Alexander Parade

Description

Alexander is a 4'11'' tall dwarven man with an artificial eye that moves independently of the other eye. He wears boots, a scarf, a three-piece suit that has seen better days, and two mechanical arms of Aeorian design attached to his back.

The teacher is eccentric and emotional, and tends to ramble and get distracted in the middle of conversations.

History

At some point before 739 PD Alexander moved to a small valley in the Utesspire Mountains as a kind of vacation in his cabin; his original intention was for it to be a temporary stay, but one day, accompanied by his then-functional mechanical pet, he discovered a large amethyst, and this caught his interest. He stayed in the valley, exploring the area and uncovering different types of gems, including a black formation that he used to create black powder for his weapons and his excavations. While he was there he also did some research on Aeorian technology, and eventually found two functional arms he attached to his back. At one point in the following decades strange cursed creatures made of sticks started appearing and attacking his home, so he started altering it creating an increasingly longer staircase to access his door, until he reached 400 steps, some of them with traps. He also put a sign threatening trespassers. Around 809 PD he was visited by a blue-skinned woman accompanied by an irritating boy, and she asked for a stone he had found, offering a bag of oats in exchange. Since he was very hungry Alexander agreed, and even complimented the woman's skin, but she gave him a rude answer, and after they were done she left with the stone and the child.

Around 839 PD the Re-Slayer's Take arrived to the valley and activated one of Alexander's traps, drawing his attention with his voices in order to clarify they weren't a threat. The first to reach his door was Heera Agneheart, who treated him with respect, and tried to make his broken radio work; although it didn't, he seemed very interested in knowing if it was possible to hear a voice with it. When the rest of the adventurers arrived he was cautious around them at first, and slightly offended when they offered to fix his radio, but he offered him tea and stale biscuits regardless. At one point, however, he used his blunderbuss to shoot at a twig puppet that had entered his home; he gave his fake eye to Farah in order to point with it outside, and when they confirmed there were more twig creatures coming, they defended the cabin together until the monsters left. When Alexander noticed Frog using Aeorian technology he realized she was an Aeormaton, and started sharing his knowledge with her; Poogs showed interest too, but the professor dismissed him telling the goblin he didn't look smart enough (shortly after he told him to go outside with a bag full of black powder). When the dwarf shared with them his experiences in the valley and how his foes had broken Douglas the automaton, they offered him to fix it, and thankful, he shared some weird facts about Aeor. When Alexander heard that Poogs had fallen and was covered in powder he told him to swim in a nearby pond before the sun made him catch fire. Then, focusing again, he told the rest of the adventurers that if they helped him with Douglas he would reveal to them the secrets of his black powder.

After telling Timpani to carry more black powder Alexander deactivated the trapped stairs and guided his new friends southward, to a crater where he used to try his explosions; he did a demonstration (despite Timpani's concerns), and exposed some diamonds in the ground, although he was more interested in finding more Aeorian technology. When Farah asked he didn't let her keep the diamonds, since he used them to buy food in a town nearby (he got some biscuits in exchange for one diamond). Shortly after, when a twigman stole Frog's screwdriver the professor agreed to guide the adventurers to the creatures' lair, although he did so by singing, preventing them from moving stealthily. When they arrived to the place and interrogated a pine tree with Speak with Plants they learned that the twigmen were connected to a night hag, and Alexander remembered he had dealt with her three decades before, giving her her heartstone in exchange for oats. When the Re-Slayers decided to attack the twigmen the professor told Timpani to use some of his powder to do so, and even though Heera took some of it from him as a precaution, the explosion it caused created a huge crater and angered the monsters.

Alexander reacted quickly, using Grease to slow the twigmen, and destroying one of the two faces of the biggest one with his blunderbuss, recharging with his mechanical arms right after; when another giant twigman appeared, walking towards them with its multiple legs, the professor warned his friends to move out of the way, and after boasting in front of the creature and dodging two attacks, he used Catapult to hit it with a big diamond, leaving it embedded in its body. Shortly after, he and Timpani approached the crater, where Frog had disappeared, and Alexander threw his artificial eye inside, informing the druid that Frog (who had become smaller somehow) was fighting a third giant twigman, which the dwarf recognized as the one who had harmed Douglas, since still was missing a leg after fighting him. He went inside, taking his eye and attacked the monster, finish it off with a single shot. After that he and the Re-Slayers explored the cave, finding the hag's old lair, where he located the heart: a cylindrical emerald; he was willing to leave immediately, but when Frog reminded him that she was still missing her screwdriver he encouraged the rest of the group until they found it.

Two hours later he and the others arrived to the cabin, very exhausted, and Alexander was able to fix Douglas, who started moving and talking again. To celebrate they went outside to play with the dog, and although the professor offered the adventurers to stay for some tea, they told him that they had to leave, inviting him to come with them to Vasselheim; when he refused (since he wanted to modify his stairs again, now that the twigmen weren't a threat), they told him he would be welcome if he ever visited them. Noticing that his mechanical arms were drawn to Frog he let her keep them, arguing he no longer needed them, and he thanked the group for all their help; he also allowed Farah to leave with some black powder, and she promised to write to him if she ever learned something new about the substance. As they were saying goodbye Heera suggested Alexander to limit his excavations to the one crater he had already created, assuring him there was Aeorian technology below, but he told her that ultimately he would explore whatever terrain he deemed adequate. After that the adventuring party left with their wagon and Alexander and Douglas returned to their cabin.

Douglas

Douglas was Alexander's dog and he loved it very much. When it passed away, the dwarf built a small automaton with a dog-like behavior, and liked having it around; even after it stopped working he kept the mechanical Douglas with him.

Notable items

• A damaged radio with three echo stones
• Artificial eye
• Big amethyst
• Blunderbuss
• Big notebook
• Douglas the automaton
• Aeorian mechanical arms
• Diamonds

Dwarf abilities

Unless otherwise noted, the following abilities are assumed from the standard Dungeons & Dragons materials:

• Darkvision
• Dwarven Resilience
• Tool Proficiency
• Stonecunning

Class abilities

Based on the flavor and skills of the character, it is presumed that he is an artificer until proven otherwise.

• Magical Tinkering
• Spellcasting
• Infuse Item
  • Homunculus Servant^[presumed]
• Artificer Specialist
• The Right Tool for the Job
• Tool Expertise

Appearances and mentions

• The Re-Slayer's Take
  • " The Restless Retreat " (RT2x09), mentioned only, unnamed (indirect)
  • " The Hermit's Hill " (RT2x10) (first appearance)
  • " The Terrible Twigmen " (RT2x11)
  • " The Hexed Hive " (RT2x12)
  • " The Decomposing Domicile " (RT2x13), mentioned only