Luminosity

The Blackwood

Loving it so far! Had a few busy days here so I thought I'd pause for a bit. Should be able to post sometime tomorrow.

The Blackwood

Civilization at last. Mari felt extremely lucky that her first encounter with another person in the Blackwood had been so positive, and the tollkeeper served as a stark reminder that it wouldn't always be that way. She took in the town, one building after the next, as Ithaca introduced them. The people didn't seem to find her arrival noteworthy; no doubt plenty of well-armed strangers made their way through this outpost. She made certain to remember Po Harthwyn's name and face, as he seemed like someone she ought to try speaking with later.

There wasn't any hurry, as Mari didn't need to complete her journey on any particular timetable. Completing it alive was the important part, and that meant not venturing back out into the woods until she was rested, restocked, and armed with at least something resembling a lead. The town seemed to have everything she needed, though her funds were limited, and would be restricted to the necessities.

For the moment Mari simply dismounted the horse, far less painfully than she had the last time. "If you're here tonight, can I buy you an ale later?" She grinned a little at Ithaca. "Seems I have five Lordlings more than I should thanks to you."

Regardless, her first stop was the Grandhaven behind her, for a room, a hot meal so she didn't need to deplete her rations further, and a bath. Necessities, all.

Escaping The Faewoods - A Survival Horror RP

Freya Carstensen

"Shit, shit, shit..." Freya cursed under her breath as they made their temporary escape into a dark cave, which really didn't feel like an improvement over a forest clearing. She'd expected something to tear into her back or her leg the whole way, not daring to look behind her as she and Brenton helped the twins along, but it never happened. A few of them had some nasty looking cuts and injuries from the little goblin things or the demon-horse, but somehow Freya was more or less untouched.

"Yeah, unless it decides it wants to be a giant spider or a venomous snake next. Fuck!" Freya ran her fingers through her hair and paced, frustrated, terrified, and unable to slow her breathing. She knew she wasn't helping, but this was all kinds of messed up, and getting even worse fast. "Sorry, I just..."

Freya forced herself to stop, close her eyes, and take three deep breaths. She couldn't panic. They were lucky to all still be alive after that shitshow, but panicking was the quickest way to change that. "We can't stay here. We can't go back. I think we just need to hope there's a way out if we go through." Granted, there could easily be something worse than a shapeshifting horse and goblins inside the dark cave, but they had to take their chances, right? Better than going back to die, or staying here to die.

"I'm not hurt, so... I could lead the way. I guess."

The Blackwood

Riding Roll

Riding: d8 = 2

Mari couldn't help but smile when she laid eyes on the horse. Mounts were hardly common on the isles in the Sea of Swords, and she had very little experience with horses, but she'd always found them beautiful. She took Ithaca's hand and mounted up behind her without much of the same grace, a little unsteady, but the pace wasn't difficult.

"Durgony, that's right." Mari was getting a little tired of traveling, and this Rittenvos sounded like an excellent place to rest and just maybe rid herself of the dirt and dust and grime of the journey. She found herself liking this Ithaca; given her occupation, she likely knew the forest very well. No one was supposed to know of the temple's location, but perhaps Ithaca could help her get started. Not everyone felt favorably towards the Daughters, but Mari had a good feeling about this one.

Any trace of good feeling fled when an awful roar rent the very air, prompting Mari to reach up and cover both of her ears, wincing at the sudden pain of such a loud noise from above. The horse wildly bucked, and without a solid grip on anything Mari was thrown off, landing with a heavy thud on her side in the dirt.

Dragon, Ithaca said. The fall only knocked the wind out of Mari, but instinctively she reached for her shield, even if it'd be all but pointless against such a creature. Her heart was pounding, terror coursing through her, and it only abated when the second awful roar seemed to be further away. Forcing herself to take a few breaths, Mari got back to her feet.

"Goddess," she breathed, brushing dirt off her side. "Are dragons, wyverns, and ogres a normal day for you here?"

The Blackwood

Screaming was the last thing Mari intended to do. She'd allowed herself to be ambushed, distracted as she was by the wyvern's arrival, which she'd only narrowly avoided by luck, but now her instinct was to fight rather than let fear rule. She reached for one of her daggers, but a strong hand caught her wrist. The voice behind her promised her no harm.

