Lord Trynn

Landlord of Echo Tree Hex Trynn

What if Hex Trynn had never escaped the regime of Hornswoggle? What if it swallowed everything he believes in and corrupted it for its own uses?
Lord Trynn was raised by the Regime Youth Program and has given back in every way he can. He's taken the reigns of his old neighborhood, Echo Tree, and led it into a bright future where the arts are respected and encouraged - so long as they are used in support of the Regime's goals. He honors his mother and has resurrected his father. He's teaching the next generation of maestros. He's exacting and often difficult - but everybody working under him believes he can unlock and wield the secrets of musical Canticles, great rituals capable of changing the arc of the world. The entirety of Echo Tree stands by awaiting his grand design.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

At 9 years old, freshly traumatized, The Queen of Cats gently took him by the hand and walked him from safety back into the Green Greatwyrm's lair where she presented him as a gift to the Green Dragon Lord of the time - Councilor Donaar. The Councilor told Hex he understood, it's so easy to blame a thing like the Regime for all your problems. He brought out Hex's friend Sylmae Fext, alive and well, then told the boy it was her who warned the secret police who alerted Virescent of the attack. He handed Hex a black sword with skulls on the hilt and stood back as the boy took his revenge before falling to tears. Donaar comforted Hex and told him you can't change the world by killing what you don't like. He let the young tabaxi keep the sword, telling him it would take nine souls before losing its power, and gave him one more thing - a ring with a brain-shaped gem inlaid, with the soul of his friend Parwyn inside.
The Regime Youth Program raised Hex, to be smart, and athletic, respect authority, to recognize and report subversion. The youth themselves, particularly a High Elf named Wylet, targeted Hex because of his own subversive parents. He naturally asked questions and respected individuals over institutions and Wylet would lead a group of boys to hurt him for that. Parwyn was his only friend. On one harrowing occasion, Wylet and his friends kidnapped Hex and took him back to Echo Tree - an empty ruin then - to kill Hex in his own childhood home and reunite him with his beloved parents. Instead, he unlocked a level of bardic ability he did not know he possessed and stole Wylet's life with his blade. Hex never struggled with bullies again at school.
Hex returned to Echo Tree to find more of his mother's writing and unlock more lost abilities of Maestros - but was with his books by a teacher, Mrs. Breckenbrooke, a kind elder halfling. She took pity on him and supported his interests in the arts - even helping him find a quiet place to practice and develop his abilities. She was an artificer who struggled to work in the flora city and offered to design a special warforged body for Parwyn. Before the head could be added to the body, Mrs. Breckenbrooke and Hex discovered maestro bards were the ones who wrote the original Canticle of Quell and Kismet Trynn had already been working on rewriting the song that could seal away the dragons. Mrs. Breckenbrooke turned on the boy and tried to burn the books - to her the freedom of arts had their limits. Hex pushed Parwyn into the warforged body before it was completed - and Parwyn beat Mrs. Breckenbrooke halfway to death blind. Hex took her life with his blade to end her suffering. Parwyn confessed to Hex that it was him, not Sylmae, who warned the secret police about the resistance movement in Echo Tree. Hex forgave Parwyn and from then on it was them against the world.
On Parwyn's advice they took their discovery to Donaar shortly before his time as Councilor was set to end. He was excited for the regime to have a version of the Canticle they could control and offered Hex anything in return for this gift. Hex only wanted to see his mother again. Donaar did him one better and resurrected both his mother and father - or at least he attempted to. Only Hex's father Rhynn Tynn Trynn returned to life. Kismet's soul did not appear to accept the resurrection offer. They told Hex she was at peace. Rhynn took this news poorly, starting his descent into a drunken stupor. Donaar offered Hex a solution, the first Canticle they produce should be in service to the people. Hex could write a song capable or resurrecting even those who do not want to or should not be able to be brought back. Donaar would support the entire endeavor.
Echo Tree was reinstated and turned into the Trynn College of the Maestro. The Regime invested in bardic teachings they could control. When Donaar's time ended and the next Councilor took over he kept the policies of his predecessor, but their relationship was never as close. Parwyn was as mature as a ten-year-old in a powerful adult warforged body he chose to embellish with a wasps nest, a psycho menace Hex could only control and apologize for by giving him the made up position of Warden of Echo Tree. Hex did not trust him anymore. He did not trust anyone. One of his best students discovered this was all a charade and Hex was never writing a Canticle of Complete Resurrection, so he took her life with his blade too. Hex would prove Donaar wrong: you can change the world by killing what you don't like.

