Brother Marcus

Brother Marcus is a human Cleric devoted to St. Cuthbert and the party's primary healer. His faith has saved the party multiple times, and he delivered the killing blow against the betrayer Keestake with a single devastating strike.

Ability Scores

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
14	10	14	11	16 (+2 bonus spells)	13

Combat Statistics

Class	Level	HP	AC	THAC0	Alignment	XP	Next Level
Cleric (St. Cuthbert)	3	14/14	3 (chain mail + shield)	20	Lawful Good	3,020	6,000

Spells

Level	Base Slots	WIS Bonus	Total	Prepared
1st	2	+2	4	Cure Light Wounds x3, Bless
2nd	1	�	1	Hold Person

Turn Undead

Undead Type	Roll Needed (d20)
Skeleton	4+
Zombie	7+
Ghoul	10+
Shadow	13+
Wight	16+

Weapon Proficiencies

• Mace
• Flail

Equipment & Inventory

Weapons

Weapon	Damage	Notes
Footman's mace	1d6+1/1d6	Proficient � purchased in Ventris
Footman's flail	1d6+1/1d4+1	Proficient � backup weapon

Armour

• Chain mail (AC 5) � from Prince Horedel's burial treasure
• Shield (-1 AC)
• Cloak

Holy Items

• Holy symbol of St. Cuthbert

Adventuring Gear

• Backpack, bedroll, waterskin
• Rope (50' hemp), torches (6), flint & steel
• Trail rations (7 days)

Adventure History

Treasure Hunt

Episode 1: The Shipwreck

Marcus participated in the defeat of Hafkris the half-orc on the beach. In Round 2 of combat, he landed a solid hit with a makeshift club (rolled 16, 4 damage), helping bring down the jailer.

Episode 2: The Ravine

During the fight with the five goblin survivors, Marcus killed Goblin 3 (rolled 14, 4 damage) in Round 1 and delivered the killing blow to Goblin 5 � the last standing enemy � in Round 6 (rolled 16, 4 damage). He took 4 damage from Goblin 2 during the fight (8 to 4 HP). After the battle, Marcus and Zeale worked together to stabilize the dying Mira � his first attempt failed (rolled 20) but the second succeeded (rolled 6). Marcus took padded armour and a battle axe from the battlefield.

Episode 3: Temple of the Goddess

Marcus used his divine boon (Cure Light Wounds) immediately on the unconscious Mira, but rolled only 1 � healing just 1 HP, not enough to restore consciousness. Melisana then used her boon (rolled 8, maximum) to bring Mira back. Marcus found a prayer book containing a single-use Bless spell in the temple library and kept it for later use.

Episode 4: Manor of the Sea King

During the corridor fight with the goblin patrol, Marcus took 1 damage from Goblin 2's natural 20 (5 to 4 HP), then another 1 damage the following round (4 to 3 HP). After the combat, with Finn bleeding out at -6 HP, Marcus cast his final Cure Light Wounds spell and rolled 8 � maximum on 1d8 � fully healing Finn from -6 to 6 HP. Both CLW spell slots now spent.

Episode 5: The Catacombs � Justice for the Betrayer

When Keestake revealed his betrayal and lunged at Mira with a dagger, Marcus acted decisively. Despite his -4 non-proficiency penalty with the battle axe, he rolled a natural 20 and dealt 8 damage � maximum on 1d8. Keestake (6 HP) was killed instantly, his attack on Mira never landing. It was perhaps the most important single roll of the entire adventure.

Episode 6: The Crypt

Marcus knelt in the Crypt Chamber and read the prayer book's Bless spell, granting the entire party +1 to attack rolls and saving throws for 6 rounds. The prayer book's pages crumbled to ash � it was single-use only.

When the zombies animated, Marcus attempted to Turn Undead but rolled a 1 (needed 13) � a critical failure at the worst possible moment. In Combat Round 1, Zombie Liala struck Marcus for 5 damage, dropping him from 3 HP to -2 HP � dying. He bled to -3 HP before Mira stabilized him with a torn cloak strip.

Marcus was placed in an empty crypt (Room 17) for protection, then carried to the galley by Mira and escaped the island unconscious.

Between Adventures

Marcus healed over several weeks on Ventris Island, sustained by prayer and the care of Melkeras's household. The battle axe that had served him � despite never being proficient with it � was retired. He purchased a proper footman's mace and flail, weapons befitting a cleric. He now wears the chain mail recovered from Prince Horedel's tomb with a new shield, giving him formidable protection (AC 3) for the trials ahead.

The Sinister Secret of Saltmarsh

Arrival and the Town

Marcus prayed at Saltmarsh's modest sea-temple for word of the haunted house, but the local priest knew nothing new. He suspected from the first that the "haunting" was no work of the undead.

The Haunted House

Climbing the rotten kitchen stair in his heavy mail, Marcus put a leg through a tread and was hauled clear by Zeale - no harm done, but a loud crack rang through the house. In a bedroom chest the party found a clerical scroll of hold person, which Marcus recognised as holy writing and kept.

Saving Finn

After Finn was dropped to 0 HP by stirges in the attic, Marcus climbed the rope and cast Cure Light Wounds (healed 5), bringing him back from death's door, then a second (healed 7) to set him near full. Two of his three healing prayers were spent here.

The Giant Ant Battle

Marcus held the doorway shield-wall beside Zeale. A giant ant's bite (a natural 20) tore his thigh, and a second left him critically wounded at 3/14. He fell back and cast Bless, granting the whole party +1 to hit - the prayer that finally broke the deadlock against the ants' tough shells. With the fight won, he spent his last Cure Light Wounds on himself (healed 7, to 10/14).

Current Status

Wounded and tapped out - 10/14 HP, with all healing prayers spent until he can rest and pray anew at dawn. He carries a single-use clerical scroll of hold person found in the house. He remains convinced the house is no true haunt - he has felt nothing of the undead within it.