[5e] Spell & Crossbones

[Quickleaf]

EDIT: I've added the "Crew Roster" rules to the first page. A bit crunchy, but you're going to have fun assembling your crew. I guarantee it!

[SBLOCK=Crew Roster]
The Coral Curse Crew Roster

Quality:
Number: 
Morale:

AC:
Hit Points:
Melee Attack:
Ranged Attack:

Speed Modifier:
Seamanship:
Passive Perception:
Cannon Reload:
Sail Change:

Special:

----------------

Quality: A crew's quality - rabble, poor, average, seasoned, or expert - is of utmost importance, influencing many factors such as morale, how fast they can push a vessel, how quickly they reload cannons and change the sails, and their seamanship proficiency.

Rabble are mostly Cannon Fodder.
Poor crew are a mix of Sailors and Cannon Fodder, with a few Old Salts.
Average crew are mostly Sailors with some Old Salts, and a few Buccaneers, Midshipmen, and/or Pirates.
Seasoned crew are an equal mix of Sailors, Old Salts, Buccaneers, Midshipmen, and/or Pirates.
Expert crew are mostly Buccaneers, Midshipmen, and/or Pirates.

Quality	Morale	Speed	Seamanship	Cannon Reload	Sail Change
Rabble	-2	-3 knots	+0	30 rounds	20 rounds
Poor	-1	-2 knots	+1	24 rounds	15 rounds
Average	No modifier	No modifier	+2	20 rounds	10 rounds
Seasoned	+1	+2 knots	+3	16 rounds	6 rounds
Expert	+2	+3 knots	+4	12 rounds	3 rounds

Certain factors can also influence a crew's quality as shown below.

CREW QUALITY ADJUSTMENTS

• Captain has 15 Fame - increase quality by two ranks (replacing Fame 5).
• Captain has 5 Fame - increase quality one rank.
• Firm discipline - increase quality by one rank.
• Lax or brutal discipline - decrease quality by one rank.
• A Jonah is aboard - decrease quality by one rank.

Number: The number of hands making a full crew complement.

Morale: Morale is an all-around saving throw bonus, regardless of the save called for.

AC: Armor Class.

Hit Points: A summation of the hit points of all crew members. Act as hit points as normal, except they don't completely heal back during a long rest; instead they return at the rate of 1 per day (or more with an able ship's surgeon). However, there are four threshold values at 75% HP, 50% HP, 25% HP and 0 HP which a crew cannot heal beyond without recruiting new members (as some have been killed in action).

Melee Attack: The melee attack for most crew members.

Ranged Attack: The ranged attack for most crew members.

Speed Modifier: Adjust the ship's current speed by this amount.

Seamanship: The proficiency check crew members use when performing ship-related tasks.

Passive Perception: When crew members mans the lookout, use their passive perception for determining sighting distance and identification of ships.

Cannon Reload: How many rounds it takes the crew to reload a cannon.

Sail Change: How many rounds it takes the crew to adjust, add, or subtract canvas to change the sail state. There are six sail states: No Sail, Minimum Sail, Fighting Sail, Plain Sail, Full Sail, and Extra Sail.

Special: If the crew has any special traits, they go here.
[/SBLOCK]

Note [MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION] that Katarina's Fame 5 improves crew quality one rank if she is captain. I also would allow [MENTION=23484]Kobold Stew[/MENTION] Gentleman Jim to use Inspiring Leader, trading giving crew 42 temporary HP for increasing their crew quality one rank if he is captain. Not to put fuel on the vying for captaincy.

Hello people! Now that I am home from another fancy schmancy party, I have a question! About my little monkey. I know we said we would be using baboon stats does that mean the monkey is a baboon? Or is that just easier? Because, I think baboons are pretty big so Kat would need a very large shoulder. And instead of teeny tiny pants and hat they might be more just small size.

You guys are just partying it up! Allow me to confer with my illustrious co-DM *turns toward zombie monkey ninja pirate*

Yeah, he says it's cool. Skin the baboon. Oh wait, I mean re-skin the baboon as a little monkey.