It took a few seconds, but finally Mari relaxed her muscles and slowed her breathing, the woman letting her go as soon as she did. If she'd wanted to kill Mari, she had a perfect chance already, and hadn't used it. That was good enough. Mari cautiously checked to make sure the wyvern was still occupied with the ogre, then turned about.

Ithaca, she introduced herself as. A Praelian name if she'd ever heard one, with a look to match. Taller than Mari, and well armed and armored. What she promised sounded like a much needed bit of good luck. "Lead the way," she instructed, eager to put the gulley and the wyvern well behind her.

Only when the sounds of the creature feasting on the ogre's corpse had disappeared did she venture her own introduction. "I'm Mari, of the Sea of Swords. What's this town we're headed to?"

Escaping The Faewoods - A Survival Horror RP

I'll post sometime shortly after Ryona does!

The Blackwood

Rolls

Balance: 1d8+1 = 5 (4 + 1)
Intelligence: d8 = 4

Mari missed the sound of the sea. It was something she'd taken for granted, born and raised near the water as she always had been, and now that it was gone, the world seemed all too uncomfortably quiet. This forest would test her, she knew; Asherah had promised as much, and to become a Daughter of Rán, Mari would have to overcome adversity. She needed to prove she was one of them in heart and mind before she could be granted any gifts.

She stopped at the edge of the gulley, pushing auburn hair from her face. Getting around this would take hours, and Mari wanted to make it deeper into the forest well before darkness fell. She had a passing knowledge of world geography, but without help in this forest she would be hopelessly lost. People lived in the darkness of the wood somewhere, she just had to find them, and perhaps see if a deal could be made.

That meant getting down and through the gulley. Mari noted the very large, very dead thing down there, but whatever felled it was nowhere to be seen, no tracks she could identify at a distance. The smell was strong, though. Best not to linger here any longer than I have to. She started down carefully after securing her pack and her shield, making quick work of the descent. She almost slipped once, but caught herself and kept her feet, setting foot in the basin.

Her boots sank into the mud beneath the shallow, filthy water, but she made sure to keep moving, finding that the muck wasn't severe enough to threaten her. The creature was an ogre, she guessed, judging by Asherah's descriptions from stories she'd told. Goddess, the old woman had a lot of stories. The ogre looked to be a few days dead at least, and the smell grew even worse as she passed.

With no intent of sticking around to end up beside the dead ogre, Mari began the work of climbing up the far side of the gulley, finding it no more difficult than the descent. It wasn't the warmest welcome into the Blackwood, but Mari had already steeled herself for the worst. Whatever the Watery Widow intended to throw at her, she would face it.

The Blackwood

Hoping to post tonight!

Um, about rolls, I'm still a bit uncertain about how they'll work and when they're needed. The OOC mostly just covers combat rolls. How do we know if we need to roll something? Where do we do the rolling (I just did Mari's money rolls using a Discord bot)? Are we just going on an honor system for rolls? Sorry, just thought I'd ask now rather than rush ahead and need to edit something.

The Blackwood

Mari

Mari

Marisaya Njalsdottir || 20 || Female

Race

Half-Elf (Silvari and Norgardian)

Appearance

Mari's undoubtedly a little small for a fighter, but moves with the grace and poise of someone who has had thorough training, if not a great deal of experience. She can easily pass for human even if her auburn red hair isn't covering her lightly pointed ears. Her eyes are a bright sea blue-green, and she typically gives off the look of someone still full of life and energy.

She wears light armor, mostly embossed and studded leather that's probably more decorative than it is protective, with a minimum of cobbled-together plate. It's in Mari's interest to stay lightly geared, considering how often she finds herself on open water.

Personality

Mari is fierce, bold, and passionate, and a genuinely good woman at heart. She feels she has a great deal to make up for from her youth, and believes fully that the Daughters of Rán are her way to redemption.

When working Mari is serious, focused, and efficient, and though at times self-doubt can slow her down, she has enough courage to forge ahead even when she suspects she might fail. Recently she has found meaning and purpose in helping others, and will gladly take up a worthy cause even at risk to her own safety or fortune.

