Merriweather Jaunt

Merriweather Jaunt (a.k.a. The Homesick Halfling)

Merriweather Jaunt is a halfling author and publisher famous for his "The Homesick Halfling's Guide" series of travel books.

About the Author

Merriweather Jaunt, a.k.a. "The Homesick Halfling," is an award-winning travel writer whose books have reached tens of thousands across the continent. He has written over 30 guides, including best-sellers "(The Homesick Halfling's Guide to) Brightwater" and "(The Homesick Halfling's Guide to) Cantonova, Vol. 1 and 2." The Homesick Halfling is proud to say he has only been kidnapped by ogres thrice.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

According to interviews published by Fiddle About Press, Merriweather Jaunt was born in Modére to a single mother, a talented yet unsuccessful fiddle player named Jillian. She disappeared at some point in his childhood, and he was raised by various aunts, uncles, and other clan members mostly within Cantonova and the Borderlands.

Sexuality

Jaunt's sexuality has never been addressed publicly. He is not known to have had any serious romantic relationships, though several of his guides imply an attraction to various men met along his travels. He was largely stonewalled and shunned in heavily Sarastran Breughelland during the writing of his Y1109 The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Central Duchy, possibly for this reason.

Education

Merriweather Jaunt was largely educated at the Saint of the Fields Hestian School in Modére, where he earned particularly high marks in letters. He attended the University of Cypruvalu for journalism and graduated magna cum laude in the class of Y1060.

Employment

After graduating from the journalism program at the University of Cypruvalu, Merriweather Jaunt got a job as a typesetter and mailroom sorter for the Cape Hildegard Herald. He tried many times to break into the writer's room at the paper, but Jaunt's fanciful writing style was a poor fit for the fashion of Gardie newspapers at the time. (Ironically, sensationalism became the norm in the papers several decades later, due to the popularity of Jaunt and other similar authors.) During this period of his life, Jaunt is believed to have written a number of romance copper novels for lowbrow Gardie presses under a number of pen names, though he denies this in interviews. Jaunt also fervently denies any connection to the Y1069 scandal in which forged government documents were traced back to night shift workers at the Herald's print shop.
In Y1071, Cantonova-based publisher Birchbark Books partnered with the Cantonovan ambassador to Cape Hildegard to sponsor a writing contest for Cape Hildegard-based authors. The writer who could pen the best travel guide to Cantonova would be hired as Birchbark's new junior travel correspondent. Jaunt's witty, colorful writing style—as well as his knowledge of Cantonova (which he conveniently neglected to mention he knew from childhood)—won him the contest, and the resulting The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Cantonova became Birchbark Books's best-selling secular nonfiction title of the year.
Once employed by Birchbark, though, Jaunt was largely relegated to smaller columns in their quarterly series "News Along the Vía Titania." While traveling back and forth along the famous road, he began to spend as much time as possible in Val-Nurem, secretly writing his next Homesick Halfling's Guide. The press eventually agreed to purchase and publish The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Val-Nurem in a limited run in 1075. The first printing run sold out in two days, and the guide went on to become another best-seller.
From there, Jaunt was officially promoted to a full staff writer at Birchbark Books, and assigned a number of guides to famous world cities. He was slowly allowed more freedom in the books' subject and scope over the years, culminating in Y1085's The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Northern Duchy. This guide spanned a much wider territory than previous guides, which had largely only covered one metropolitan area. Though "Northern Duchy" is considered by some critics to contain a few of the most beautiful lyrical passages of Jaunt's early career, the guide was something of a flop. Jaunt had also built an in-house reputation over the past decade of overspending on his guides and misusing his allotted funds on frivolous purchases he claimed were necessary to his work.
Birchbark Books, hoping for another bestseller from Jaunt, sent him to the popular tourist destination of Dancamort for his next guide. Uninterested in Dancamort, Jaunt instead stowed away on a vessel bound for the Sister Cities, ingratiate himself with a Kaiwel's delegation, and spent the year at the Citadel of the Wild. The result was what is now considered one of Jaunt's most classic guides, the highly blasphemous The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Citadel of the Wild. The guide, and Jaunt's actions in writing it, made him subject to Hectalmë by the Wild Dynasty religion (he remains te-Valanaï to this day).
The insubordination and scandal of "Citadel" resulted in Jaunt's firing from Birchbark Books in Y1087. Jaunt remains quite vague about this period of his life, though he seems to have largely split his time between Cantonova and Cape Hildegard.
Five years after his termination from Birchbark Books, Merriweather Jaunt founded Fiddle-About Press in Cape Hildegard alongside his longtime friend Veeti Zhiva. He started publishing Homesick Halfling's Guides again, beginning with The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Cantonova, Vol. 2 in Y1090.

Ignore all pretenders, even very handsome and charming ones who share my name and likeness! THIS is the ultimate Cantonovan travel guide to purchase! (You're not standing at the bookstore reading it all in one go, are you? Please do purchase it.) —The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Cantonova, Vol. 2

The first two guides of the Fiddle-About Press era were somewhat rocky, but generally well-received. Their quality improved when Jaunt bought out his longtime Birchbark editor's contract and hired him at Fiddle About Press. (Jaunt has never publicly referred to his editor by name; nevertheless, through various references and added notes, they have become something of a character across most of Jaunt's guides.)

