Expendable

a Tale of High Adventure!

What sort of calendar are we using in this world? And what questions are they going to ask? Name and purpose? Or do passports exist in this world?

a Tale of High Adventure!

Red Wizard has said that the game begins when we arrive at the port for the Vale. In the interest of getting to know one another, have any others a story they wish to share at the table?

a Tale of High Adventure!

At the beginning of the voyage, Kraseawei will have told captain's youngest daughter while they're all having supper that her ship sank one night, and she spent several days clinging onto some railing until she was rescued by none other than Alda the Cruel and the Bloody Sword.

"I must have looked like a drowned rat when they hauled me outta that water. But Alda looked me up and down, then decided, 'Alright Kraseawei, I could use a cabin girl, we'll try it if you like. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.'"

"She told me that for three years! 'Good night Kraseawei, good work! Sleep well, I'll most likely kill you in the morning,'" she said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Didn't you try to escape?" the daughter asked.

"Oh, aye, that I did, took a boat and started rowing, but I didn't get far, caught by another pirate captain, 'Hideous' Mitrik. He brought me back to her, and his mate Captain 'One Legged' Theodore, so they could have a proper pirate captain tribunal and see what devilish thing she'd do to me. So there I was, before the mast, the crew at me back, and the three most horrible captains I'd ever laid eyes on, and Hideous spat on the deck and said, 'guilty.' One Legged nodded his head, and said 'guilty', so I knew I was a goner. But Alda shook her head and said, 'That there is the best cabin girl I ever had,' and stood up pointing these loaded crossbows at Hideous and One Leg's heads, and she said, 'And I'm prepared to send you to the... blazes,' iffen you don't change yer vote."

"And they did," she sighs, shaking her head. "And after those two acquitted me and slunk off the Bloody Sword, Captain Alda looks me in the eye, all angry-like, and me life passed before me eyes. But she said, 'Get to work. I'll most likely kill you in the morning.'"

"Then last week, Alda summons me to the quarterdeck, and tells me and the whole crew my debt to her was square, and she set me ashore, and that's how come I'm on this boat with you."

It will be said with sincerity, except maybe when she calls the three pirate captains the most horrible ones she's met. If anyone takes her aside to ask why her ship sunk, she'll shake her head. "I told them I saw another ship, running without lights out there, and they didn't believe me. It came up and rammed us amidships, tearing us in half. I'm luck to be alive, I am."

a Tale of High Adventure!

Kraseawei: he knows she’s a pirate because he knows about every type of enemy’s and things like that. Is a little bit wary of her but doesn’t know if she’s got a bounty on her head and will probably take her in if she does but it’s a small possibility that he won’t if he develops a closer friendship.doesn’t know if she escaped prison or got released because he knows what the tattoos mean.Overall nit sure what to think of her.

@Chronic

Not tattoos - she was branded with a hot iron, which formed a scar - raised white flesh that never tans.

While aboard the ship, I imagine he'd be mostly helping the quartermaster, as he has experience with organization and logistics from his upbringing, in addition to the fifty-five pounds of steel he seemingly always wears not lending itself towards climbing around the rigging.

@Bacon

Quartermasters on ships assist the navigator, they have the charts and the instruments, including clocks if they have one. They'll probably direct you to the ship master, who's in charge of cargo, or even the captain.

Don't all good stories start with the characters hating each other a little bit? Regardless, early in the trip is when most minor slights like rude comments would be made and that would be Druuk at his most level headed. He understands he has to share a space with these people for a few weeks. Towards the end of the trip though maybe he just fights some nobody NPC after they bump into each other.

@duskshine749

You could always try for some friendly wrestling with another member of the crew. Perhaps there's other half-orcs aboard, perhaps one of the mates.

@Expendable Your call, friend!

@Red Wizard

Assuming this is acceptable to you, on the main deck there are two doors on the port (left) and starboard (right) side under the quarterdeck that leads to the cabins, the passageway forming a large U.

The aft (rear) cabin that spans port and starboard belongs to the captain and his family (yes, this is a family ship), with passenger and officer cabins on the outer sides along the passageway. Overhead in the passageway there are glass deck prisms shaped like large diamonds that lets in light from the quarterdeck above, there will be lanterns at night.

The center compartment (in the middle of the U) is the wardroom, this is where you'll get your meals and may spend much of your spare time. It has a large center table with a skylight overhead to let in the light (and yes, the captain's wife will talk at length at how expensive that was to get.) Bureaus and cabinets line the walls, there's even a small shelf with books and a few game sets. Those who want to sharpen their blades should do so on the main deck.

The front of the room contains the pantry (kitchen) where the captain's wife prepares the meals. It also holds a keg or two, and a few bottles of wine. There is often a basket of apples and a jug of water out between meals, sitting in a hole in the top of the counter.

There is a separate galley for the crew on the lower deck.

