Aurelian Confessor (s18)

Stub-class article · First seen: s18 · Last seen: s18
Aurelian Confessor (s18)
the priestly person · the confessor · the s18 confessor
Portrait of Aurelian Confessor (s18).
Character
StatusAlive
First seens18
Last seens18
FactionAurelian forces

The unnamed Aurelian Confessor of session 18 is the priestly figure attached to Glenn’s road patrol, which stopped the party on the farmland road to Aurelia on the morning of 843-03-31. The confessor’s two jobs on screen were arcane detection and field judgement: when Mike cast Message through the Mizzium Apparatus, the confessor raised a finger and denounced him as a heretic [3], and when Steven tried to talk the patrol down, the confessor rolled Insight and ruled that “he seems to be telling the truth” [7]. Steven and the rest of the party were spared, Mike was beheaded the next round, and the patrol moved on.

Overview

The unnamed Aurelian Confessor of session 18 travelled with a patrol of three armoured men led by Glenn on the farmland road inland of the party’s landing beach [6][1]. The DM calls the figure “a priestly person” and “the priestly person”, and then “the confessor” [1][2][7]. “Confessor” is the DM’s role-name, not a personal name. The patrol acted on the confessor’s word.

Appearance and demeanour

The confessor stands behind the three men in full plate while the lead knight talks [1][2]. The DM’s pronouns vary: “his finger” at one point [3] and “her running up” at another [7], so the confessor’s sex is unsettled and this page avoids pronouns. A mace is sheathed once by a person the DM does not name [5]. The confessor never fights; the part played is the detection and a single roll of judgement.

Abilities as played

  • Arcane detection. The confessor flagged Mike’s Message, cast through the Mizzium Apparatus, as it was cast [2][3]. The DM ruled that a cantrip off the caster’s own list, cast through the apparatus, counts as a magic-item cast and so as arcane spellcasting ([8][9]; DM ruling 14). How the detection works is not known to the party (DM ruling 18).
  • Insight. The confessor rolled Insight against Steven’s Deception, rolled at disadvantage, and judged “he seems to be telling the truth” [4].

Relationships

  • Glenn: the knight who acts on the confessor’s word. The confessor’s hand on his shoulder stops his blow at Steven, and he looks back at the confessor and answers “very well” [10].
  • Mike: identified and condemned as a heretic [3][7].
  • Steven: believed, and so spared along with the party [7].
  • Aurelian forces: the patrol’s field arbiter, the only confessor seen on screen.

Disposition towards the party

Hostile to magic, not to the party: the confessor accepts a plausible story and spares those who did not cast. The order “kill the heretic and bring him in” shows no mercy to Mike [7].

History in the campaign

Session 18: The Wyrm Falls, the Catfish Escapes, and Mike Dies on the Road

Main article: Session 18

A patrol of “three rather large men in full plate armor and what can only be described as a priestly person behind them” stopped the party, the lead knight asking where they were headed [1]. When Mike tried to coordinate the bluff by casting Message through the Mizzium Apparatus, the priestly figure raised a finger at him and cried “Heretic!” [11]. As the knight cut Mike down and turned on Steven, the confessor rolled Insight against Steven’s Deception, held the knight back with “he seems to be telling the truth”, and had the heretic killed and brought in [12]. The patrol beheaded Mike next round, took his apparatus, and moved on [13].

Status

As of session 23. Alive, on patrol with the unnamed knights, last seen moving up the road after the execution [14][15]. Whether every Aurelian patrol carries a confessor is not stated.

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 18, line 1988: First appearance: "what can only be described as a priestly person behind them".
  2. ^ Session 18, line 2026: As Mike casts Message, the DM points to "the priestly person behind them".
  3. ^ Session 18, line 2044: Raises a finger at Mike and denounces him as a heretic.
  4. ^ Session 18, line 2107-2115: Rolls Insight against Steven's Deception (made at disadvantage); "he seems to be telling the truth Geralt kill the heretic and bring him in" spares Steven and condemns Mike.
  5. ^ Session 18, line 2127: "you see this person sheathe his mace"; which patrol member is meant is not clear.
  6. ^ Session 18, line 1946: Inline citation.
  7. ^ Session 18, line 2115: Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 18, line 2039: Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 18, line 2047: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 18, line 2115-2117: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 18, line 2020-2044: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 18, line 2106-2117: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 18, line 2272-2304: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 18, line 2296: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 18, line 2304: Inline citation.
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