Character Creation & Prologue: Earn Your Place!
Posted by Jim Toledo on Thursday, June 18, 2009
Character Creation
The players came together and introduced each of their characters:
Torrin - Dragonborn Sorcerer - Jay
A dragonborn looking for his place in the world and running from his mistakes.
Zerith - Githyanki Wizard - Anthony
A Githyanki searching this world, for a world beyond it.
Ki-Amar - Genasi Spellsword - Lamar
Deanavier - Shifter Avenger - Chris
A crewman hoping to make his captain proud.
Astarte - Deva Bard - Inna
A bard looking for the secrets of her lost past.
Gradix - Shifter Ranger - Adrian
A sailor returning at last to the world he once knew.
Jaa'lik - Kobold Rogue - Jeremy
A kobold whose in it for himself, and maybe a friend or two as well.
After that we got down to working out who knew each other and why.
Torrin, Zerith and Ki-Amar all found kinship in the fact they were wanderers who had abondened their homes. They had found solace and company with one another, but until this point had not joined any organization. This was a forced to change when they found themselves stranded at Shadow Harbor, a pirate port with no way out but as crew or slave.
Gradix, Jaa'lik and Astarte found a mutual history together as well. Gradix and Jaa'lik, fellow crewmates struck out together after their last job botched. Astarte, unable to remember her past life, can't help but feel that those two are the key to her journey and tags along. They find themselves in Shadow Harbor, to Astarte's dismay, in hopes of joining a crew once again.
Deanavier meanwhile already IS a member of a crew, but the recent failure of his crew at a job has placed it in danger and he doesn;t know what to expect when he reaches dock.
Prologue: Earn Your Place!
Each hero finds itself in Shadow Harbor, a pirates haven, for any number of reasons. Greed, adventure, opportunity, or just sheer dumb luck. The problem has arisen though not in the arrival but in the departure of this new lawless city. It's Purple Dragon master has no real care or want to govern the city, and the denizenshave been left to their own devices. Naive and unlucky travelers find that leaving Shadow Harbor can only be done one of three ways, as part of the crew, as part of the slave force, or as part of the trash.
Fate however has given our heroes a unique chance to take the least of the three evils. The famous Gold Dragon Captain Goldbeard has arrived in dock and has announced he is seeking new crew. Hoping to find a place as part onbaord ship, the heroes rush to the dock where the Vigilant is, in hopes of being picked for the rare open positions at the appointed hour.
The events that are played out before them however threatens our heroes plans, and maybe even their lives. They witness Captain Goldbeard kick every member of his crew off the ship, angry at them for some unknown failure. He announces that he is in search of a new crew, a better crew, a more trustworthy crew, and that anyone who want to take the test he has planned had better be prepared, for failure means certain death. The crew former first mate, makes the mistake of arguing with his captain, and attempting to return to the ship. His charred corpse on the gangplank assured everyone on the docks that day that Captain Goldbeard was deadly serious.
Our heroes, including a now former crewman, knew that they had to get on that ship, but they had to be as prepared as possible. The gentle hand of chance, and fate at their back, each group found each other, seeing the potential strength in other, and knowing that together they had a better chance at survival and success than they ever did alone.
Our heroes, now one large and confident group, returned to face the Captain's judgement and his test, their hopes laying with not only their own strengths, but the strengths of their new allies. The winged captain, from aboard his ship is amused and proud at the resolve of those that stand before them. Several groups of previous crew are welcomed back onboard, their resolve obvious to their captain.
Goldbeard however, notices one of his previous crewman, Deanavier, with a group of what looks like green-eared "lubbers" and questions him. Deanavier, answers his Captain's question with resolve and strength, He knows he is surrounded by capable people and he knows they will be his ticket back onboard the Vigilant. Goldbeard agrees, and offers them a position, if they can keep it. He informs two other groups that anyone who can defeat Deanavier and his newfound allies takes their place in their stead. And so the Captain's test of strength begins.
Encounter: A Cruel Test - Combat - 125 XP
Proving their strength and mettle, the heroes find their well earned place onboard the Vigilant. Their first few days proves difficult or awkward for some of the heroes, life onboard ship being more laborious than expected. They also learn about the unique hierarchy of this ship. Word soon spreads, especially from Captain Goldbeards newly appointed First and Second mate, and the heroes find themselves once again before the piercing and judging gaze of the Captain.
Spouting of a series of faults, the Captain begins to wonder why some of the heroes even belong onboard ship. In fact, he questions their skills so much he gives them an ultimatum, prove their worth or start swimming.
Encounter: The True Test - Skill Challenge - 100 XP
Each hero proves their unique skill set to the Captain. Seeing potential in them, beyond any other group onboard his ship the Captain gives them a unique role. They will fill in where a normal crewman cannot. They will do what an unskilled sailor can't even dream of. They will be his specialists, they will use the talents they just proved to him for him. And he will call upon these skills often.
Captain Goldbeard then dismisses the group, informing them that they wiill from now on report directly to Mr. Moonmist, his second mate.
Outside the Captain's chambers, Alleeran Moonmist introduces himself, and informs the group that the Captain has high hopes for them, and that if they perform well, there will be many rewards in their future. He tosses them each a bag of 100 gold. There will be MANY rewards.