Passenger cabins fit four, with bunkbeds mounted on the left and right that fold up during the day to create additional room. There are chains top and bottom that angle out of the wall to support them. This has a straw-tick mattress with fresh straw (it make poke for the first few nights), sheets, pillow, and a wool blanket. There is a night jar in a curtained alcove facing the cabin door, be aware it will stink up the room if used. It's best to use the head unless rough weather, as it's benches on either side of the bow so everything just falls into the ocean below.

At the head end of each pair of bunks is a double-door cabinet to hold the passenger's gear - those without locks can rent one from the captain's wife at a silver for a fortnight's rental.

The captain has two daughters and a son, Kraseawei will be sharing her compartment with them, the son sleeps in the foc's'le with the crew.

a Tale of High Adventure!

Relationship table

Caleb: She's likely to notice his reaction to flame, no stranger to fear herself. While he's wearing the armor, she's likely to forget there's a man under there. Should she see him with a book, she might approach. Alda had a small library aboard the Bloody Sword, and she quickly went through it, so anything new would be welcome.

Druuk: Not the first half-orc she has run into, and she'll recognize the shackle galls, having been a prisoner herself. She may feel a kinship with him over that, one of the few she'd be willing to approach.

Lucky: Kraseawei has sharp eyes, she'll realize he's a thief and expect Lucky to know she's one, too. She might leave one of the secret marks Blind Cyd taught her to make contact with him. She has lock picks but no thieves tools - no need for subtle methods when you're with a pirate. So she may ask for refresher training - for a fee, of course. It doesn't mean she'll not be wary around him.

Harth-Kazann: Kraseawei will respect a priest, bowing her head and holding up her hands in prayer when she runs into him, the sisters of Photia will have told her what to look for, and Blind Cyd would be the first to tell her to behave well with the clergy - but not to confess every sin.

Colt Livingston: if he's a well-known bounty hunter, or gets introduced as such, I can see Kraseawei being wary of him. She's not exactly dressed as other women are, even sailors - he may get a whiff of piracy at the sight of that lone earring alone - it's not merely decoration, but future payment for her burial. Depends on how much he knows about pirates.

Barktawa Reef prison put a burglar brand on her, a letter "b" on her inner right wrist, then the Golden Griffin's crest on her upper left chest to mark her as ship's property. Both hidden by clothes, but he might catch glimpses. There's no bounty on her currently, but only because Lepraerin believes she went down with the ship.

a Tale of High Adventure!

@Expendable You seem to be knowledgeable about this, so I say we'll go with your idea!

@Red Wizard

Cabins near the captain's for passengers? Some or all eating with the captain?

a Tale of High Adventure!

I take it there's some cabins for the passengers, some or all may be sharing a room. The crew traditionally sleeps under the forecastle, or may have hammocks on the lower deck. Will passengers have berthing next to the captain's cabin with the officers, or aft on the lower deck? Or slinging a hammock with the crew? We may be living in very close quarters, which Kraseawei is very used to.

I take it we'll be eating with the crew, or may some of us be dining at the Captain's table? I take it a few of us may rate that honor, but I don't see Kraseawei being invited unless it's so she might play the violin while the others are eating. A couple of silvers for the night's labors, as it were.

Kraseawei may likely spend her time on the lower deck, or on the main deck under the port side ladder leading up to the foc's'le.

a Tale of High Adventure!

@Red Wizard For your consideration.

Kraseawei

Kraseawei

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Name

Kraseawei Templar

Race

Half-Elf

Gender

Female

Age

Character Age: 26

Appearance

This girl puts you in mind of a clever fox with amber eyes that seem to glow in the dark. Her silky, straight, dark red hair is worn in a style that reminds you of a puffy dandelion. She has a lithe build. Her skin is tan. She has rounded, pointed ears and has incredible night vision.

Hair: Dark Red || Eyes: Amber || Skin: Tan
Height: 5' 3" || Weight: 118 lbs || Build: Lithe

Clothes: Leather tricorn cap, hooded cloak head scarf, peasant's blouse, hide jerkin, leather bracers, leather breeches, woolen hose, leather jackboots with rope soles. Waist scarf, wide leather belt, two belt pouches, dagger on the left, rigging knife with sheath and a carved hardwood fid.

She has a gold earring on her right ear. A bosun's pipe is on a knotted lanyard and tucked under her clothes.

She has a cutlass and a seabag with a lanyard and knotted fringe-work.

Other: 59 gold coins, 20 silver, some copper.

Personality

Wary, organized, & dependable. Loves music and books. Only gambles what she can afford to lose. Dislikes crowds.

Background

She was left as a baby at the Temple of the Blessed Fountain and taken in by the followers of Photia, Goddess Of The Ostracized. Mother Shadeleaf gave her the name of Kraseawei, assuring the doubtful it was an actual Elvish name. When Kraseawei was old enough, she was put under the charge of Blind Cyd, few aware that he was a former pirate.

