Edvan

Start-class article · First seen: s03 · Last seen: s03
Edvan
Portrait of Edvan.
Character
StatusDead
First seens03
Last seens03

Edvan is the elven hero who, in the legend Gwen Homora told the party, led 34 elves against the ancient green dragon Death-at-Sunset and struck the killing blow with his “mighty long sword” [1]. He is long dead and appears only as a ghostly echo at the burial mound in the Corrupted Redwood Grove near Wyrmbough Grove: an androgynous elf in gleaming plate mail with an empty scabbard, seen by Harvo in session 3 [5]. The DM confirmed that the scabbard would take the Dragonslayer Longsword looted from the dragon’s hoard [9], but nobody says the sword was his, and who holds the blade today is disputed [12][13].

Overview

Edvan is a pre-campaign elven hero, the leader of the elves who fought the ancient green dragon Death-at-Sunset and, in Gwen Homora’s telling, the one who “finally struck the final blow” with his mighty long sword [1]. Thirty-four elves gave their lives in that battle and were buried in a ceremonial mound at the heart of what is now the Corrupted Redwood Grove [1]. Gwen suggested that the mound’s sacredness, or the elves buried there, was why that patch of the grove was never corrupted [4]. The party never meets Edvan himself, only his echo.

Appearance and demeanour

An androgynous elf in gleaming plate mail with an empty scabbard, foremost among the ghost images of dead elven warriors who wield tall spears, fade in and out of existence and utter cryptic warnings in Common and Elvish [5]. Harvo’s first thought was that he was missing a sword [6]. He does not acknowledge anyone who approaches; a natural 20 on Insight showed him to be an echo “just playing on a loop” [7].

Relationships

  • Death-at-Sunset: the dragon he is said to have killed. Gwen told the party that if you return to the mound at night you can still see him strike the final blow [1].
  • Gwen Homora: the source of the legend [1].
  • Harvo: the only party member to see his echo [8].
  • Dragonslayer Longsword: the empty scabbard would take it [9]. Nobody says it is Edvan’s, and the DM has not said so. Who holds it is disputed. In session 3 Caelumn wraps it in cloth, takes it and attunes to it [10][11][12]. From session 6 on it is Hugo who carries it: he calls it “my dragon slayer sword” [13]; in session 13 the DM says he had expected Vasquez to take the dragon sword for his gunblade, and Hugo answers “Oh, right. I don’t take that off.” [14]; the DM narrates Hugo driving his Dragonslayer Longsword through a creature [15]; and Hugo says “I have a dragon slaying sword on me” [16]. No handover is shown. This is a question for the DM.

Notable quotes

“Their leader, Edvan, was the one that finally struck the final blow against Death-at-Sunset with his mighty long sword.” — Gwen Homora (Nick, DM), [1]

“Foremost among the images is Edvan, an androgynous elf wearing gleaming plate mail and an empty scabbard.” — Nick (DM), [5]

History in the campaign

Session 3: The Lair of Sunset is Nigh and the Death of Cholmondeley

Main article: Session 3

Gwen Homora told the party that 34 elves had died against Death-at-Sunset, and that their leader Edvan had struck the final blow with his “mighty long sword”; they were buried in the grove’s mound, and at night he can still be seen striking it [1]. Asleep in the mound’s circle, Caelumn dreamt of the battle [2]. With the lair cleared, Harvo went back at dusk and saw Edvan’s echo among the dead elven warriors, in plate mail with an empty scabbard; the Insight check showed an echo on a loop, and the DM said the scabbard would fit the Dragonslayer sword the party had looted [17].

Status

As of session 23. Dead long before the campaign. He was seen only as an echo on the burial mound in session 3 and has not been mentioned since. Whether the Dragonslayer Longsword was his is not stated, and who holds it is unresolved (see Relationships).

See also

References

  1. ^ Session 3, line 176: Gwen Homora explains the burial mound and Edvan's killing blow.
  2. ^ Session 3, line 298: Caelumn dreams of the elves' battle while asleep in the mound's circle.
  3. ^ Session 3, line 2130-2150: Harvo sees Edvan's echo at the burial mound; the empty scabbard would take the Dragonslayer Longsword.
  4. ^ Session 3, line 174-176: Inline citation.
  5. ^ Session 3, line 2130: Inline citation.
  6. ^ Session 3, line 2132: Inline citation.
  7. ^ Session 3, line 2134-2142: Inline citation.
  8. ^ Session 3, line 2128-2152: Inline citation.
  9. ^ Session 3, line 2144-2146: Inline citation.
  10. ^ Session 3, line 1574: Inline citation.
  11. ^ Session 3, line 1586: Inline citation.
  12. ^ Session 3, line 2068: Inline citation.
  13. ^ Session 6, line 1008: Inline citation.
  14. ^ Session 13, line 1990-1999: Inline citation.
  15. ^ Session 16, line 1331: Inline citation.
  16. ^ Session 18, line 2371: Inline citation.
  17. ^ Session 3, line 2124-2150: Inline citation.