Mental Trauma

Everybody he knew died when he was nine, then he was encouraged to murder a survivor who he later learned was innocent, he was mercilessly bullied then became a bully, then learned his best friend was guilty of getting everybody he knew murdered. He's not great.

Current Status

writing the Canticle of Kill

Species

Tabaxi

Birthplace

Echo Tree

Current Residence

Echo Estate

Pronouns

Ha/Him

Eyes

Green cat eyes

Hair

Short body hair, a tight chignon on top

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

Red saffron colored fure

Height

5'10"

Lord Hex Trynn

Medium Tabaxi, Maestro, Lawful Evil

Armor Class 16 (last stand studded leather armor)

Hit Points 34

Speed: 30 ft Climb: 30 ft

STR

11
( +0 )

DEX

16
( +3 )

CON

13
( +1 )

INT

11
( +0 )

WIS

11
( +0 )

CHA

20
( +5 )

Saving Throws DEX +6, CHA +8

Skills Deception (expertise) +12, Insight +4, Perception +4, Performance (expertise) +11, Persuasion +8, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +7 Half Proficiency in all other skills

Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Perception 14, Investigation 12, Insight 14

Languages Common, Draconic

Proficiency Bonus +3

Description

Last Stand Armor. If you die while wearing the armor, it is destroyed, and each celestial, fey, and fiend with 30 feet of you must succeed on a DC 15 Charisma saving throw or be banished to its home plane of existence, unless it is already there.
Trynn Baton (A). An instrument of the bards is an exquisite example of its kind, superior to an ordinary instrument in every way. Seven types of these instruments exist, each named after a legendary bard college. Except this is the eighth. A creature that attempts to play the instrument without being attuned to it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or take 2d4 psychic damage.

Lord Trynn has learned to untangle and reshape the fabric of reality in harmony with his wishes and music. Charisma is his spellcasting ability for bard spells. His magic comes from the heart and soul he pours into the performance of music or oration.
Spell save DC 16, +8, 9 spells known
Cantrips (3). Encrypt/Decrypt, Telekinetic Trip, Vicious Mockery
1st-Level (4). Anticipate Weakness, Broken Charge, Pendulum, Sonic Boom
2nd-Level (3). Anticipate Attack, Lacerate, Warning Shout
3rd-Level (3). Accelerate, Blade Song, Cacophany

Feline Agility. Lord Trynn's reflexes and agility allow him to move with a burst of speed. When he moves on his turn in combat, he can double his speed until the end of the turn. Once used, he can’t use it again until he moves 0 feet for a turn.
Bardic Inspiration (6d8). Lord Trynn inspires others through stirring words or music. To do so, he uses a bonus action on his turn to choose one other creature within 60 feet who can hear him. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die. Lord Trynn regains any expended uses when he finishes a short or long rest. The die becomes a d10 at 10th level, and a d12 at 15th level.
Song of Rest. Lord Trynn can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize wounded allies during a short rest. He and any friendly creatures regaining hit points at the end of the short rest, regain an extra 1d6 hit points.
Symphony of Conflict (2). Lord Trynn has been trained in the bardic art of magically manipulating the sounds of combat into a concert of powerful melodies that can alter the very battlefield around him with Conducting Techniques.

