Cassian

Summary#

Cassian is familiar with Everdale, the King's Tourney, and several practical parts of the festival, including registration, food, and healing supplies. He often takes the lead when the party enters unfamiliar civic or noble territory. Source: 2026.05.05.

Current Notes#

• Cassian noticed Odine Dunmere’s violet pendant and the black tentacle-like marks on her arm while the party traveled toward Everdale. Source: 2026.05.05.
• He recognized House Godrin by its white armor and banner, and knows the house is wealthy, magically powerful, and ruthless. Source: 2026.05.05.
• His family house is a vassal of House Wulfhelm. He warned that interfering with guards or noble soldiers could create danger for the party and his family. Source: 2026.05.05.
• Cassian paid the 25 gold group entry fee for the party to compete as Cassian’s Crushing Crusaders. See Compete in the King's Tourney. Source: 2026.05.05.
• He bought two healing potions from Marea Voss after haggling the price down. Source: 2026.05.05.
• He took custody of Jevon’s magical box after Azrith found it in the road, then later agreed that Odine Dunmere could hold it. Source: 2026.05.05.
• His family signet ring is shaped like a falling star that meets its tail—ouroboros-like. It marks his house as old-blooded nobility, which carried weight with Gruvelda Duskbelt, who prefers old houses over new ambitious ones. Source: 2026.05.19.
• He carries magical dice that leave a burgundy trail when rolled. These were gifted to him by The Masked Figure in a prior dream. Source: 2026.05.19.
• He struck a deal with The Masked Figure during a dream on the night of the long rest: Cassian will keep the party together and Odine close; the Figure will remove tournament obstacles and find the origin of the dice. Source: 2026.05.19.
• He wagered 5 gold (his 4 plus 1 from Aldric) that the party wins their first Proving Grounds bout without anyone being incapacitated. Standing to win 10 gold. Posing as an outside bettor. Source: 2026.05.19.
• He has met Kardis Wulfhelm in passing before and found him to be arrogant and reckless. Source: 2026.05.19.
• In the party’s first Proving Grounds bout, Cassian activated Heavenly Wings (golden, once per long rest; adds 2d radiant to a spell or attack), flew 30 feet up, and fired Eldritch Blast on the enemy crossbowman for 8 force + radiant damage before Misty Stepping back down. The crossbowman returned fire with max damage (15 piercing), sending Cassian crashing to the mud and incapacitating him—1 death save failure. He was stabilized by Azrith’s Spare the Dying, revived by Odine Dunmere’s Healing Word (8 HP), and rose by using Azrith’s horn as a handhold, casting Healing Hands on Azrith (6 HP) in the same motion. He also cast Phantasmal Force (a persistent dire wolf illusion area) and used a Luck point mid-fight. Source: 2026.06.02.
• The 5-gold wager is technically lost: the terms required no ally be knocked unconscious, and both Cassian and Azrith went down. Cassian plans to contest the loss with the coin master, arguing the party walked out on their feet. Source: 2026.06.02.
• After the first bout, Duke Tristan Blackwood (House Blackwood) made eye contact with Cassian from the noble box and gave a valiant golf-clap nod. Cassian winked back. Duke Blackwood is expected to approach as a potential sponsor. Source: 2026.06.02.
• Cassian’s family house name is House Fortescue—confirmed when Virellan Le'Strange addressed him as “Lord Fortescue” at the tournament. House Fortescue’s nature is celestial or semi-divine, descended from a bloodline cut off from the divine but still maintaining celestial heritage through the lineage. Source: 2026.06.11.
• Duke Tristan Blackwood formalized a sponsorship deal at 8% of any prize money, providing a 750 gp advance and four combat items. The party tried to negotiate down to 3% then 5% (persuasion with advantage, DC 22, rolled 14—failed); Blackwood would not go lower. Source: 2026.06.11.
• The 5-gp wager was formally lost. The Coin Master had already paid it out to Rory Greathorn (Rory) under the double-or-nothing clause (two party members were downed). No appeal was accepted. Source: 2026.06.11.