Blind Cyd used the children as his eyes and hands. While the temple taught her about letters, numbers, and the gods, he and his minions taught her how to read the secret symbols of their trade, to move about silently without notice, to pick locks and pockets, to use a blade and a sling, and how to burgle.

When she was older, whenever a book came into his possession, Blind Cyd would have Kraseawei read it as he loved the sweetness of her voice, and would patiently question her and the others on what she read. It was a most unusual education.

When Searl, a new merchant, set up shop in Redkirk and quickly became successful within a fortnight, Blind Cyd sent her into his warehouse to discover his secrets. Unfortunately for her, she was caught and beatened by the merchant and his men. When Kraseawei refused to talk, Searl delivered her to Baron Aleyne's court. Unable to intevene, Blind Cyd could only stand there helplessly as the barely conscious thief was dragged out of the Baron's court to the waiting prison boat that would take her to Barktawa Reef.

It wasn't long after that for the exiled Prince Francus the Pretender decided to launch his attacks against the Lepraerin Kingdom. In need of recruits, the kingdom decided to press prisoners into service in the Lepraerin Royal Navy. Kraseawei and others were dragged aboard the Golden Griffin in chains, then once they were almost out of sight from Barktawa Reef, each prisoner was branded with the ship's crest before being released and assigned their new duties.

The crew were surly towards the new "recruits", none of them liking theives or worse sharing their quarters and quick to apply their own rough justice. As the new recruits would be leading the assault on the Lord Pretender's ship, they were trained to fight with wooden swords filled with lead, the real weapons locked up until battle.

One night on lookout, Kraseawei spotted a ship in the darkness, but the others couldn't see anything and told the captain that the "little golden-eye thief" was lying. The captain ordered her flogged "for her impertinence," and they were too busy watching her when the Pretender's ship rammed them, cutting the ship in half.

How many days Kraseawei floated, tied that rail, before she was plucked out of the ocean by Captain Alda the Cruel and the crew of the Bloody Sword, she couldn't say. There wasn't much fighting, much to her surprise, as most ships would surrender as soon as they saw Alda's flag, and the food was better by far. Wasel, the Bosun, taught her to play the fiddle while she was still recovering, while the captain would sometimes give her some personalized training with the cutlass. Alda apologized to her once, saying that because of her well-earned reputation, so few captains had the nerve to face he; she really didn't have a way to give Kraseawei the battle experience she needed to improve.

It took a few years, but she was finally able to ransom herself, since Kraseawei didn't sign the book. Returning to Lepraerin was out of the question, they'd lock her up as a deserter. So while still dark, The Bloody Sword let her ashore on a vacant stretch of beach to make her way towards the town and a ship to the Vale.

Talents

Thief - out of practice as a dip (pickpocket), good with slight of hand, rusty at picking locks, fair at finding traps, good at concealment and stealth.

Sailor - Good with line and rigging, good at knot-tying, splicing, canvas work, handling small craft. Some celestrial navigation. Good head for heights.

Fiddle - plays well, good signing voice, knows a lot of sea shanties.

Swordmanship - fair, some skill

Knife-fighting - good at handling and throwing

Sling - fair shot.

Darkvision - can see in extremely dark places

Sensitive Hearing - can hear whispers as if the speaker was standing next to her instead of across the room.

Flaws

Haphephobia (fear of touch, mild), PTSD (mild), Suspicious, Pessimistic, Sea legs (her body is used to a deck that pitches and rolls, even on dry land, gives her a distinctive walk).

Equipment

Ditty bag - small canvas sack with rope landyard, contains sail needles in a needle case, sail palm x2 , waxed sail twine x 2, bench hooks x 2, bone fid, small hanks of twine and small cordage, rolled strips of canvas, rigging knife with sheath, tinder box w/flint & steel, burning lens). Kept in her seabag.
Hide Jerkin - some protection from slash attacks
Cutlass
Dagger
Sling
Fiddle (musical instrument)
Seabag
Belt pouch (1) - twenty silver coins, some copper.
Belt pouch (2) - Metsubushi black eggs x 2, chalk x 2.
Lockpicks

Miscellaneous

Her surname Templar is often used by the temple priests when the actual name is not known.

a Tale of High Adventure

Hey! Uh, so, I kinda wanna get back into RPing in RPGuild, and this seems right up my alley! Is there still a spot open for this, where can I find the lore, and has a character sheet been made for it yet?

@Dragonfly 9

See here for lore.

a Tale of High Adventure

<Snipped quote by Expendable>

I think that the human blood of half-elves would be super obvious to proper elves. Maybe not so much to humans (especially if they've never seen the real deal), but an elf would never miss.

Furthermore, I don't think half-elves can produce full elves. Once the blood has been watered down, it stays that way - or detoriates further.

@Red Wizard

That's disappointing, but at least they won't have to worry who's going to babysit after they're dead.

Sorry for the delay, people. I've come down with a spell of fever. I'l finish the thread once I'm back on my feet.

@Red Wizard

okay, take care.