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION],
I had been talking to Queenie and she brought up an interesting point. She said why ranger? And after thinking about it, I said you know I really don't know. I think I had an initial thought of it, but it wandered away at some point. SOoooooo. A small request, well ok, not so small. I want to change Old Zef's class to wizard. But none of his bonds, flaws, fortunes or any of his background would change. It actually makes more sense in light of his backstory, with his Dad making the bellows, and he knowing how to use them. But mechanics would change, but not the character. What are your thoughts on this? I can have the sheet done by tomorrow no problem. We had a long car ride where we discussed this and I feel like wizard fits his backstory better. (I know weird, changing the class to fit the backstory rather than the other way around).

Huh, you know what you're right it would fit his background better! It is a BIG change, but I'm confident you can still pull off Boatswain / Carpenter duties as a wizard. So go for it!

So Rogue 1 / Wizard 3? What arcane tradition? I'd think either Conjuration or Transmutation would fit best...with the mending cantrip for sure.

Might also explain how he got those keys onto the dog collar in San Juan prison - Mage Hand? Find Familiar (it's the dog!)? Sleep (nightie nightie pooch)? Unseen Servant? Animal messenger (borrowed from Druid)? Alter Self (into someone whose scent it recognized)? Suggestion (here boy)?

Btw, which forum do I post a Rogue's Gallery for your PCs? Or could you start one up?

Also, I need to work on my schedule and since the Gentleman and the Lady will be sort of sharing the Captaincy and the First Matey position, how should I write up my schedule? One schedule of each position or just one position overall?

Hmm. You can guesstimate or you can save it for after the Captain Vote-Off. Yes, I'm anticipating that will be a thing.

 

[Unsung]

Re: the Rogues' Gallery- I actually don't mind how all the rules and setting details are concentrated at the beginning of this thread, or revisiting the linked pages.

Can we roll more than one of the Insight and History checks?

 

[Quickleaf]

Re: the Rogues' Gallery- I actually don't mind how all the rules and setting details are concentrated at the beginning of this thread, or revisiting the linked pages.

Can we roll more than one of the Insight and History checks?

Aye, if it fits your character.

Thanks, what do other folks think? Rogues Gallery or keep it as it is?

 

[Queenie]

It's definitely convenient to have the little write up at the beginning of this thread, including all the rules and fun stuff. I think it can't hurt to also have a Rogue's Gallery. Often my links get wonky and having to search through the whole thread is a PITA. Since all the Rogue's Gallery usually is, is our character sheets it's easy to look them up. If we never use it then so what? But if there is a chance it's helpful to someone, why not?

However, Rogue's Galleries seem to be in a weird place. Like, if I don't save the link I can't find it lol. I'm not sure where that area is but it's somewhere!

 

[fireinthedust]

Did we have a rule for money and equipment? Starting gold, or whatever we think we'd have?

Doctor Hawken Varlock:

NAME	GENDER	RACE	BACKGROUND	CLASS	LEVEL	ALIGNMENT
Doctor Hawken Varlok	male	Mer	Hermit	Warlock	4	Chaotic Good

[sblock=basics]

APPEARANCE

Hawken is a handsome man of grim mood, wearing the dark clothes of a venturer, but with stark white hair and skin. This is strange for a young man, shortly after meeting him they seem to be but minor details, especially in light of his magnetic persona: he gives the strong impression of being kind-hearted, of genuine human caring and empathy. It is tempting to be inspired by a humanitarian, not merely a cold-hearted surgeon. He wears a long black coat and a good vest beneath, signs of a gentleman, but wears trousers and boots like a buccaneer instead of pantaloons and silk stockings, practical for one in the wild parts of the world. When under threat, however, Varlock’s “witch-curse” manifests itself: a skin of shadows cover his body, and a black sword appears in his hands. The blade is like those found in the far east, and forms out of shadows when called by the good doctor. Though a man of peace, he is known to use it to “saw bones” in a single slice, his face betraying no fear of his grim duty. When not engaged in surgery, or other duties aboard ship, the young doctor often gazes out over the sea, looking for something and holding the silver cross on his necklace.