• Cassian received a Cloak of Protection (+1 AC and saving throws) from Duke Blackwood’s sponsorship delivery at Clover Hill. He had it embroidered at the tailor: a falling star with an ouroboros crest and dust trail, matching his family signet ring. Cost: 8 silver. Source: 2026.06.11.
• Gruvelda Duskbelt gave Cassian a Chain of the Unbroken—10 feet of iron chain links, warm to the touch, held by Gruvelda for 250 years and described as having “a mind of its own.” Cassian cast Identify and learned it has four properties (not yet disclosed). Source: 2026.06.11.
• An Insight check (18) during a long rest revealed House Godrin’s core operation: they compete in the King’s Tourney annually to harvest mana crystals via a dwarven clan in the Vale, fueling their armada and reinforcing their claim to the throne. Also confirmed: the tourney’s grand prize is the King’s Cup plus a deed to the Vale. Source: 2026.06.23.
• Attempted Friends on a House Corwyn knight guarding Clover Hill to gain entry—failed even after burning heroic inspiration to force a reroll. Tossed his Chain of the Unbroken to Aldric mid-combat during the Crown Gauntlet. Received an ambiguous warning nod from Duke Tristan Blackwood about over-relying on flight and magic to bypass the course rather than physically overcoming it. Source: 2026.06.23.
• In the Gauntlet’s conclusion, Cassian used Thaumaturgy to max the crowd’s Cheer Marks (granting the party a stacking +1d4 on remaining rolls), reclaimed and used the mystery chain to free a jammed gear mechanism and rescue his allies, and fought the final tower guard directly with an improvised perfume-bottle “flamethrower,” a Taunting Step teleport-and-goad, and a shove that knocked the guard off the platform. Delivered a bombastic victory speech naming Rory as a losing bettor. Source: 2026.07.14.
• Received the Eyes of Charming as part of Duke Blackwood’s Crown Gauntlet victory reward: gilded spectacles granting three daily charges of Charm Person without spending a warlock spell slot (DC 13). Source: 2026.08.11.
• Noticed Gruvelda Duskbelt working black plate armor matching House Godrin’s colors for unnamed paying clients; she neither confirmed nor denied arming Godrin, calling herself a neutral mercenary smith. Source: 2026.08.11.
• During the long rest, Cassian privately weighed whether freeing Jevon might cost him the tournament versus whether it might disrupt a noble power structure he sees as having abused the Vale for too long. When asked which outcome he’d prefer, he answered only: “Cassian will see where the wind takes him.” Source: 2026.08.11.
• Confirmed to Duke Tristan Blackwood that House Fortescue has been a House Wulfhelm vassal for roughly 60 years—which visibly surprised Blackwood, who has never once heard Wulfhelm acknowledge the vassalage despite knowing many circles. Cassian deflected rather than explain: “There are few who remember us fondly… that is part of the reason I am here.” Source: 2026.08.18.
• Received a sealed intelligence note from Blackwood listing names/locations tied to House Godrin’s camp activity, plus a personal gift of an emberleaf cigar. Sponsored Odine Dunmere and Aldric into the King’s Cup drinking tournament (10–15 gp entry), won a 5 gp side bet from Rory backing Aldric (Persuasion 18), and tried spraying perfume into Aldric’s mouth afterward in an attempt to revive him. Source: 2026.08.18.
• Paid Father Caldus Vey 400 gp (materials plus donation) to treat Aldric’s exhaustion overnight. Infiltrated White Feather Tor invisible and flying (Celestial Revelation wings), eavesdropping on the camp’s main tent; a History check identified the hushed voice as Percival Godrin’s, overhearing confirmation that Maralynn is alive and has been located. Spotted House Godrin’s champion, Sir Thorin Cassavar (“the Crow”), for the first time and avoided him. Brought the intercepted Godrin letter to Duke Tristan Blackwood, prompting Blackwood to suspect a mole in his own camp. Studied his Eyes of Charming in his downtime. Source: 2026.08.25.