In quieter moments, Mari is fully capable of relaxing, unwinding, and sharing a drink and stories. She's not secretive about her past or her feelings, and finds that she connects with and empathizes easily with others.

The Ninth Daughter of Rán

---

Background

~Aspiring Mercenary Priestess
~Lower Class, Criminal Background
~Daughter of a runaway Silvari noblewoman and a Norgardian smuggler

History

Mari has romantic origins, the result of a runaway Silvari girl fleeing an arranged marriage and a Norgardian smuggler that left his own homeland behind. She grew up in the Sea of Swords, and there the romance ended. Life as the daughter of a common smuggler was hardly easy, especially one like her father, who found himself in debt to powerful individuals.

At twelve Mari found herself working to help pay off those debts, mostly to a criminal and pirate lord, an Izyrian named Ihsan. She worked for him and his crews, hopping islands and pickpocketing, thieving, spying, and eavesdropping. As she grew, she graduated to more direct assistance, and took some part in piracy and raids. It was all she knew at first, and Mari was talented and adventurous, albeit unsatisfied with the way her life was going.

Everything changed at 18, when she was caught stealing from a woman named Asherah, First of the Daughters of Rán, a small but respected and even feared group of women sellswords. Often known by other names such as Sisters of the Sea or Witches of the Waves or simply the Sirens, the Daughters belonged to the clever and cunning sea-goddess Rán. The gifts she granted her Nine Daughters were not always extraordinary, but it was believed that the presence of a Daughter aboard a ship could well be the difference between a smooth voyage and a death at the hands of a passing leviathan or vicious storm.

When Asherah unexpectedly took a liking to Mari, she felt the Goddess had guided them together. Rán's Daughters always numbered Nine, but recently one had passed, opening a place for Mari if she wanted it. Even knowing she'd be leaving her father on his own, not to mention making an enemy of Ihsan by betraying him, Mari accepted, and began two years of hard training with her new sisters, who protected her while she prepared to join their ranks. She learned slowly and with many mistakes, but learned all the same. The Daughters of Rán offered her a new way forward, one where she could be a better person, while still finding the adventure her heart desired.

Now at the end of her training, Mari faces a rite of passage: venture into the Blackwood, alone, and make her way into the forgotten places with Rán's guidance, to find her hidden temple, a place supposedly only accessible to the Nine Daughters. There she will pray and accept the gifts the Goddess offers, seizing the power she feels she needs to fully make amends for her past.

Motivation

Mari must find the Hidden Temple of Rán, hidden somewhere in the Blackwood, and complete her initiation into the Daughters of Rán. After that, she can follow where the waters take her, and sell her sword and skills to those she feels need it most.

Witch of the Waves

Skills Mari is a former thief attempting to remake herself as a proper warrior. Her abilities are spread thin between combat, knowledge, and underhanded skills. Combat [1/1] ~Sword and Shield [1] ~Daggers [1] Intelligence [1/1] ~Literacy [1] ~Religion [1] ~Geography [1] Charisma [1/1] ~Diplomacy [2] Health [1/1] ~Cold Resistance [1] Faculties [1/1] ~Resolve [1] ~Perception [1] Agility [1/1] ~Pick Pocket [1] ~Lockpick [1] ~Balance [1] ~Swimming [2] Mysticism [0/3] Equipment ~One handed sword ~Wooden round shield ~Two small daggers ~Leather and partial plate armor ~Stitched hide and linen clothes ~Prayer bead necklaces with symbols of Rán Money ~1 Royal ~18 Lordlings ~40 Commons Languages ~Northern Tongue ~Grim Northern ~Bits and pieces of many other tongues

The Blackwood

I managed to get my sheet together today, and make this sheet post. I hope it makes someone say "holy sheet!" and I hope it can go on the GM's sheet list. Otherwise I'll have to send it up sheet creek.

Sorry, I'm just full of sheet today. Really got sheet for brains. Anyway, here's my sheet. Do let me know if any of my sheet needs changing.

Because I love talking sheet with people.

Mari!

Mari

Marisaya Njalsdottir || 20 || Female

Race

Half-Elf (Silvari and Norgardian)

Appearance

Mari's undoubtedly a little small for a fighter, but moves with the grace and poise of someone who has had thorough training, if not a great deal of experience. She can easily pass for human even if her auburn red hair isn't covering her lightly pointed ears. Her eyes are a bright sea blue-green, and she typically gives off the look of someone still full of life and energy.

