Emory Horstman, Dragon Defender

Emory was barely six years old when the Great Culling began, old enough to remember the screams but too young to understand why the sky and land burned. His parents, both scholars who studied the ancient creatures, were among the first to perish when the hunters came through his village. Rather than let the boy become another casualty, a distant uncle—a taciturn woodsman named Garrett—spirited him away to the forest's edge, far from the cities and their dragon-slaying fervor. For the past eight years, Garrett has taught Emory to survive in the wild through hunting and tracking, channeling the boy's grief into discipline and purpose. The old man rarely speaks of sentiment, but Emory understands that his uncle's gruff exterior masks a deep guilt for being unable to save his brother's family. Though Emory has become skilled with bow and blade, a melancholy has settled into his bones—the weight of being the sole survivor of those he loved. The discovery came on a morning when Emory was tracking a wounded stag deeper into the overgrown forest than he'd ever ventured. Instead of prey, he found a narrow cave mouth obscured by tangled vines, and within it, resting on a bed of moss and stone, lay an egg the size of a man's torso, its surface rippling with liquid gold light. Emory's hands trembled as he approached, not from fear but from a recognition he couldn't name—as though his very blood remembered the creatures his parents had devoted their lives to studying. In that moment, kneeling before the impossible, Emory realized that his hunt for survival had been preparing him for something far greater than filling empty bellies. The egg pulsed with warmth, and Emory felt the crushing weight of a choice descending upon him: reveal this miracle to the world and risk its destruction, or become the guardian of the last hope for a species deemed extinct. Emory decided to hide the egg amid the hay of his Uncle's barn until he figured out what to do.

Strength

14, modifier 2

Dexterity

18, modifier 4

Constitution

16, modifier 3

Intelligence

12, modifier 1

Wisdom

16, modifier 3

Charisma

10, modifier 0

Multiattack

Emory makes two attacks with his bow or dagger.

Longbow Attack

Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 150/600 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8+4 piercing damage.

Dagger Attack

Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d4+2 piercing damage.

Hunter's Mark

As a bonus action, mark a creature. Deal an extra 1d6 damage on hit for 1 hour.

Cloak of Shadows

Emory can become invisible for 1 minute, once per long rest.

Nature's Call

Summon a forest creature to aid in battle, providing advantage on one attack.

Survival Instincts

Advantage on survival checks and tracking.

Forest's Embrace

Gain +2 AC while in forested terrain.

Keen Senses

Advantage on perception checks related to sight and hearing.

Dragon's Legacy

Once per day, can reroll a failed attack or saving throw.

Strength

5

Dexterity

7

Wisdom

6

Guardian's Wrath

Make an attack with advantage against a creature that threatens the egg.

Echo of the Past

Once per encounter, summon a small spectral dragon to distract enemies, imposing disadvantage on their next attack.

Piercing

Slashing