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Session 0: The Creation of Theron Valerius

This session was dedicated to the full creation of the player character, Theron Valerius. We established his core statistics, backstory in the city of Delphi, and used the Ally & Rival system to generate key NPCs, secrets, and plot hooks for the upcoming campaign.

Character Info

  • Name: Theron Valerius

  • Race: Human

  • Class: Wizard (Level 1)

  • Background: Sage

  • Alignment: Neutral Good

  • Homeland: Delphi, The Athenaeum

  • Physical Description: 5'1", 123 lbs.

The Makings of an Adventurer

Every adventurer is more than just a name and a homeland; they are a collection of strengths and weaknesses that define their presence in the world. For Theron, his sharp mind is his greatest asset, while his physical presence is less imposing.

Core Statistics & Combat

  • Ability Scores:

    • Strength: 9 (-1)

    • Dexterity: 12 (+1)

    • Constitution: 10 (+0)

    • Intelligence: 17 (+3)

    • Wisdom: 14 (+2)

    • Charisma: 12 (+1)

  • Combat Numbers:

    • Armor Class: 11 (Unarmored)

    • Hit Points: 4 (Homebrew Rule: d4 Hit Die)

    • Initiative: +1

    • Proficiency Bonus: +2

    • Passive Perception: 12

Beyond these raw numbers, Theron's life as a scholar and a citizen of Delphi has endowed him with a unique set of skills and innate magical talents.

Proficiencies & Features

  • Saving Throws: Intelligence (+5), Wisdom (+4)

  • Skills: Arcana (+5), History (+5), Insight (+4), Investigation (+5)

  • Weapons: Daggers, Darts, Slings, Quarterstaffs, Light Crossbows

  • Languages: Common, +2 Others (From Sage Background)

  • Class Features:

    • Spellcasting: Theron uses Intelligence as his spellcasting ability.

      • Spell Save DC: 13

      • Spell Attack Modifier: +5

    • Arcane Recovery: Once per day on a short rest, can recover one 1st-level spell slot.

  • Special Abilities:

    • Dragon Energy: Can cast Burning Hands twice per day (resets at dawn). This was acquired through a fateful moment involving a dragon energy shard.

The Scholar's Grimoire

A wizard's true power lies in their spellbook. It is a reflection of their studies, their personality, and their readiness for the challenges ahead. Theron's initial collection is a practical mix of defense, utility, and reliable offense, a foundation built during his formal studies.

Spellbook

  • Cantrips Known (3):

    • Fire Bolt

    • Mage Hand

    • Prestidigitation

  • 1st-Level Spells Known (6):

    • Mage Armor

    • Shield

    • Magic Missile

    • Sleep

    • Find Familiar

    • Detect Magic

    • (Can prepare 4 spells per day)

The Story So Far...

To understand the wizard, one must first understand the man and the city that forged him. Theron's journey begins not on an open road, but in the gilded cage of Delphi.

Backstory Summary

Theron Valerius was born a citizen of Delphi, a scion of a powerful family that valued magic as a tool for dominance and control. A disappointment to his ambitious parents, Theron cared little for politics, instead losing himself in the city archives, studying the raw, untamed magic of Delphi's origins. This perceived weakness was exploited by the rival House Cassius, who framed Theron for a catastrophic failure of a new arcane security ward. To protect their own standing, Theron's family publicly disowned and exiled him. Now, with only his wits, a traveler's pack, and his spellbook, Theron is a seeker of the true knowledge that he hopes will one day clear his name and grant him a power his family could never comprehend.

A Web of Fate

No one is an island, especially not an exile. Theron's past is a web of connections—some broken, some hidden, and some dangerously frayed. These are the people and events that haunt his steps and shape the path before him.

Family

  • Parents: Lyra and Cassian Valerius. Cold and politically obsessed, they saw Theron's scholarly pursuits as a stain on their reputation. Their decision to disown him was swift and calculated, a move to preserve their own power within Delphi's labyrinthine society.

  • Siblings: Theron has four siblings, making him a middle child. One was taken by the Athenaeum for reasons unknown.

Allies (1)

Yet, even in the shadows of betrayal, a single point of light remains.

  • Lycoris, the Guilty Cousin: A pleabiam with no magical talent, Lycoris worked as an assistant in the Valerius household. Desperate to prove their worth, they tampered with the arcane ward's power matrix, hoping to earn a small bit of favor. The resulting explosion ruined Theron's life. Lycoris lives with the crushing guilt and would do anything to help Theron, secretly feeding him information from within the city when possible.

Rivals (3)

But for every ally, there are those who wish him ill. His life in Delphi's competitive society bred enemies in his own halls and classrooms.

  1. Aunt Vipsania, the Fanatic: Theron's aunt, a respected historian, is secretly a high-ranking member of a fire cult dedicated to a draconic entity. While researching in a restricted family archive, Theron stumbled upon her hidden sanctum and saw the rituals firsthand. He fled before he was discovered, but Vipsania suspects he knows her secret, making him a dangerous loose end.

  2. Silas, the Spurned Acolyte: In their youth, Theron promised to help Silas, a brilliant but poor student, secure a patron for his entry into the priesthood of a goddess of magic. Distracted by his own arcane research, Theron forgot. Silas was rejected and fell into disgrace, forced to serve in a backwater shrine. He blames Theron entirely for his ruined life and seeks to undermine him at every turn.

  3. Gaius, the Scarred Druid: Theron's childhood friend and academic rival, Gaius was always more reckless. He attempted to channel raw elemental energy from a storm, a feat Theron warned was too dangerous. The attempt backfired, leaving Gaius permanently scarred with crackling energy and in chronic pain. While Theron mastered similar (safer) techniques, Gaius sees Theron's success as a mockery of his own suffering and is obsessed with proving his own brand of untamed power is superior.

Fateful Moments

Some moments are not defined by people, but by destiny itself. Two such events have irrevocably marked Theron's soul, granting him both burdens and boons.

  • Keen Interest in History: Theron's obsession with the past has granted him a special insight. He gains a bonus (+X) on certain History checks related to ancient magic and lore.

  • The Burning Village: During a trip to a summer retreat, Theron awoke in a burning village. In the chaos, he was exposed to a "dragon energy shard" (likely connected to his Aunt Vipsania's cult), which imbued him with his innate fire magic.

Mysterious Secret

Beyond the known conflicts and open wounds, a quieter, stranger secret haunts Theron—one born from a simple game with deadly consequences.

  • The Chess Game: Theron once beat a visiting dignitary in a game of chess, only for the man to die an hour later from what was called a "sudden ailment." Theron suspects foul play and secretly kept one of the pieces from that game—a White Knight—believing it may be important.

Prophecy

Finally, a thread of prophecy is woven through Theron's life, a whispered fate that suggests his personal quest is tied to something far greater, and far more dangerous.

  • "I will uncover the reason why the Athenaeum took away one of my siblings. Finding my sibling will set political events beyond my control in motion."

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