Adventure: A paladin in need (DM:Someone, judge: THB)

Cast of characters:

Porphyria (Covaithe) Human sorcerer 5
Joy (Pathfinderq1) Human hybrid bard/ardent 4
Brenwar(Rapida) Human paladin 6
Halleck(Tenchuu) Half-elf warlord/bard 5


You finally settle everything with Domenicos and Thogorius, and agree with them on a date to leave Daunton, using the time until that day arrives to make preparations and get ready for your adventure.

That day arrives soon. You meet domenicos and Thogorius at the port, where the scholars await you in the company of a young but robust man with a bushy beard, who presents himself as the captain of the Porpoise, a trading vessel. As they explain you, it’s difficult to find a ship that comes even close to Garnaman island, so unimportant it is; hence the delay. Passage is already taken care of, with the clause that you’re obliged to help defend the ship if it’s attacked or endangered.

The Porpoise finally leaves Daunton. It’s a relatively small and rotund ship, not very fast, and the crew is tense –given the dangers and rewards the Sea presents, it’s understandable. They are disciplined, work efficiently, everyone carry weapons at all moments, and seem able to use them.

However, in the long days of travel, luckily there’s no opportunity to use steel or magic, and only a couple days of bad weather make the travel rough for those who are not used to being rocked by the waters. The Porpoise stops at two other ports where the captain negotiates with local traders and merchants. The crew's mood improves as rumors of the benefit each one will obtain in this travel become wild. Some talk of opening their own business or investing it on cargo for the next travel, others of retiring and living comfortably. The oldest among them just smile, knowing perfectly well they'll spend the money the second they come back at Daunton.

Finally you arrive at Garnaman. The island doesn’t have a proper pier, only a bay naturally protected from the worst of the weather by a peninsula. A couple rocky and rugged tall hills are the island highest points; it shouldn’t take more than a day to cross it on foot. As the boat approaches the shore, Garnaman’s biggest -and only- town magnifies before you: a village of stone houses, painted so white they shine, built just a few paces from the sandy shore littered with fishing boats. The unprotected windows, and the fact that everyone seems to be doing their daily activities in the streets speak of hot summers and temperate winters.

“The town elder shouldn’t be far” says the Captain.

[sblock=ooc]Halleck is still level 4, I though you planned to level him to 5 with DM credits.

About Joy, I’m aware that the CB allows to choose your bonus human at will before the powers granted by your classes, and use that bonus power to fulfill the requirement of 1 power of each class, but I don’t believe this is entirely in line with the wording on PHB3. This is important because according again to PHB3, any psionic augmentable power chosen as human bonus at will loses the augmentable tag and any augmentations. I think this makes sense because otherwise a human hybrid psion could start with 4 power points (hybrids receive power points according to the number of augmentable at wills they have), while a regular single classed psion, human or not, starts with just 2. However I don’t know what’s the official L4E stance in this matter

Only one more thing. if you want, post a picture you'd like to be used as your token in battle.[/sblock]

[sblock= OOC]
>I didn't see anything like that in my reading of the PHB 3- maybe I'm just not looking in the right place; the only reference I saw is on page 137, where it says humans may choose their at-will bonus from either class (says nothing about losing augmentation for that power). I know multiclass psions lose the Augmentation for the chosen power, but I missed the part about hybrids. It seems kind of clunky to me, since they switch out those at-wills as they advance- doing it like this would require you to track which was the "normal" at-will and which was the bonus, since you could theoretically switch either one to a higher-level at-will during advancement. I'm open to doing it this way, but it just seems off. For what it is worth, I have only the hardcover book- no CB access. [/sblock]

(Introductions)

When the others met with Domenicos and Thogorious at the port, the two older men were accompanied by a stunningly attractive young woman who had not been in the Hanged Man. Clad in a black leather longcoat (similar to a sailor's oilcloth rain coat) over a tightly-fitted suit of bright crimson sclae armor- a large curved sword was slung over one shoulder. The woman had long, wavy black hair and skin with a faint golden tan- and eyes which were featureless white orbs. It seemed obvious that she had met the two scholars, somewhere.
At first it seemed as if she might be some sort of bodyguard for the older men- perhaps they had been threatened in Daunton? But it quickly became obvious that she was another adventurer hired for the expedition. Even before there was any manner of introduction, she stepped forward with a broad smile and offered her hand to the other adventurers. "I'm Joy," she offered- and even as she spoke each of her 'new friends' heard a faint sound of music that sounded as if it came from everywhere and nowhere at once, a stirring anthem which seemed to dramatize and intensify the simple process of introduction. Just being around her, there was something in the air which made it hard to contain a smile...

Once the group boarded the ship and set out, it was obvious that Joy had significant experience as a sailor- she was not seasick, and seemd to step lightly on the rolling deck in even the worst swells. While the group had no formal duties, she seemed willing to assist the crew when needed, and she required little instruction in the tasks of running a ship. More to the point, she seemed to know all the chanties and worksongs the sailors sung- and she had an excellent singing voice. The strange aura that surrounded her apparently worked its magic upon the crew as well- whenever Joy was nearby there were more smiles and more jokes, less tension in the air.

As the group prepared to disembark, she shouldered a heavy pack, making sure that her overly large sword was accessible. "Shall we be on our way, then?," she called, obviously eager to get down to business...

Brenwar arrives at the dock carrying his heavy plate armor in his pack to avoid the chance of being another boat anchor. He still carries a large shield on his back with a war hammer tied to his belt. The holy symbol of Palladys adorns his heavy shield and war hammer. The heavy gear seems to be a bit much for the man, but he walks confidently across the dock. His brown hair is cut into a military style short cut and his face is clean shaved. With a smile, Brenwar shakes everyone’s hands and introduces himself.

