but it was Caja who was already jumping up and down in excitement. My ‘but what about the carts’ faded in the hot air. Now, I never trusted metal as a material to work with, it’s too fickle and it smells funny. Just to be sure I flew after her with my new flying booties. For a moment I thought she would make it, but my heart stopped when the thing started to fall down before it reached the other side. Some fast spellcasting prevented her from dropping to fast, but she was still slowly descending. With some rope and Fenrir’s strength we were able to get her out of there. While we where catching our breath, the gnome studied my boots, and was able to craft a glove that was connected to the carts and made it possible to fly the carts over the ravine. Taxying the carts back and forth (the last one with Fenrir and Caja on it), we made it to the other side. Ran into the same devil’s again from last time, but they didn’t give us too much trouble. I have to say I was almost disappointed that we succeeded in our venture. I did not look forward to see Klav Ikaia again. Caja and Fenrir keep saying we are helping the people, not the vampire. But I can’t let go of the fact that by bringing them these supplies, we are helping him keep his seat of power. In the camp we saw Volo again, he finished his book ‘Volo’s guide to the nine hells’. I hope it’s better than the last things he wrote, now he’s actually been to the place that he’s writing the book about. But he seems to have a talent for twisting reality. I doubt he has even left the camp. Everybody keeps saying how Klav Ikaia is a changed man. How there is no malice left in him. Yet he carries the same memoires, he seems to recognise me. How can it not be the same man? This whole thing is nothing more than a ploy to get to power again. Also, he has to eat, doesn’t he? Are they trying to tell me he survives sucking dry hellchickens or something? I’m not buying that. Just to be sure he didn’t recognise me this time, I put on this golden mask I found earlier on a cultist. I think it looks rather mysterious. I’m sure this will work, i could be any dwarf now. People in power don’t pay much close attention the common folk anyway. We brought the carts to this Melina person and boy, was she cold about it. Typical. I would surely just as easily bring it all back, but my companions won’t let me, because politics. We met Nori again, she seemed milder towards Caja, I guess time heals all wounds. Also she read here letters, which helped. Nori got a bit angry with me though, just because I misheard her calling Klav Ikaia a bloodwhore (bloodwar). That got her really riled up for some reason. And then there he was, on his high horse, surrounding us with his followers. Luckily I felt protected by my mask, but just to be sure I stood a little bit behind Caja so I wouldn’t stand out. I think it worked. There was no time to waste and us and the lot of them went back over the ravine to High Hall. Nori stone shaped a bridge over the ravine. I guess that’s one way to do it. And i do like stone more than metal. But there is just some skill in making a wooden bridge with your hands that magic can never beat. Then we made our way to high hall, with our 40 vampire friends on our heels.

Guts and Glory

Journal Entry 44 In the Wizard’s tower we found a scrying table. It’s an art i’d be very willing te learn, but have not mastered yet. My admiration for this wizard Bèr Nolmiën is ever growing. He is a a survivalist who know’s how to protect himself, master of riddles and intreague and a cunning intelectual who can see all that is present and future. I do live for solving a good puzzle, but he drove us to dispair, bickering among ourselves with our hands in our hair. I don’t thik we solved the puzzle the way we where meant to, but we after a while, we managed to find the mirror room. His spellbook was just laying there, a thick tome, with alomst a holy glow about it. Reading a wizard’s spellbook is like looking into his mind. It’s stragely intimate, and if it wasn’t confirmed that the wizerd has been gone for a long time, i might not have dared. But I couldn’t help myself. I was like a young lad, meeting his hero for the first time. When I finally looked up, my mind full of new spells, my companions looked a bit more rested. We slipped past the two debooks we bested earlier. Spineless, jellyfishlike creatures, trying to find a new host to slither in. But everytime they found a suitable body, they where fried by lightning from the wizard’s defensive spells. They seemed so buisy with that, they did not seem to notice us. We spend a chunk of time observing the cemetary, trying to come up with a way to outsmart the 40 undead in the front yard. Fenrir seemed set on blasting his way through. This boy’s is bravery is always in the way of his common sense. I don’t know what to do about it. Completing his mission is more important then anything else around him. Damned paladin’s. They always find something stupidly heroic to do. But as he was about to do just that, a voice came from behind us. I did’nt recognise him at first, but there he was, Gideon Lightward a.k.a. ‘Uncle Gideon. Turnes out the army of zombies in the front yard where his ‘boys’, and not only that, Fenrir is his descendant. He knew where the Helmet was and after a bit of questioning, send us on our way to prove ourselves and clear the path. The stench was horrible. The ground was soggy from blood, guts and bodyparts, some moving in a unnatural way. The air was thick with the sound of the moaning boys. And the whole place was lit in this sickly purple light of the companion. We went on our way, Fenrir marching in the front, me not far behind. The demon’s, had hornes sticking out of their grotesk body’s, and they could jump way too high. Even turned invisible. It was not an easy fight, but we had the upperhand. Leo was blasting them with lightning which he conjured out of the sky and Caja wrecked them with her axe, releasing all this build-up anger on these creatures. Bertha managed to damage, distract and confuse them for a long time, untill two of them got to her and just kept hamering down on her untill she almost lost consiousness. While i was focussing on that, Fenrir got snatched away by this big demon with nasty grabby crabhands. I didn’t have the magical energy anymore to do anything about it, and instead i just kept running after them like a maniac, trying to do some damage so he would let go of Fenrir. But these creatures seem to have some kind of magic resistance. Then, in this horrible moment, he just flew up really really high, and he dropped Fenrir out of the sky like a child dropping a doll. I used my ring to let him fall softly, but the beast had a way to counter my spell, and Fenrir just plumeted. The demon threw himself into Fenrir, who didn’t move anymore. He hit him again and again, and the horible thought occurred to me that this might be the last stupidly brave thing this man would ever do again.

