PCs & Adventures

PCs   

Zérda “The Defier”

Weekdays Weekly from February 2019

Adventures
1. It Came From the Sewers lvl 1
2. Beyond the Shadow of a Dream lvl 1
3. The Watchers of Meng lvl 5-8
4. Door of Varg-Sharsuni lvl 3
5.The Scent of Jasmine lvl 5-8
6. Voor Darayn lvl 5-9
7. Red Chains lvl 4-6
8. (Attack on the Isle of Woe)
9. Tower of Golden Scales
10. Lost Tower of Viondor lvl 7-9

Current/Regular PCs 
1.(Judith) Mistress Aeshma, lvl 14 Kalayan Sacred Slayer of Mithra (h-f), Swashbuckler Rogue/Fighter/Warlock. Income Tier II Moderate (Senior Panjandrum) Level + INT bonus x 100gp
2.(Bill) Baron-Captain Vorstag Iceslider, the Frost Giant's Son, Baron of Woe. Goliath Ice Reaver of the Tjokren Glacier (g-m), lvl 16 Assassin Rogue-15/Barbarian-1. Income: Tier II Moderate (Merchant Prince) Level + INT bonus x 100gp
3. (Matt) Finnris, lvl 14 Dhari Outcast of the Narthan Highlanders (h-m), Slayer Barbarian
4.(Jack) Lord-Captain Zérda “The Defier” of House Saväschu, lvl 12 Atlantean Noble of Katagia (h-m), EK Fighter-11/Wizard-1. Income: Tier I>II High (Noble stipend/Royal Consort) Level + INT bonus x 50gp (Tier I High) - will become Tier II high (x50 > x200) on marriage
5. (Rich) Craw, lvl 14 Dhari Fighter (h-m)
6. (Jelly) Kasumi, lvl 15 Kalay Sword Sister of Dawnspire (h-f)

Occasional
(Daphne) Lady Aeridnis of House Vorzin,  lvl 7 Atlantean Noble of Quodeth (h-f) Wizard-5/Fighter-2
(James) Cassandra, The Bearer of the Black Book, Quodethi (h-f) Sorceress-7

Pregenerated/Temporary PCs (level 7-9)
1. Marrek, a 7 Knives Darkblade Rogue-8 of Quodeth, comrade of Ayilda
2. Ayilda of the Snows, a Red Sonja type Ice Reaver Barbarian-8 of Nimoth
3. Jarein Kho, a Lomari Panjandrum Cleric-7 of Nergal
4. Iska Yhoun, an Atlantean Noble Wizard-7
5. Amos, Ammurath Barbarian-9 of the Iron Hills

Campaign Estimates
Month  Highest Level; Months played at end of month
2019
TIER 1
M2    1-2 (2 sessions); 0.5
M3    3-4 (4 sessions); 1.5
TIER 2
M4    5-6; 2.5
M5    7-8; 3.5
M6     9; 4.5
M7   10-11; 5.5
TIER 3
M8     12-13; 6.5
M9     14; 7.5
M10   15; 8
M11  BREAK

Vorstag Iceslider

Sundays/fortnightly January-June 2019

Adventures
1. Tower of Black Flame lvl 1-2
2. Cavern of Golden Tears lvl 2-4
3. Night of the Yellow Moon lvl 4-6
4. Secret of the Moon Door lvl 10-12

Atlanteans - Aeridnis Vorzin on the right

Other PCs, occasional & retired, include

(Tavid) Query, Quodethi Occult Scientist Sorcerer-5

Arcturus, Priest Inquisitor of Quodeth

(Theo) Prelate Abron Nemruth, Sacred Slayer (h-m) Cleric-5
(Michael) Inquisitor Arcturus Damanacus, Atlantean Guardian of the Nine (h-m) Cleric-5