Brenwar isn’t a landlubber and is able to contribute a bit on the boat, but only a blind man would mistake him for a professional sailor. He spends most of the days doing whatever jobs the crew asks of him, but stays below deck, out of the way, during the bad weather.

When the party finally arrives at Garnaman, Brenwar is obviously happy to be back on solid ground. He is wearing his standard fare of plate armor with shield and war hammer close at hand. “Not that I’m one to complain, but thank Palladys that we are on solid ground again. Let’s go see this elder.”

pathfinderq1 said:

[sblock= OOC]
>I didn't see anything like that in my reading of the PHB 3- maybe I'm just not looking in the right place; the only reference I saw is on page 137, where it says humans may choose their at-will bonus from either class (says nothing about losing augmentation for that power). I know multiclass psions lose the Augmentation for the chosen power, but I missed the part about hybrids. It seems kind of clunky to me, since they switch out those at-wills as they advance- doing it like this would require you to track which was the "normal" at-will and which was the bonus, since you could theoretically switch either one to a higher-level at-will during advancement. I'm open to doing it this way, but it just seems off. For what it is worth, I have only the hardcover book- no CB access. [/sblock]

Click to expand...

[sblock=DM/ooc]Yup. I'm still working on the level-up. I've actually opted for level 6, if you don't find. Can you offer any advice on how much skills will be used? I'm trying to pick my next feat. Should be done by next weekend.
[/sblock]

"Very well," Halleck agreed. "After you, Porphyria," the troubadour said, offering his hand to help the sorcerer into the tender boat. He had considered the same for Joy, but he thought the hard woman might find his gentlemanly-manner condisending. The half-elf offered to do the rowing to shore, and sang a sea shanty to entertain as his did: "In this windy ol' weather..."

Tenchuu said:

[sblock=DM/ooc]Yup. I'm still working on the level-up. I've actually opted for level 6, if you don't find. Can you offer any advice on how much skills will be used? I'm trying to pick my next feat. Should be done by next weekend.
[/sblock]

Click to expand...

[sblock=ooc]Well, hopefully this won’t be your last adventure, and while skills will have their place here I don’t know how much you’ll consider to be a lot or two little to spend a feat on, so I won’t comment on that.

Also, you may want to have Halleck leveled before this weekend[/sblock]

“I’ve called him elder” explains the captain while you walk, followed by a cohort or curious children “but saying ‘provider’ would be more correct. They have a contest every year – whoever organizes the biggest banquet is the next years’ elder. He doesn’t have real authority, but his word is respected. I hope Soni is still the elder… ah, here’s him.”

Soni turns to be a 20-some year old man, very tanned and slim. He, like the rest of the village (all human for what you can see) have a slight brutish look that hints of orc ancestry and a big smile full of shining teeth.

“Wind and waves, Captain! What is that takes you here by? And aren’t we blessed with guests!” says Soni in his heavily accented Allarian dialect. “So many guests in so few days, blessed indeed! Come, come!”

"P-Porphyria? Who is Porphyria?" the girl known only as the Silver Starling stammers, her hand going rigid with shock, as Halleck helps her into the boat. "You must be thinking of someone else. Perhaps someone from an old song, hmm? You must know a lot of songs. Maybe one about star-crossed lovers, or a tale of adventure and daring! Oh, this is so exciting! I haven't been on a ship since m-- uh, that is, since my last adventure, thedetailsofwhichescapemejustnow. But listen to me prattle on about myself! How boring! Your story must be much more interesting. How did you come to be here, friend Halleck? What winding strands of fate brought you to this place, to take up arms with these our comrades?" Here a dramatic sweep of her arm encompasses the sailors as well as the other adventurers, and in so doing becomes tangled with a neatly coiled rope atop a barrel. In her subsequent attempts to free herself, the rope remains neither atop the barrel nor neatly coiled, nor indeed does the barrel itself escape toppling over and spilling its contents, a load of whole fish packed in salt.

On the boat, the bard continued talking to the silver starling. "A song about star-crossed lovers? Do you fancy me as your star crossed lover, Hmm?" Halleck asked in a teasing tone. "My dear, nothing about you is boring, but what kind of gentleman would I be if I ignored a lady's request. I am a viscount of house Allar, back in Allaria. I have sailed the seas in search of adventure, at the behest of my lord, so that I might be a better servant to his will. And adventure I have found. Just a few weeks ago, Brenwar and I braved an abandoned castle filled with demon serpents and deadly traps: all of which we thwarted. But, in the end, the castle was abandoned for good reason, and we returned with little but an exciting tale."

* * *

To the young elder, he asked, "So tell us of these other visitors of late."

"Why Halleck!" giggles the Starling, "We hardly know each other! And I'd hardly call you star-crossed. A bit unlucky, perhaps, thwarting demon serpents and such, all for naught, but your luck may yet change. Today is a new day, and a new adventure awaits!"

The girl passes the voyage in various idle pursuits. In mornings she is often found sitting in the sunlight on the quarterdeck, reading one of several thick leather-bound tomes, occasionally giggling. In afternoons, she spends hours listening to the bards and sailors singing sea shanties, occasionally joining in (with, it must be said, more enthusiasm than skill) and giggling at the bawdy parts. Sunsets invariably find her perched at the very front of the boat, hair streaming in the wind as she gazes out across the water, lost in daydreams. At no point is she seen without her silver bird's mask.

At Garnaman, she follows quietly behind the Captain as he introduces them to the Elder Soni, listening absently and peering this way and that as if trying to take in all the sights of the island at once.