aMAZEing

Journal Entry 40 Before we would embark on our mission to get the Helm of Thorm Sight, we decided to go visit the Wizard Bear Normul for much needed materials. He’s said to be held up north east from the Grand Cemetary. What we have been told about him seems solid. He has set up a lot of traps around his tower, to keep the demon’s and devil’s out, I assume. Smart man. Because of said demons and devils, we decided to avoid the surfice. we would travel through the underground maze. We managed to find this hippie fellow, who was willing to draw us a map, in exchange for special mushrooms. He also mumbled something about other dimensions and planes while he was at it. Now, here it was confirmed once and for all why I don’t like asking for directions, and i’m pretty sure this shady flowerchild was the reason for what transpired later that morning. I myself could have find the way easily, since i have a good sence of direction, especially in tunnels, but it’s the map that threw me off. Even with the help of Caja, we wherent able to avert the mess this freethinker got us into, and we ran right into the arms of a big floating creature, that started to invade our minds, showing us images of ho wit got here, was hunted down by people and then started hunting people itself. I don’t like things probing in my head, so I tried to curse it, but to no avail. Then everything around me suddenly sped up, while close to me everything slowed down. I could see their smooth, flesy, moist, glassy whet skin, their tantacles, reaching out for my allies, turning into a beautifull dance. To be honest this might have been the most beautifull creature i have ever seen. So majestic. So misunderstood. I didn’t them to hurt it anymore, their swords hurting me as well. I felt deeply touched by this otherworldly creature, so out of place, just trying to survive. Finally it spoke to us again, and we left each other alone. When time cought up again, i wiped away my tears. I think nobady saw, but when I looked at Bertha I knew we shared the same experience. The way back was easier, since we went into the exact opposite direction, the only thing we had to do was follow our tracks back again, and go the other way. We lost a good amount of time, but managed to find the Alchamist Workshop the hippie had pointed out. It was quite a mess, but we managed to find some bits and bobs. Fenrir almost turned his insides out on the ground, because opened one that smelled like a lemur’s armit. I almost thought he was going to taste it, but he didnt, which counts as progress i gess. While Bertha climed the tower to see where we surfaced exactly, we spotted some people. Happy it was not devil’s, i waved at them. Then remembered sweet little Emiel, with his parents Tom and Sarah. I don’t know why this memory surfaced at this moment, but I will in the future trust my instincts. Because as soon as we entered their home, one of the women started vomiting blood furiously, and bending backwards way to far, and then crawling on the walls and stuff, and sprouting tentacles, and that was just not ok at all.

You know who

Journal Entry 31 Years have i dreamt of this moment. Played it over and over again in my head. What I would do when I would finally see him. What I would say. How I would strike him down with all my might, that build up hate channeled through my hands. I didn’t think I would turn into a mindless ghoul again, like all those years ago. I wouldn’t think I would turn into that young dwarf again, as cowardly now as i was as then. The power he holds. He so casually sits there, waving commands to his minions. How everything is just handed to him, again. How he barely seemed to remember me. What shaped the path of life for me, is for him just a page in his book. A word. The space bitween the words. Barely worthy of his attention. And when his eyes did finally gaze upon me, the pages turned to dust and ash, just like the whole world around us has. I’m drinking to forget. I’m fighting to not feel so helpless all the time. And yet, here I am. Helpless, cowering behind my companions. Time really has repeated itself. Yesterday began hopefull. It was a bit hard to get to, with the lava and all, but we made our way to the warehouse. We fought a barrel, but other then that, we got pretty lucky. There where some barrels that where just barrels, full of alcohol and water. We found ourselves some usefull items too; gold and stones, ballista’s, even a spellbook. We managed to get everything on the cards with some pretty nifty use of our abilities. We also stumbled upon Tristain and his crew, who had just finished his last breath. Leogym tried to save him with his druid magic. He seemed pretty pleased with himself when he finally managed, but to be honest I think it was mainly Caja’s kiss that brought him back to life. After that we saw the other body’s move, i got myself a bit of a scare, because I thought they’d turn into undead. They remind me of – that time. Turned out to be some hellchickens. This Avernus is full of surprises. What’s next, hellpuppy’s? Even the cute things get turned to shit here. Back in the camp we met this garrison leader Rokus again, and so it was decided we would meet – you know who - soon. Fenrir seemed set on meeting the bastard RIGHT AWAY. I don’t know why he seemed so eager. After al he’s been through, still has too much faith in people. It will be his downfall. And after what happened to me this morning - … i am not sure anymore I can protect him – or any of my companions. I feel weak. Not in the body. It’s a sickness of the mind. Maybe the alcohol is not helping me anymore.