The players came together and introduced each of their characters:
Torrin - Dragonborn Sorcerer - Jay
A dragonborn looking for his place in the world and running from his mistakes.
Zerith - Githyanki Wizard - Anthony
A Githyanki searching this world, for a world beyond it.
Ki-Amar - Genasi Spellsword - Lamar
Deanavier - Shifter Avenger - Chris
A crewman hoping to make his captain proud.
Astarte - Deva Bard - Inna
A bard looking for the secrets of her lost past.
Gradix - Shifter Ranger - Adrian
A sailor returning at last to the world he once knew.
Jaa'lik - Kobold Rogue - Jeremy
A kobold whose in it for himself, and maybe a friend or two as well.
After that we got down to working out who knew each other and why.
Torrin, Zerith and Ki-Amar all found kinship in the fact they were wanderers who had abondened their homes. They had found solace and company with one another, but until this point had not joined any organization. This was a forced to change when they found themselves stranded at Shadow Harbor, a pirate port with no way out but as crew or slave.
Gradix, Jaa'lik and Astarte found a mutual history together as well. Gradix and Jaa'lik, fellow crewmates struck out together after their last job botched. Astarte, unable to remember her past life, can't help but feel that those two are the key to her journey and tags along. They find themselves in Shadow Harbor, to Astarte's dismay, in hopes of joining a crew once again.
Deanavier meanwhile already IS a member of a crew, but the recent failure of his crew at a job has placed it in danger and he doesn;t know what to expect when he reaches dock.
Prologue: Earn Your Place!
Each hero finds itself in Shadow Harbor, a pirates haven, for any number of reasons. Greed, adventure, opportunity, or just sheer dumb luck. The problem has arisen though not in the arrival but in the departure of this new lawless city. It's Purple Dragon master has no real care or want to govern the city, and the denizenshave been left to their own devices. Naive and unlucky travelers find that leaving Shadow Harbor can only be done one of three ways, as part of the crew, as part of the slave force, or as part of the trash.
Fate however has given our heroes a unique chance to take the least of the three evils. The famous Gold Dragon Captain Goldbeard has arrived in dock and has announced he is seeking new crew. Hoping to find a place as part onbaord ship, the heroes rush to the dock where the Vigilant is, in hopes of being picked for the rare open positions at the appointed hour.
The events that are played out before them however threatens our heroes plans, and maybe even their lives. They witness Captain Goldbeard kick every member of his crew off the ship, angry at them for some unknown failure. He announces that he is in search of a new crew, a better crew, a more trustworthy crew, and that anyone who want to take the test he has planned had better be prepared, for failure means certain death. The crew former first mate, makes the mistake of arguing with his captain, and attempting to return to the ship. His charred corpse on the gangplank assured everyone on the docks that day that Captain Goldbeard was deadly serious.
Our heroes, including a now former crewman, knew that they had to get on that ship, but they had to be as prepared as possible. The gentle hand of chance, and fate at their back, each group found each other, seeing the potential strength in other, and knowing that together they had a better chance at survival and success than they ever did alone.
Our heroes, now one large and confident group, returned to face the Captain's judgement and his test, their hopes laying with not only their own strengths, but the strengths of their new allies. The winged captain, from aboard his ship is amused and proud at the resolve of those that stand before them. Several groups of previous crew are welcomed back onboard, their resolve obvious to their captain.
Goldbeard however, notices one of his previous crewman, Deanavier, with a group of what looks like green-eared "lubbers" and questions him. Deanavier, answers his Captain's question with resolve and strength, He knows he is surrounded by capable people and he knows they will be his ticket back onboard the Vigilant. Goldbeard agrees, and offers them a position, if they can keep it. He informs two other groups that anyone who can defeat Deanavier and his newfound allies takes their place in their stead. And so the Captain's test of strength begins.
Encounter: A Cruel Test - Combat - 125 XP
Proving their strength and mettle, the heroes find their well earned place onboard the Vigilant. Their first few days proves difficult or awkward for some of the heroes, life onboard ship being more laborious than expected. They also learn about the unique hierarchy of this ship. Word soon spreads, especially from Captain Goldbeards newly appointed First and Second mate, and the heroes find themselves once again before the piercing and judging gaze of the Captain.
Spouting of a series of faults, the Captain begins to wonder why some of the heroes even belong onboard ship. In fact, he questions their skills so much he gives them an ultimatum, prove their worth or start swimming.
Encounter: The True Test - Skill Challenge - 100 XP
Each hero proves their unique skill set to the Captain. Seeing potential in them, beyond any other group onboard his ship the Captain gives them a unique role. They will fill in where a normal crewman cannot. They will do what an unskilled sailor can't even dream of. They will be his specialists, they will use the talents they just proved to him for him. And he will call upon these skills often.
Captain Goldbeard then dismisses the group, informing them that they wiill from now on report directly to Mr. Moonmist, his second mate.
Outside the Captain's chambers, Alleeran Moonmist introduces himself, and informs the group that the Captain has high hopes for them, and that if they perform well, there will be many rewards in their future. He tosses them each a bag of 100 gold. There will be MANY rewards.
