Aurelian chain-master
| Aurelian chain-master | |||||||||
| the Aurelian elite · the chain-master | |||||||||
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The Aurelian chain-master is the unnamed Aurelian elite who arrived in the clearing outside Eldwythe at the head of the patrol that pursued Althea Stormsoro in session 15. He decapitated Ruin in a scripted execution by firing a chain that snapped around his neck (no save offered, [3], broke Althea’s Concentration with an anti-magic chest-thump field, and during Phil Flowerforge’s smoke-bomb escape stole Caelumn’s backpack — including the Egg — by pulling it into the smoke [2]. He is the campaign’s most consequential single antagonist of the post-Umbrafall arc; the Egg was stolen by Aurelian forces in s15, and its exact current location is unknown.
Overview
The Aurelian chain-master is the unnamed elite Aurelian who led the patrol that arrived in the clearing outside Eldwythe in session 15. He is the campaign’s first scripted-execution antagonist: the chain attack he fired at Ruin snapped around the warlock’s neck and pulled with such force that his head came off, with no saving throw offered [3]. The DM noted out-of-character that the death was scripted because Mordane (Ruin’s player) had been removed from the table between sessions, and his seat was being filled in this session by Maliwana joining with a new character (Althea Stormsoro). Ruin was retired in-fiction. Future Aurelian chain attacks are expected to follow standard rules, but the chain-master himself remains an open threat.
He stole the Egg during Phil Flowerforge’s smoke-bomb escape: a chain shot from the smoke and yanked Caelumn’s backpack — the Egg, the crooked broom, healing potions, and gold — into the cloud [2]. Per the DM, the candied dentures had already been returned to Uncle Nibblecheek before the s15 backpack snare and were not in the pack at the time of the theft. The Egg is the campaign’s nominal McGuffin and the centrepiece of Sevryn’s quest; the Egg was stolen by Aurelian forces in s15. Its exact current location is unknown.
Appearance and demeanour
Heavy Aurelian elite armour with anti-magic capability the party inferred from his on-field behaviour: a chest-thump field that broke Althea’s Concentration on Bless, multi-strike chain attacks at range, the chain-execution that took Ruin, and the chain-snare that took the Egg. He did not speak on-screen. He retreated into the smoke with his prize.
History / role in the campaign
Session 15 — execution and theft
The patrol arrived. Mharos whispered to Vasquez to “blame the arcane on her” [4]. Vasquez refused, walked ten feet, raised his hand, and took the blame. The chain-master responded by firing a chain that decapitated Ruin [1]. Combat began. He used multi-strike chain attacks at range, an anti-magic aura that broke concentration on Wisdom-and-Concentration saves, and tactical positioning behind the rest of the patrol.
Phil Flowerforge’s smoke bomb arrived. As the party fled, a chain shot from the smoke and snared Caelumn’s backpack. The egg-carrier with the Egg inside, the crooked broom, Caelumn’s potions and coin pouch — all gone [2]. Per the DM, the candied apple with dentures had already been returned to Uncle Nibblecheek before the s15 backpack snare and was not in the pack at the time of the theft.
The chain-master did not pursue into the Eldwythe sewers. The Egg’s exact current location is unknown.
Relationships
- Ruin — killed.
- The Egg — stolen.
- Aurelian forces — superiors.
- Caelumn — backpack victim; principal pursuer.
Disposition toward the party
Hostile, professional, efficient. Last seen retreating with the stolen backpack. The Egg’s exact current location is unknown.
Status as of session 16
Alive, off-screen. Last seen retreating into the smoke outside Eldwythe with Caelumn’s backpack. The Egg’s exact current location is unknown; the party’s primary objective for the next arc is recovering it.