The Unicorn and the Golden Holifant

Begin writing your story hJournal entry 23. The Unicorn and the Golden Holifant I thought I left the darkness behind, lived a free man since the undead plague swamped Elturel. When the Companion appeard in the sky, the High Rider and his vampire spawn burned to dust, my mind was mine once again. But nobody knew the price paid in exchange for this new Sun, the great gift, never a gift at all. We where never free. We and the ones who came after us have just been sold to another master. Once I was proud to be a Hellrirder, proud to be of Elturel. Of that faith rests but a sliver. We have been betrayed. First by the High rider, 50 years ago. Then by Nadja Bellani, thought our souls were a good price for a meager 50 years of peace. She doomed us all, and for what? A small respite? The world does not seem better off then it was. I have to admit. I am afraid. But I will not sit here, sheepishly waiting until Zariel harvests my soul. I have not worked this hard to be enslaved once again. Silvara - who I am weary of because she entertains herself with demons and lesser devils - turns out to be a great source of knowledge.

the contract Nadja made with Zariel contains out of 2 parts, that, if brought together, can be destroyed

the contract can be destroyed by grace of the arch devil

if the devil breaks the agreement, the contract can be legally unbound

to destroy the contract, the pieces can be submerged in the river styx.

the contract can be destroyed by devine intervention.

A council has been brought together to look into these solutions and pursue the most viable option. The council consists of all kinds of babbling braggarts, lots of words-no-action types. Some humans, dwarfs, that otter guy Taxidorp or something and a gnome. All of use for something no doubt, but I just want to get to action. We won’t get anything done talking about it. This one bard Volendamkedam or something seems useful though, we’ll see. Some of them will join us when we venture off to Hell. My fellow adventurers don’t seem half that bad though. This Fenrir fellow might be possessed by a demonic shield (have to keep an eye on that), but I feel a kinship to him. He is young, but he has been through a lot and his story is too similar to mine. And possessed or not, we are already in the same pickle with the whole demon contract thing so i guess it doesn’t matter. This Leo guy is a bit floaty for my taste. He’s a healer. Useful, in a fight, but he smokes flowers and talks to trees, i don’t get it. Bertha does their own thing, which I respect. Seems smart, smarter then me. Even though I like doing stuff more then reading or talking about it, who knows what she comes up with. Caja talks a lot, but she is a strong and capable fighter and she know’s how to drink. The council meeting was still going on when a giant sword appeared from that damned puzzlebox. A big horned devil appeard together with even more demons and devils. We were ready to fight them, but then we were ordered to instead find Silvara’s Compendium. This imp Papjip and whatever the other creature was - were of no help. But we managed to find the cursed book, and were transported to a very damp cellar with a very talkative dragon ghost. I didnt listen to half of what they said, but it was something with them being bound to Candlekeep for 20 years by a powerful conjurer. After what seemed like listening to her whole life story, she then transported us to a swamp. This swamp was meant to be the location where the lost portal to Avernus was located - the same portal that was used during the charge of the Hellriders into Avernus. We didn’t find this portal, but we did find a unicorn guarding a big tree. After a while we found out we had to destroy the tree (not the unicorn) to get tot he portal. Caja rode the Unicorn to keep it buisy, while we started our attack. The tree was magical and did not want to be hit or burned. it did all kinds of evasive manouvers and illusory tricks to outsmart us and make our attacks miss, but we managed to overcome this great foe in the end. Before we could set foot in the barely two feet wide portal, something else appeared. A small golden winged creature, with flappy ears and a big trunk. It squeezed it’s way out, and the portal closed. Now we have this creature with us - no clue what it is or what to do with it. Of one thing i’m sure, it’s not going to get our souls back, and the portal is gone. Also, we left the counsel to fend for themselves, who knows what became of them, and all we got to show for it is this lousy little elephant. Other things; Finished my Lyre Have to buy more whisky. I need a drink.

Ronaldus Swanstone