• Freed the manticore during the Menagerie bout instead of killing it: cast Sleep on it mid-flight to open the fight, then talked it down over several rounds (Persuasion checks of 23 and a near-crit 25), learning it feared its true captors’ trebuchet-and-net failsafe more than the party. Mounted it, flew to the trebuchet, cast Charm Person (DC 13) on its operator to stand him down, and let the manticore destroy the machine. Delivered a booming public speech framing the outcome as a beast choosing freedom over bloodsport, backed by a follow-up Persuasion check (22) that won over only part of the crowd—officials were furious and unable to agree on a score, and Duke Tristan Blackwood was seen quietly avoiding eye contact while trying to leave the box. See The Freed Manticore. Source: 2026.09.08.
• Met Captain Garran and Lady Elwyn Blackwood for the first time en route to an urgent audience with Duke Blackwood. In private, Blackwood dropped his stern facade and called the manticore stunt “fucking genius”—furious about the gold spent but delighted that the scandal makes the party “the perfect distraction” from his other dealings. Warned soberly that mercy will eventually cost lives, and that the party had better be right whenever they place their own judgment above his orders. Escorted out of the fairgrounds by Captain Garran to Havenport to let tensions cool, since Blackwood couldn’t reward them monetarily while recouping his gambling losses. Source: 2026.09.15.
• Reached level 5. Source: 2026.09.15.
• Awed on his first visit inside the Gleaming Keep (Perception 23). In Havenport, the Oathkeeper Ian recognized him as “Lord Fortescue’s son” (“Well, so they say,” Cassian answered). This is the first person in a long time to remember House Fortescue. Rolled a natural 1 on Arcana against the Curtain, and a natural 20 on his magic check against the black veil, finding that the wall itself is the source and that something beyond it reaches through. Flirted with the ghost Samantha Westermere and promised to return: “A Fortescue always keeps their promise.” Source: 2026.09.22.
• Met Mauve Marigold at the Salt House. Introduced himself to her as Cassian Fortescue, Lord Fortescue — the first time he has used his full title openly to someone outside the party. Mauve recognized the name and revealed she has known Duke Tristan Blackwood since before his dukedom. Cassian chose to reveal his identity rather than continue deceptive cover. Source: 2026.09.29.
• Heard Samantha Westermere’s full account of House Wulfhelm’s coup: Beowyn Wulfhelm and Eodwin Wulfhelm learned a dire secret about their own house, and Wulfhelm killed the Westermeres to silence them. The truth lies beyond the black veil. Source: 2026.09.29.
• Rolled 24 on Religion (allowed for his celestial heritage) studying the black veil. He sought help first from Ian and then from Mauve Marigold (Persuasion 22), and asked whether Havenport’s people would give some of their life force. As a last resort he suggested the dying Wither victims; Mauve refused. Source: 2026.10.06.
• Reluctant to pay the veil’s price, he questioned whether Eleanor is really Aldric’s mother. Still, he promised not to abandon “the Crushing Crusaders — we have a tournament to win.” He persuaded the party to sleep at the Salt House and decide in the morning. On the road he hoped to find a paladin and found only a shepherd with a fainting goat. Source: 2026.10.06.

Relationships#

• Odine Dunmere: Cassian noticed signs of her connection to the pestilence, but left the matter alone. Now under an obligation to keep her at the tournament and close to the group.
• Aldric and Azrith: registered with Cassian for the tourney.
• Jevon: Cassian returned Jevon’s box during combat and is cautious about further entanglement.
• Slug: Cassian has eaten at Slug’s cookhouse before and remembered the pork fondly.
• The Masked Figure: A mysterious patron who appears in Cassian’s dreams and has struck a deal with him.
• House Wulfhelm: Cassian’s family house is a vassal of Wulfhelm, giving him access to their camp area but also obligations.
• Duke Tristan Blackwood (House Blackwood): Noticed Cassian’s performance at the first Proving Grounds bout; expected to approach as a potential sponsor.