She wears light armor, mostly embossed and studded leather that's probably more decorative than it is protective, with a minimum of cobbled-together plate. It's in Mari's interest to stay lightly geared, considering how often she finds herself on open water.

Personality

Mari is fierce, bold, and passionate, and a genuinely good woman at heart. She feels she has a great deal to make up for from her youth, and believes fully that the Daughters of Rán are her way to redemption.

When working Mari is serious, focused, and efficient, and though at times self-doubt can slow her down, she has enough courage to forge ahead even when she suspects she might fail. Recently she has found meaning and purpose in helping others, and will gladly take up a worthy cause even at risk to her own safety or fortune.

In quieter moments, Mari is fully capable of relaxing, unwinding, and sharing a drink and stories. She's not secretive about her past or her feelings, and finds that she connects with and empathizes easily with others.

The Ninth Daughter of Rán

---

Background

~Aspiring Mercenary Priestess
~Lower Class, Criminal Background
~Daughter of a runaway Silvari noblewoman and a Norgardian smuggler

History

Mari is the result of a love story that ended in tragedy, the child of a young High Elven woman forced to flee from a political power struggle and a common smuggler that long since left the north behind. She grew up in the Sea of Swords, and her parents were both killed when her mother's family rivals caught up with her. Mari was twelve at the time.

Her father's debts were passed down, and Mari found herself in the indentured servitude of a criminal and pirate lord, an Izyrian named Ihsan. She worked for him and his crews, hopping islands and pickpocketing, thieving, spying, eavesdropping, anything to earn her place and keep a roof over her head. As she grew, she graduated to more direct assistance, and took some part in piracy and raids.

Her life changed at 18, when she was caught stealing from a woman named Asherah, First of the Daughters of Rán, a small but respected and even feared group of women sellswords. Often known by other names such as Sisters of the Sea or Witches of the Waves or simply the Sirens, the Daughters belonged to the clever and cunning sea-goddess Rán. The gifts she granted her Nine Daughters were not always extraordinary, but it was believed that the presence of a Daughter aboard a ship could well be the difference between a smooth voyage and a death at the hands of a passing leviathan or vicious storm.

When Asherah unexpectedly took a liking to Mari, she felt the Goddess had guided them together. Rán's Daughters always numbered Nine, but recently one had passed, opening a place for Mari if she wanted it. Even knowing she'd make an enemy of Ihsan by betraying him, Mari accepted, and began two years of hard training with her new sisters, who protected her while she prepared to join their ranks. She learned slowly and with many mistakes, but learned all the same.

Now at the end of her training, Mari faces a rite of passage: venture into the Blackwood, alone, and make her way into the forgotten places with Rán's guidance, to find her hidden temple, a place supposedly only accessible to the Nine Daughters. There she will pray and accept the gifts the Goddess offers, seizing the power she feels she needs to fully make amends for her past.

Motivation

Mari must find the Hidden Temple of Rán, hidden somewhere in the Blackwood, and complete her initiation into the Daughters of Rán. After that, she can follow where the waters take her, and sell her sword and skills to those she feels need it most.

Witch of the Waves

Skills Mari is a former thief attempting to remake herself as a proper warrior. Her abilities are spread thin between combat, knowledge, and underhanded skills. Combat [1/1] ~Sword and Shield [1] ~Daggers [1] Intelligence [1/1] ~Literacy [1] ~Religion [1] ~Geography [1] Charisma [1/1] ~Diplomacy [1] Health [1/1] ~Cold Resistance [1] Faculties [1/1] ~Resolve [1] Agility [1/1] ~Pick Pocket [1] ~Lockpick [1] ~Balance [1] ~Swimming [2] Mysticism [0/3] Equipment ~One handed sword ~Wooden round shield ~Two small daggers ~Leather and partial plate armor ~Stitched hide and linen clothes ~Prayer bead necklaces with symbols of Rán Money ~1 Royal ~20 Lordlings ~40 Commons Languages ~Northern Tongue ~Grim Northern ~Bits and pieces of many other tongues