BACKGROUND

Doctor Hawken Varlock was once a Jesuit-in-training, educated but not yet having taken his vows. He learned what there was of medicine in hopes of serving those in need: the poor and marginalized, and especially those in pain. Being born a Catholic in England, he was shipped all over the world, learning not only from members of the Society, but also the finest minds the world over, as far as the city of Edo in Japan, and Singapore along the way. A youth with talent in both faith and science, well-liked by all, it was a surprise when he left it all behind… for love. She was a young-seeming native girl in the island chain near Japan, one that seemed only meant for fishermen and common farmers. There to help with an outbreak of cholera, Hawken was delighted to meet a friendly face between the grim hours of hospital work. She seemed for all the world to be highly educated, and wore fine clothes, strange for this backwards island of commoners. Hawken, exhausted from study and care for the sick, was glad to take walks along the shoreline with her, talking for hours with a kindred spirit. Before long he knew he had fallen in love with her and, despite his life’s work and genuine care for the Society, he knew he must spend the rest of his life with her. The plague threatened to take the island, and Hawken’s Society brothers were showing signs of infection. It was then that his friend offered to show him how to cure them. There was a cave… Hawken followed the girl, who showed him great stones in the water that had carved surfaces below the line of the waves, including a dark opening deep below. Slipping into the water, they dove down to the cave opening, and Hawken found himself crawling up a lightless tunnel and staring into the eyes of a strange statue of a warrior, a snarling mask on its face and a black blade held in its hands. The wall of the cave was lit up by eerie green light, and a great shape sprawled over its surface. It was something out of a nightmare, or a dream, something vast and terrifying even for a man of reason and faith. And there beside him was the girl, herself yet changed: her skin was pale white with green scales down her spine, and her eyes like inky orbs. She bid him take the sword, which he did, but in that instant a roaring presence filed his mind: a massive entity, alien in origin from everything he knew. His lover was a Mer, born of this alien life form. It was only then he realized that she wasn't speaking verbally, but into his mind; and they'd never come up for air inside the cave! His lover told him the blade carried a Witch-curse, that allowed the user to sacrifice what they held dear to the "great old one", the entity now in contact with Hawken's mind. Because she knew he loved her, she had brought him here to offer herself, so that he could make a wish that his Society friends, and the local humans, would be saved from the plague. Hawken refused to take her life, and instead offered himself to save her. The Old One was so vast that it seemed impossible that it would even notice the doctor; yet it did, and the hours that followed overwhelmed him so that he remembered nothing from that point on, until he found himself stumbling onto the beach towards his brothers and the villagers, now saved from the plague. Hawken, however, was changed: pale skin and white hair, and strange dark eyes. In his hand was the blackened blade, and on his arm was the serpentine mermaid. His brothers took him in, and he told them what he knew. Only then did he learn that there were no nobles nearby, no princesses like the girl he described, save in local legend. The place he'd gone to was a cursed cove, and he bore signs that the local attributed to forces of dark magic. Hawken left his brothers, being cursed, and made his way for a time from ship to ship as a surgeon. When discovered, he leaps into the sea to escape the wrath of witch-hunting pirates. Once he was saved by a ship captain who learned his secret, but had seen this good-hearted doctor heroically saving those in need, and so hid Hawken from harm; that was the Captain of the Gloriosa before it sank, and a life debt was owed to the man. Through many voyages, Hawken Varlock always looks out over the waves, looking for his lost love. Though cursed with the mark of dark powers, he uses his abilities to do good, wherever he finds need. Unable to serve aboard traditional ships, and tied to the sea by his need for water, Hawken took up with pirates and privateers. He made his way to the Carribean, and after a number of adventures, was contacted by a certain French financier...

BOND: Life Debt

During Doctor Varlock’s travels as a young Jesuit, the good captain saved his life from being discovered as a Mer and a Warlock.

Mixed Fortune: Selkie’s Kiss

As a young lad he was found by a young mermaid, one of the deep one’s daughters, who fell in love with him. A beautiful innocent, despite her dark heritage, the good doctor has been bonded to her through the warlock mark on his arm (see black spot, below)

Ill Fortune: Black Spot

Hawken’s left arm and shoulder are covered by a dark tattoo design of a japanese-style serpentine mermaid. This is his love, but it marks him with the dark powers of the pacific ocean, and is part of his warlock’s curse. Any who see this know it has some eldritch significance, and superstitious sailors will see it as an ill omen. As well, his Warlock’s Curse granted Hawken eyes like black dots with blue irises; they look like dark eyes unless someone gets close, but from then on they are suspiciously like sea-creature eyes.

Good Fortune: Loa Patron

Though he has not met with them directly, he knows servants of the Great Old One have taken an interest in him. He knows little of the mysterious forces that have marked him, but he has been kept from harm through what seemed like luck, though a slithering shape was seen vanishing below the waves.

