Player Name | Caulden Parkel |
---|---|
Relatives | Arvienne Fiddleford (mother)
Elthorn Fiddleford (father) Agnes Fiddleford (older sister) Auric Fiddleford (older brother) |
Languages | All languages common to Osugbo |
Affiliations | University of Xyrneiros |
Aliases | "Meadhall Fiddleford" |
Marital Status | Married to Academia! |
Place of Birth | birthplace |
Species | Human |
Gender | Male |
Height | 5' 11" |
Quimbleton Fiddleford is a Human Invoker, Professor of Enchantment and Sigilism at the University of Xyrneiros, and player character in The Fantasial Freeze campaign.
Physical Appearance[edit | edit source]
Quimbleton Fiddleford is a 57 year old human wizard. He stands at a proper 5’ 11” tall, and usually wears flowing, dark-grey robes with a dark-blue wizard hat. Quimbleton sports long grey hair and a shaggy grey beard that has only grown more unkempt as the freeze has progressed. He frequently is seen puffing from a long, hickory pipe and taking drags from a small metal flask of South Osugbo Absinthe.
As the weather has worsened amidst the freeze, Quimbleton often wears a buffcoat when braving the weather, which he shrugs off to cast his spells. Quimbleton carries a bundle of supplies and books in a knapsack, and carries a large staff which he uses as a walking stick on long journeys or a bludgeon if forced into close-quarters combat.
Early Life[edit | edit source]
Quimbleton Fiddleford was born in 408 PR to a family of artisans in Friþleas. His mother, Arvienne was an adept blacksmith, trained in the family tradition of smelting steel better attuned to enchantments and magical imbuement. His father, Elthorn, specialized primarily in crafting elven-style leather armor with tailored adjustments to make spellcasting easier. Together, Arvienne and Elthorn’s wears were incredibly popular amongst the citizens of Friþleas, given its large populations of both magic users and elves in the city following the dissolution of Glendoveer during the Cavalry Rush. Arvienne’s craftsmanship achieved such notoriety across Osugbo that she was commissioned to craft a collection of fencing foils and several custom-inscribed daggers for the Ravendean family.
Quimbleton was the youngest of three siblings, with his older fraternal twins—Agnes and Auric Fiddleford—taking more of a knack to the family business. Quimbleton was a bookish child—far more interested in spending a day in the library than learning the finer points of tailoring armor—and spent his childhood fascinated by stories of the great mages of the kingdom of Champerty.
By adolescence, it became clear that Quimbleton was shaping up into something of a black sheep. While his siblings quickly took to the family business, producing weapons and armor good enough to put up for sale, Quimbleton’s attempts at smithing frequently failed to live up to his parents’ high standards. Try as he might, Quimbleton lacked the brute force to shape steel, or the dexterity to thread intricate stitches characteristic of Elthorn’s signature armor pattern. This frequently became a source of tension in the Fiddleford household. Try as Arvienne and Elthorn did to motivate their youngest son, he simply did not share the same aptitude or passion for craftsmanship that they did.
Quimbleton’s life could very well have been spent in the family’s blacksmith shop behind the counter, were it not for his budding scholarly aptitude. Reading from a young age, he began to dabble in increasingly arcane texts. Despite not being born with any innate magical ability, he began to practice minor charms and prestidigitations in his free time before working his way up to more intermediate spellcraft. Eventually, Quimbleton completed an application to the University of Xyrneiros, and was awarded a scholarship to the University. While his parents required some convincing at first, given how far away the University was, they were happy to see their son finally realize his niche. Quimbleton was admitted to Xyrneiros in 427 PR and moved up the coast to attend classes.
College Years[edit | edit source]
During his studies, Quimbleton had a bit of a “work hard, play hard” mindset. While he took to academia like a duck to water, the newfound freedom and large amounts of downtime gave him quite the opportunity to blow off some steam. He quickly gained the nickname “Meadhall Fiddleford” among friends and certain peers, and is still banned from a handful of taverns on the mainland from to this day. He dabbled in various schools of magic during the first few years of his studies—with specific aptitudes for enchantment, illusion, and abjuration—but truly found his passion in the study of sigilism. With his background from a family of artisans, the mechanics of attuning and enchanting crafted objects came quickly to him, and he was fascinated by the theoretical principles which comprised the discipline. His capstone paper—On the Attunement of Mundane Objects—would become the basis for one of his first books about practices to imbue everyday items with magic. Impressed with his academic progress and achievements, Quimbleton was invited to stay at Xyrneiros to complete an advanced degree in sigilism within the College of Enchantment. He happily obliged—his research evolving to include a strong component of cultural history. Quimbleton is fascinated by the ways in which material craft arts of different cultures interact with their different uses of magic, and the role in which magical items play in various societies. His monograph “The Runes of Old Champerty,” was lauded upon release and established a foothold for him in the world of arcane academia.
