Basil Damascus

Basil Damascus is a player character in the Chronicles of Frostfire campaign. He is a yuan-ti artificer/fighter who left home to retrieve items stolen from his parents' workshop. He's also avoiding the consequences of a mysterious letter, but that’s a problem for future Basil.

Physical
Basil is a yuan-ti with green-scaled skin and gold eyes. He wears blackened steel arcane armor inscribed with runes. During the Rune Knight trial in the Eye of the All-Father, he underwent a transformation of physical and mental maturity and can now invoke the might of the giants to transform (Large).

Personality
He is polite, anxious to prove himself, and loyal to his family above all else. He has difficulty lying and will either avoid situations where he must, or admit a truth to “balance it out.”

Family History
Basil comes from a long line of renowned inventors and artificers. He grew up with his family in a small neighborhood in the trade city Yartar.

Basil’s mother Atheris is an esteemed alchemist. His father Chalybs is a blacksmith, as well as Atheris’ partner in the Family Business. Basil’s older sister and her fiancée live in the city and help with business relations. He also has an “aunt” - Dr. Cosmia, another revered artificer/professor who hasn’t been heard from in a while...

Early Life
Basil spent most of his comfortable childhood in his parents’ workshop and forge, where he tinkered, read, and studied. He strove to live up to his parents’ legacy and expectations, although the pressure was largely self-inflicted.

Leaving Home
In the week before Basil’s departure from Yartar, 3 key events lined up:


 * 1) the arrival of a letter for Basil, which he currently carries,
 * 2) Atheris’ completion of a secret valuable project, and
 * 3) the impressive but devastating theft of said project...

Partially motivated by the mysterious letter, Basil decided to leave and track down the stolen artifacts himself. He set out, following a lead north to Mirabar. On the road, and under military lockdown in Mirabar due to the giant attacks, Basil found himself overwhelmed and surprised by having to Afford Things and Not Die. He quickly latched on to the party when they approached him for help on their quest.

Chronicles of Frostfire
En route to the Spine of the World, Basil began learning sleight of hand and much-needed street smarts from Vahera. He also sparred with Raswar and busied himself studying the workings of The Falcon, Harlock's Halruuan airship.

When the party sought entrance to the Oracle’s chamber in the Eye of the All-Father, a statue guardian of Annam barred their way. He required a volunteer with pure intentions to undergo a trial and join the giant family, as a show of good faith. Basil accepted. As he passed the trial of constitution, he grew in both stature and mind. He received 3 gifts: the strength of the giants, their ancient ability of rune casting, and the honorary title Basil Thunderfist. His fate became intertwined with that of the giant kin.

Notable Inventory

 * Atheris' Arcane Firearm & tools

Trivia

 * Basil's occasional homunculus servant "Sticky" was made from a jar of honey gifted to him by Amalia
 * When Basil first met the party at a tavern in Mirabar, he helped them win rooms during a drinking contest by enchanting an opponent’s mug to smell terrible (forcing him to flee the table from nausea - classic Stink Mug)
 * He's the only one in the party who knows Vahera's dad is trapped in the pendant she carries