[/sblock]

[sblock=Combat Stats]

Hit Dice	Hit Point Max	Current Hit Points	PROFICIENCY BONUS	INITIATIVE	SPEED
4d8+8	28 (half max)	28	+2	+4	30

[/sblock]

[sblock=vitals]

AGE	HEIGHT	WEIGHT	HAIR	EYE COLOR	HANDEDNESS	BODY MARKS
25	6’2”	180lbs maybe?	White	Blue on black orbs	Right	A serpentine mermaid on his left arm sleeve, fingertips to shoulder, in black and green.

[/sblock]

[sblock=ABILITY SCORES]

ABILITY SCORES	ABILITY MODIFIER
Strength 17	+3
Dexterity 18	+ 4
Constitution 13	+1
Intelligence 15	+2
Wisdom 12	+1
Charisma 18	+ 4

X

[/sblock]


[sblock=Armor]

ARMOR CLASS	TOTAL	BASE ARMOR	DEX	Misc	Misc	Misc	Misc
Unarmored	14	10	+4	Misc	Misc	Misc	Misc
Armor of Shadows	17	13 (mage armor)	+4	Misc	Misc	Misc	Misc

[/sblock]

[sblock=Weapon and Attacks]

WEAPON	MODIFIER	DAMAGE	TYPE	RANGE	SAVES	SPECIAL
Pact Blade (longsword)	+5	1d8+3	Slashing	Melee	…	Pact Blade, Versatile (1d10+3)
Eldritch Blast	+6	1d10+4	Energy (force)	120ft.	…	Cantrip

[/sblock]



[sblock=SAVING THROWS]
[table= “class: grid"]
[tr]
[td]SAVING THROWS[/td]
[td]ABILITY MODIFIER[/td]
[td]TOTAL BONUS[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]STRENGTH[/td]
[td]+3[/td]
[td]+3[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]DEXTERITY[/td]
[td]+4[/td]
[td]+4[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CONSTITUTION[/td]
[td]+1[/td]
[td]+1[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]INTELLIGENCE[/td]
[td]+2[/td]
[td]+2[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]WISDOM[/td]
[td]+1[/td]
[td]+3[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]CHARISMA[/td]
[td]+4[/td]
[td]+6[/td]
[/tr]
[tr]
[td]DEATH[/td]
[td]+0[/td]
[td]+0[/td]
[/tr]
[/table]
[/sblock]

[sblock=SKILL PROFICIENCIES]

SKILL PROFICIENCIES	ABILITY MODIFIER	TOTAL BONUS
Athletics	+3	+3
Acrobatics	+4	+6
Sleight of Hand	+4	+4
Stealth	+4	+6
Arcana	+2	+2
History	+2	+2
Investigation	+2	+4
Nature	+2	+2
Religion	+2	+4
Animal handling	+1	+1
Insight	+1	+1
Medicine	+3	+5
Perception	+1	+1
Survival	+1	+1
Deception	+4	+4
Intimidation	+4	+6
Performance	+4	+6
Persuation	+4	+4

[/SBLOCK]


[sblock=OTHER PROFICIENCIES]

PROFICIENCIES

LANGUAGES

TOOLS

WEAPONS

SPELL FOCUS

Simple Weapons

Herbalism Kit

Arcane Spell Foci

Chinese

[td]ARMOR[/td]
[/tr]


[td]Light Armor[/td]
[/tr]

[td]Pact Blade (whatever form)[/td]
[/tr]

[td]English[/td]
[/tr]

[/sblock]

[SBLOCK=CLASS ABILITIES]

CLASS ABILITIES	MISC
Otherworldly Patron	Great Old One
Eldritch Invocations	2 known
Pact of the Blade	MISC
Awakened Mind	30 feet
Agonizing Blast	+4 to Eldritch Blast
Armor of Shadows	At Will
MISC	MISC

[/sblock]
[SBLOCK=FEATS]

FEATS	MISC
Skilled	Proficient with Stealth, Acrobatics, Surgeon’s Kit

[/sblock]

[SBLOCK=RACIAL ABILITIES]

Mer Traits

Mer Form: Transform as an Action

Dehydration: Increased water intake each day, or suffer exhaustion

Swim 40, act normally under water

Siren: Advantage on Charisma checks to befriend or attract others using voice in some way; physically attractive