Extracurricular Highlights of Quimbleton's Undergarduate Years at Xyrneiros[edit | edit source]
- Was banned for life from The Library bar on the mainland for a drunken, frustrated outburst upon visiting the establishment for the first time after a night of drinking, only to discover it was named ironically.
- Completed seven “frequente flyere” book club discount cards from Veritie’s Qualitie Bookeselleres.
- Was ejected from The Gnoshery following an attempt to disguise himself as a 400- year-old ranger named Montague Thornbush in order to gain entrance to the establishment as an undergrad.
- Scaled the Hall of Corellon.
- Had a sculpture exhibition rejected by the Wharfside Gallery for being “not weird enough”
- Spent a full 48 hours in The Archive.
- Earned his name on a plaque behind the counter of the Morning Glow Meadery from frequent patronage.
Professional Career[edit | edit source]
Quimbleton did not settle down in Xyrneiros immediately—He traveled Osugbo for several years, penning successful books regarding the Kitsune Mage-Artists of Ravel, the Dwarven Fungus-Painters of the BR era, and the Sigil-Crafters of Champerty. His first professorship was in the School of Enchantment at Drȳcræft Drīfan School of Magicks, though he did not spend many years teaching there. He was quickly courted back to Xyrneiros with a position originally in the College of Illusion, but over time worked his way into the College of Enchantment. Prior to the events of The Fantasial Freeze, Quimbleton is an established Professor within the university, currently on sabbatical researching another monograph on Kitsune magic crafts.
Spellcasting[edit | edit source]
When using his magic, Quimbleton often keeps his actual hand movements and vocal incantations to subtle gestures while offering commentary on the arcane theory behind his castings and those of his opponents. Oftentimes he will sit down in the midst of combat and light up his pipe while enchanting his allies or hindering his foes. He has a bad right knee, and does not like to over-exert himself.
On occasion, when he is forced to use the full extent of his magical abilities, he will loose one of his tomes or journals from his pack or belt, allowing it to float in front of him under its own magical powers. The tomes will flip from page to page, providing visual reference for the notes, sigils and incantations which enable his more powerful spells.
Beyond his tomes and spellcasting, Quimbleton frequently uses his expertise in runic sigils and magical imbuement to create small amulets or tokens the size of poker chips. These can contain previously stored spells which he can release without needing verbal or somatic components
Quimbleton's Book Club[edit | edit source]
- “On Rhernas’ Theorem” by Balthasar Alecci
- “The Aquirvax Paradox and Other Speculative Musings” by Dimitri Kain
- “The Graxiom Conjecture, and its Impacts on Transmutation” by Dr. Miriam Daycobble
- “Enchantments, Runes, and Sigils” by Uric Olrias
- “Religion and Cults” by Dr. Michelle Vulkroat.
Quotes:[edit | edit source]
- “On the contrary, Professor Mordecai! Great times of strife such as these are all the more critical for scholars such as ourselves. Who can foresee what knowledge we may glean today that will help the generations of tomorrow.”
- Quimbleton Fiddleford to Alphonse Mordecai upon meeting him in Ravel’s C3.
- “You fools! You’re trying to invoke an otherworldly entity by channeling its powers through non-mage beings. Auredias Carais wrote a series of papers back in 325 explaining just how asinine this entire idea is! Surrender! Your summoning array is something I’d expect to see from a pupil in my 100-level survey, and the constabulary will be here presently!”
- Quimbleton Fiddleford immediately prior to having an eldritch-related near-death experience.
- “Ah, you appear to have a bit of sanguine distemper. I'll fetch the leeches.”
- Quimbleton Fiddleford preparing to administer First Aid.
- “My name is Quimbleton Fiddleford, and I’m going to ruin your resale value”
- Quimbleton Fiddleford prior to carving a 40-foot trench into Xilas LaCroix’s basement.
- “Templeton you dolt! Have you forgotten elementary geography? We currently stand on land south of the Valavar river. This territory was ceded to Ravel by the treaty of the rubies, eponymous for the Slaughter of the Rubies during the Cavalry Rush of 395! You and your compatriots have no claim to this land, and your behavior here constitutes an incursion at the very least—the likes of which could result in a complete diplomatic destabilization between Balabag and Ravel.”
- Quimbleton Fiddleford to Thaddeus Templeton.
- “You’re not one of those crackpot scholars who’ve become convinced the world is round, are you?”
- Quimbleton Fiddleford
- “Alright, that’s about enough of that”
- Quimbleton Fiddleford prior to casting The Wind of the Final Repose (Sleep) on a raging Jaxzo’llan
- “It also came to my attention after everyone submitted their sheets that you’re the only human. In essence, you are the Tim Curry of this Treasure Island”
- James to Caulden before the debut session of The Fantasial Freeze