• Majestic Anthem (Maestoso). Conducting Technique: Pulled from the chaos, Lord Trynn musters an uplifting melody that bolsters the resolve of his allies. He can expend and roll a Bardic Inspiration die as an action, and all other creatures he chooses within 60 ft gain temporary hitpoints equal to the number rolled plus his Charisma modifier (5). These temporary hitpoints last until the end of his next turn.
• Crash (Marcato). Conducting Technique: Lord Trynn harnesses and amplifies the roar of a well-placed blow into a violent explosion of sound. When a creature other than him within 60 feet hits with an attack, he can use his reaction to expend and roll a Bardic Inspiration die. The target of the triggering attack must make a Strength saving throw against Hex's Spell save DC or take thunder damage equal to half of the number rolled and be knocked prone.
• Dissonance (Discordia). Conducting Technique: Summoning a harsh, discordant tone, Lord Trynn muddles the mind of an opponent, lessening their defenses. When a creature within 60 feet is forced to make a saving throw, Lord Trynn can use his reaction to expend and roll a Bardic Inspiration die. He reduces their saving throw by half of the number rolled. He can use this feature after the creature makes its saving throw roll, but before the DM determines a success or failure.

Actions

Cat’s Claws. Unarmed Melee Attack: +6 to hit, range 5 ft. 1d6 + 1 slashing damage.
Dagger. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, range 5/30/60 ft. 1d4 + 3 piercing damage.

• Pinning Point. When Lord Trynn makes a melee or ranged weapon attack with a dagger, he may attempt to pin a Large or smaller creature to a wall or surface by catching their clothing with the knife’s point. Make an attack roll; on a hit, the target makes a Strength saving throw. On a failure, the target’s speed is reduced to zero until the dagger is removed. The target can make another Strength saving throw as an action on its turn.
• Concealed Blade. Instead of making a Dexterity (Stealth) check to hide himself, Lord Trynn may make a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check—contested by an active or passive Wisdom (Perception) check—to conceal his dagger. As an action, he may make a weapon attack with a concealed dagger against a creature that has not yet acted in combat. This attack has advantage.

Rod of Rulership (A). Lord Trynn can use an action to present the rod and command obedience from each creature of his choice visible within 120 feet. Each target must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for 8 hours. While charmed in this way, the creature regards Lord Trynn as its trusted leader. If harmed by Lord Trynn or his allies, or commanded to do something contrary to its nature, a target ceases to be charmed in this way. The rod can't be used again until the next dawn.
Trynn Baton (DC 16, +8). Lord Trynn can use an action to play this instrument and cast one of its spells: Fly, Levitate, Protection from Evil and Good, Phantom Accompaniment, Power Word Applaud, Silence. Once the instrument has been used to cast a spell, it can’t be used to cast that spell again until the next dawn.
Lord Trynn can play the instrument while casting a spell that causes any of its targets to be charmed on a failed saving throw, thereby imposing disadvantage on the save. This effect applies only if the spell has a somatic or a material component.
Countercharm. Lord Trynn uses musical notes of power to disrupt mind-influencing effects. As an action, start a performance that lasts until the end of the next turn. During that time, he and any friendly creatures within 30 feet have advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed. A creature must be able to hear Hex to gain this benefit.
Frenetic Crescendo. Lord Trynn harnesses the beat of battle, whipping it into a frenzy of drums, chants, and glory. Use his action to expend any number of uses of Bardic Inspiration feature. For each expended use, immediately grant a Bardic Inspiration die to a visible creature within 60 feet. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time. Recharges on long rest.
Majestic Anthem (Maestoso). See Symphony of Conflict.

Reactions

Crash (Marcato) and Dissonance (Discordia). See Symphony of Conflict.

Lair Actions

On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), Lord Trynn takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects; he can’t use the same effect two rounds in a row:
Frothing Flora. Lord Trynn causes roots and vines to temporarily grow around him; until initiative count 20 on the next round, the ground within 30 feet of him is difficult terrain.
Writhing Roots. Foliage in Echo Tree becomes a conduit for Lord Trynn's power. He can target creatures touching Echo Tree within 90 feet of him. A target must succeed on a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw or take 3d6 psychic damage and be grappled (escape DC 13).
Awakened Band. Instruments around Lord Trynn sing his praises. Until initiative count 20 on the next turn, enemies make saving throws against Lord Trynn's magic by rolling three d20s and using the worst of the three. The band has exceptionally good rhythm and world-class lute fingering, and the singer has an unusually high voice.