Proficiency: Perform (singing), Swimming

Advantage on Swimming checks

[/sblock]


[sblock=EQUIPMET]

EQUIPMENT SLOT	ITEM	PROPTERY
HEAD	Hat	Stylish
MAIN HAND	Pact Blade	Katana
OFF-HAND	…	…
ARMOR	Armor of Shadows(Mage Armor)	PROPERTY
CLOTHING	Sailor	PROPERTY
CLOAK	Dark Coat	Stylish, officer-like coat
NECK	ITEM	PROPERTY
GLOVES	ITEM	PROPERTY
RIGHT RING	ITEM	PROPERTY
LEFT RING	ITEM	PROPERTY
BELT	ITEM	PROPERTY
MISC	ITEM	PROPERTY
MISC	ITEM	PROPERTY
MISC	ITEM	PROPERTY
MISC	ITEM	PROPERTY
MISC	ITEM	PROPERTY

[/sblock]

[sblock=MONEY]

TREASURE	number
Gold Coins	number
Silver Coins	number
Copper Coins	number
Platinum Coins	number
Gems	Value
Art Object	Value

[/sblock]


[sblock=ON-HAND EQUIPMENT]
(belt pouches, potions, sheaths, boot-knives, quivers of arrows or wands, and other carried items that are “on-hand”, that you can reach in combat with your action or movement)

ON HAND EQUIPMENT

One

Two

Three

Four

[/sblock]


[sblock=BACKPACK EQUIPMENT]
(things in your assumed-to-have backpack. Because you need to put it down and rifle through it to get to these. BTW, copy/paste this if you have a bag of holding, too, even if it’s on your belt: those things are bigger inside than a backpack, so you may not be able to get in and out easily in a fight.)

BACKPACK ITEMS

[/sblock]

[sblock=SPELLS]

SPELL LEVEL	SPELLS KNOWN	SAVE DC	SLOTS
CANTRIPS	Eldritch Blast, True Strike	Save DC14	total
1st level	Hex, Expeditious Retreat	..	Save DC14
2nd level	Spider Climb	2	Save DC14

[/sblock]

 

[fireinthedust]

Discovery: should I leave that to the GM? I've got no clue what works for your ideal campaign.

Personality: 4
Ideal: 1, thought 2 is great (even though he's CG)
Bond: 4
Flaw: 5

 

[Quickleaf]

Did we have a rule for money and equipment? Starting gold, or whatever we think we'd have?

I said average staring gold (4d4x10 >> about 100 gp for warlock), but I'm flexible. If you want to give Hawken what you think he'd have, go for it (within reason).

Your work on your character really paid off! Great background! Love how his tattoo IS the black spot.

I thought it was a very interesting touch how the Spanish Captain Hernandez of La Gloriosa saved him from witch-hunting pirates. The Spanish having created the Inquisition and all (with a branch in the Spanish Main)! I like how it casts the Captain in a good light, that fits very well.

EDIT: You are all good to go for the role playing thread now!

Personality: 4
Ideal: 1, thought 2 is great (even though he's CG)
Bond: 4
Flaw: 5

First, you don't need to make your Ideal and Alignment match, it's just a suggestion.
Second, would you please put this in your character sheet with actual words instead of numbers so I don't have to look it up? Such as when determining Inspiration? Thanks!

Discovery: should I leave that to the GM? I've got no clue what works for your ideal campaign.

Hmm. Let me toss out some ideas, and you can pick one or roll if you're so inclined:

1. Hawken intuitively understands how to operate gateways/planar passages to the Abyss, and can understand Quallith (the alien Braille writing of the Illithid). This is due to his experience in the cave.
2. Hawken automatically differentiates different kinds of merfolk (Jenny Hannivers, Onijegi, Sea Monks, Merfolk, Merrow, or Sirens) and knows considerable lore about them. This is due to his close connection to the mermaid girl.
3. Merfolk (Jenny Hannivers, Onijegi, Sea Monks, Merfolk, Merrow, or Sirens) will never harm Hawken thanks to his tattoo - the black spot.
4. Hawken's tattoo - the black spot - writhes and changes slightly when any Sea Beastie is drawing near, granting him advance warning, but causing Hawken crippling albeit fleeting pain.
5. Hawken's pact blade is a Cthonic artifact slowly materializing into the world, becoming more real with use use of his pact blade. This means it gains power as a rare magic item following the story, but also gains malign intelligence and heralds some coming disaster.
6. Hawken had a vision during his "awakening" by the Great Old One(s), a vision of how to read a map on the back of a scarred sailor (Gunner Teague [MENTION=23484]Kobold Stew[/MENTION]); this map would lead him back to his mermaid girl, but it would come at a price. The map would also grant advantage on some island encounter rolls and provide other secret benefits.
7. Hawken realized there is a conspiracy of others like him out there when he "awakened", only they are willing servants of the Great Old One(s). They call themselves The Cabal. Sometimes their dreams bleed together and he gains secret knowledge of their plans.
8. Hawken constantly fights a subtle madness from his "awakening", however he can automatically recognize signs of madness in others and can "eavesdrop" on nearby telepathic conversations.