Accomplishments & Achievements

Merriweather Jaunt largely seems to have mellowed since Fiddle About became established as a successful indie press. His last decade or so of guides have aimed to fix some of his early-career slights (such as conflating arch-rivals Klïppington and Klöppington) and close longstanding gaps in coverage (such as the Dancamort guide he dreaded for so much of his career). Jaunt retains his sparkling wit and occasional penchant for trouble—later editions subtly update the number of times Jaunt has been kidnapped by ogres over the years—but his reputation has become that of an elder statesman and informal historian for the layperson. However, his most recent guide (The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Dodiöu Réijmí) angered the famously hidden city-state of Dodiöu Réijmí, as his unauthorized entrance was not only extremely illegal but also documented in the published guide.
As of June Y1111, Jaunt's latest announced project was a guide to the Verlorenwode, the notoriously haunted and demon-infested forest in southern Dreibach. His current whereabouts are unknown.

Personality Characteristics

Savvies & Ineptitudes

Merriweather Jaunt's most famous skill besides his writing ability is his gift of gab. In the course of his research, he talks his way into—and out of—an extraordinary variety of situations. He is as gifted an oral storyteller as he is an author, with a flair for drama and an excellent sense of pacing. His memory is unusually sharp, and he uses the skills from his training as an investigative journalist to find and connect information quickly and effectively. Jaunt is known to carry a dagger in case of danger and use it with some skill.

Above: the author's picture that has appeared on the cover of every "The Homesick Halfling's Guide" since the 1070s.

List of Publications

• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Cantonova, Vol. 1 (Y1072)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Val-Nurem, Vol. 1 (Y1075)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Urbana al-Sona (Y1076)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Cape Hildegard (Y1077)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Port Nabucco (Y1078)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Sister Cities (Y1079)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Enchalmida (Y1080)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Kyolondë (Y1081)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Archvale (Y1082)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Dvargard (Y1083)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Northern Duchy (Y1085)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Citadel of the Wild (Y1086)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Cantonova, Vol. 2 (Y1090)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Ploverleigh (Y1091)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Brightwater (Y1092)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Near Isles (Y1093)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Borderlands (Y1094)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Ramdailos (Y1095)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Undacítta (Y1096)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Arborcítta (Y1097)
• Urbana al-Svara (Y1098)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Isles Rovelle (Y1099)
• Best of Belcantas: A Homesick Halfling's Retrospective (Y1100)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Klïppington (Y1101)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Klöppington (Y1101)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Dancamort (Y1102)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Isla Voli (Y1103)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Filia (Y1104)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Kortrebakh-Fjällbass (Y1105)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Val-Nurem, Vol. 2 (Y1106)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Tygrar (Y1107)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Central Duchy (Y1108)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Southern Duchy (Y1109)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Linnunrata (Y1110)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to Dodiöu Réijmí (Y1111)
• The Homesick Halfling's Guide to the Verlorenwode (Y1111)

Current Location

Verlorenwode

Species

Halfling

Ethnicity

Halfling

Year of Birth

1032 CPX 85 Years old

Birthplace

Modére

Eyes

dark brown

Hair

grey, tightly curled

Skin Tone/Pigmentation

tan

Height

2'11"

Known Languages

Common, Halfling, Elvish, Dwarvish, Gnomish

OperaQuest

Merriweather Jaunt

Small halfling, raconteur, Chaotic Good

Armor Class 18 (with Bracers of Defense)

Hit Points 64

Speed: 25 ft

STR

6
( -2 )

DEX

18
( +4 )

CON

16
( +3 )

INT

18
( +4 )

WIS

8
( -1 )

CHA

18
( +4 )

Saving Throws DEX +8, CHA +8

Skills Athletics -6, Acrobatics +6, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +12, Arcana +6, History +8, Investigation +8, Nature +6, Religion +6, Animal Handling -5, Insight +1, Medicine +1, Perception +5, Survival +1, Deception +8, Intimidation +0, Performance +6, Persuasion +12

Senses Passive Perception 14

Languages Common, Halfling, Elvish, Dwarvish, Gnomish

Proficiency Bonus +4

Wand of Magic Missile. This wand has 7 charges. With the wand in hand, you can use your action to fire the magic missile spell from the wand—no components required—and expend 1 to 3 of the wand's charges. For each charge you expend beyond 1, the spell's level increases by 1. You can use this wand even if you are incapable of casting spells. The wand regains 1d6 + 1 expended charges each day at dawn. If you expend the wand's last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the wand crumbles into ash and is destroyed.

At will: friends, mending, vicious mockery

1/day: kinetic jaunt

3/day: dissonant whispers, healing word, heroism, silvery barbs (3 spell slots total)

Lucky.⁠ When Merriweather rolls a 1 on the d20⁠ for an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, he can reroll the die and must use the new roll.

Brave. Merriweather has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.

Halfling Nimbleness. Merriweather can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than his.

Naturally Stealthy. Merriweather can attempt to hide even when he is obscured only by a Medium or larger creature.
Bountiful Luck. When an ally Merriweather can see within 30 feet of him rolls a 1 on the d20 for an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, he can use his reaction to let the ally reroll the die. The ally must use the new roll.
Sneak Attack (1/turn). Merriweather deals an extra 3d6 damage when he hits a target with a weapon attack and has advantage on the attack roll, or when the target is within 5 feet of an ally that isn't incapacitated and he does not have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Actions

Pewter Dagger. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4+4 piercing damage.

Bonus Actions

Cunning Action. On each of his turns, Merriweather can use a bonus action to take the Dash, Disengage, Hide, or Help actions.

Reactions

Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker Merriweather can see hits him with an attack, he can use his reaction to halve the attack's damage.