Paladin sworn to Ilmater. Currently bears The Heart of Brackenford in his own chest, blessed by Ilmater to dull the constant howl of trapped souls.
Summons a celestial warhorse steed gifted by Ilmater. Morella (the “Mousey Woman”) is his kryptonite.
Takes damage from healing spells — technically undead-tinged due to carrying the Heart. (See Session 31: Adrik’s Hand of Healing dealt 7 damage during a Heart inspection.)
Background
Trained at a monastery in the Bloodstone Valley, where he was brought by Pavel — the man who saved him. He left the monastery with a Tome of Ilmater as a parting gift from Pavel.
In the campaign
- Gave a rousing speech rallying Brackenford’s townsfolk before the march to Briarhollow in Session 06, leaving the Tome of Ilmater behind as collateral.
- Got the Tome back from Old Briar in Session 14.
- Pulled the heart artifact out of Lord Alric’s chest in Session 15 using Lay on Hands — Ilmater intervened directly and the heart sank into Lorien’s chest with the god’s blessing.
- Has carried the heart since. Still tinged blue. Aware he registers as undead to Detect Undead and Turn Undead.
- Witnessed Lady Serenna’s confrontation with the heart in Session 18 — she went hostile when he refused her offer to take the burden, and Yort Li’s wail downed the rest of the party while Lorien finished her off.
- Summoned his celestial steed in Session 29 for the journey to Greyhaven. The horse was utterly indignant at the idea of being shackled to Cisco’s carriage. Lorien pledged to honor the horse as he does Ilmater; the horse walked off mid-speech.
- Said goodbye to Morella in Session 29. She gave him something and told him to stay strong. He felt Jeffrey’s presence and said nothing.
- Reached inward in Session 29 for Alric’s memories of Greyhaven — saw scenes of victorious soldiers under many banners, with Alric in regal armor among them. Dated, from another lifetime. Lost the connection when Elijah pushed for specifics.
- Learned dragonchess from Elijah while waiting at the Greyhaven ledger office in Session 30.
- Hired by Adrik at his shop in Session 30 — Adrik said he needed someone trustworthy.
- Showed Adrik the Heart in Session 31 and asked for help. Adrik knelt solemnly through the explanation, said it was an incredible burden to bear, and offered to inspect. Adrik cast Hand of Healing — Lorien took 7 damage. Adrik immediately apologized.
- Approached Vaerix Thalos alongside Adrik in Session 31 as cover for the fleeing Elijah. Later sat with Elijah in his room while Elijah held a sword, accepting the trust check. Would you let someone sacrifice Fernie for power? — It would be unjust. Threw his sword down and sat in companionable silence.
- In Session 32 rolled Nat 1 on a stealth check at Warehouse 17 — leaned against a wall in plain sight. Adrik turned the disaster into cover by pushing him forward as his apprentice.
- The blessing scene. Started a Ceremony, called on Ilmater, asked the guards if they wanted to call on the divine. Cisco secretly cast Minor Illusion to give Lorien’s voice angelic harmonies. The guards wept and left to spread the word of Ilmater. Lorien was extremely satisfied with himself — does not know Cisco helped.
- Examined the Lockbox in Session 33 (old, well-worn, no inscriptions, hum from the bottom, weighty). Room reset when he put it back.
- In Session 33 encountered his accidental cult outside the Collegium — The Painbearer’s Preacher (one of the guards he blessed) hailing him as “prophet of the Crying Lord” with a 17-page Trials of the Painbearer pamphlet. Lorien dropped the pamphlet, stomped on it, pulled out the Tome of Torment and said “follow the Tome, not the Painbearer.” The preacher took this as humility (“He is so humble!!”); the crowd tore up their own pamphlets and stomped on them.
- Visited the Collegium proper in Session 34. Divested four javelins at the gate; got lost on the way to Mistress Quill; ended up in YGOR’s basement laboratory. YGOR examined the Heart, called Lorien a specimen, remarked that Lorien should be dead, and gave hints about the Lockbox (six-sided, cursed). YGOR mentioned the Weeping Lord (Ilmater) may have use for Lorien later. YGOR vanished the moment Lorien opened the door.
Tome and grimoire
- Tome of Ilmater — given by Pavel
- A grimoire wrapped in chains, recovered from Lord Alric’s study in Session 21. Lorien suspects it’s heretical and that he should burn it.