 

[Quickleaf]

It's definitely convenient to have the little write up at the beginning of this thread, including all the rules and fun stuff. I think it can't hurt to also have a Rogue's Gallery. Often my links get wonky and having to search through the whole thread is a PITA. Since all the Rogue's Gallery usually is, is our character sheets it's easy to look them up. If we never use it then so what? But if there is a chance it's helpful to someone, why not?

However, Rogue's Galleries seem to be in a weird place. Like, if I don't save the link I can't find it lol. I'm not sure where that area is but it's somewhere!

Good point! Ah ha, found it!

Here's the Rogue's Gallery thread for our game: http://www.enworld.org/forum/showth...ossbones-Rogues-Gallery&p=6429810#post6429810

I'll update first post in this thread with a link too. Cheers!

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION] Two quick things:

First, your character sheet in the Rogue's Gallery still lists her Dexterity as 20. It should be 19 with her current build. Yes, yes, I know, consult your gaming accountant

Second, for her background feature, are you going with "Ship's Passage" or "Bad Reputation"? I might allow both, if you tie in her Ally fortune to a particular NPC who will grant her & her companions passage on their ship, making that the primary (but not only) benefit of her ally. Then again both Gunner Teague & Old Zef have "Ship's Passage" so it might be overkill.

 

[fireinthedust]

Hmm. Let me toss out some ideas, and you can pick one or roll if you're so inclined:

1. Hawken intuitively understands how to operate gateways/planar passages to the Abyss, and can understand Quallith (the alien Braille writing of the Illithid). This is due to his experience in the cave.
2. Hawken automatically differentiates different kinds of merfolk (Jenny Hannivers, Onijegi, Sea Monks, Merfolk, Merrow, or Sirens) and knows considerable lore about them. This is due to his close connection to the mermaid girl.
3. Merfolk (Jenny Hannivers, Onijegi, Sea Monks, Merfolk, Merrow, or Sirens) will never harm Hawken thanks to his tattoo - the black spot.
4. Hawken's tattoo - the black spot - writhes and changes slightly when any Sea Beastie is drawing near, granting him advance warning, but causing Hawken crippling albeit fleeting pain.
5. Hawken's pact blade is a Cthonic artifact slowly materializing into the world, becoming more real with use use of his pact blade. This means it gains power as a rare magic item following the story, but also gains malign intelligence and heralds some coming disaster.
6. Hawken had a vision during his "awakening" by the Great Old One(s), a vision of how to read a map on the back of a scarred sailor (Gunner Teague [MENTION=23484]Kobold Stew[/MENTION]); this map would lead him back to his mermaid girl, but it would come at a price.
7. Hawken realized there is a conspiracy of others like him out there when he "awakened", only they are willing servants of the Great Old One(s). They call themselves The Cabal. Sometimes their dreams bleed together and he gains secret knowledge of their plans.
8. Hawken constantly fights a subtle madness from his "awakening", however he can automatically recognize signs of madness in others and can "eavesdrop" on nearby telepathic conversations.

Uhh... why not all of them? They all look awesome (though too bad about the pact blade being evil... that should be a plot surprise, but maybe Hawken intuitively knows it's getting "more evil" as time goes on?)

Definitely #4, and #7 is a great idea. #8 is a given, and #1 is the sort of thing that hasn't come up yet... but totally needs to.

Hawken has gone on ocean adventures for sure, and may have run into the others previously, and possibly encountered the supernatural a few times. However, anything else I leave up to you.

If I had to pick one, I'd start with #4... and hope the others show up as the game progresses.