(Matt) Lucifer, Vorzin Guard Lieutenant, (h-m) Paladin-5
(Tom) Paelias, Elf Ranger of Imystrahl, Beastfriend (e-m), Ranger-3
(Joe) 'Wolf' Talarni, lvl 3 Dhari Hunter of the Bolotanga Windrunners (h-m)  Barbarian-3
(Matt2) Falskaar, lvl 3 Nimothan Soothsayer (h-m) Fighter-3
(Luke) Caspian Morningstar, lvl 3 Elf Corsair (e-m) Rogue-3
(Michelle) Kiera, Elf Fighter-2
(Chris) Timbo, Human Lomari Fighter-2
(Megan) Hyas, Elf Wizard-2
(Elias) Hadeem lvl 2 Mithraic Quodethi (h-m) Paladin 2
(Ioli) Narvin lvl 2 Mithraic Quodethi (h-m) elderly Wizard 2
(Georgia) Helmi Seravell lvl 2 Dhari Ammuran (h-f) Barbarian- 2

(Oisin) Bron of the Silver String, Dhari Outcast of the Bolotanga Windrunners (h-m), Bard-2

(Oisin) Nadred, Ice Reaver Storm Priest (h-m) Cleric-1

Maintenance Costs, excluding accommodation
Lower Class, junior servant: 1 sp/day, 3 gp/month
Artisan Class, senior servant: 2 sp/day, 6 gp/month
Middle class: 4 sp/day, 12 gp/month
Upper class: 8 sp/day, 24 gp/month

Tuesday Group Retinues & Total Costs excluding accommodation
 Zérda “The Defier” of House Saväschu (24gp), 3 junior servant (9gp) & 1 senior (6gp) = 39gp/m
Vorstag Iceslider, the Frost Giant's Son (6gp), Fion of Donegal (3gp) = 9gp/m
Aeshma, Sacred Slayer of Mithra (12gp), 1 junior servant (3gp) = 15gp/m
Finnris, Dhari Outcast of the Narthan Highlanders (6gp) = 6gp/m

Opposite Sapphire Palace. 100 gp/month, or 1000gp/year. All payable in advance.

Following traditional Atlantean  domestic architectural usage, the villa is divided into two halves: a public/business area (8,16,18) and a private area (9,10,12-15) with the servants based in 11 and 17. Formal/business visits would take place in the Tablinum(18), while more familiar, social visitors would use the Oecus(15). In this example the four rooms above the Peristyle(9), would be the PCs rooms. The rooms surrounding the Atrium(8) would be used as guest rooms, store rooms etc. Usefully there is an inconspicuous side exit off the Peristyle, while the Tradesman's/Servants' entrance is via the Wagon Shed(11).

Cassandra, Bearer of the Black Book

'Wolf' Talarni  of the Dhari, Bolotanga Windrunner

Wolf of the Dhari

His coming of age trial was to decipher a riddle, and he is banished from tribal lands until he solves it. He's wandered since in search of inspiration, hoping to arrive at enlightenment through observation of the natural world. The riddle is as follows -
"In the absent light
The distant voice of the wolf
Becomes the night wind."

Aeshma of the Khava Coast

Aeshma, Golden Sea Corsair

Aeshma was born in the town of Renekrit on the Khava Coast, one of the many offspring of Kashan, Captain of the feared red-sailed trireme “Running Crimson”.  Her mother, Miara, was a slave prostitute who became one of Kashan’s favoured concubines.  However that was not enough for Miara.  When a down-on-his-luck trader paid for a night of pleasure with the famous (and expensive) Miara using an artefact salvaged from a jungle ruin, Miara found her chance.  Over several months she awoke the power sleeping in the ancient artefact and was able to contact the King in Yellow.  Power doesn’t come without a price, and the price was the life of Miara’s firstborn, Aeshma.

Miara made the bargain, but secrets have a way of getting out, and Aeshma found out the truth.  Using the obsidian knife that Miara had bought to make the sacrifice, Aeshma killed her mother in her sleep, took what wealth she could find and fled.  A couple of months later after most of the gold had run out, “Running Crimson” came in to dock at Renekrit, and Aeshma sneaked on board and introduced herself to Captain Kashan.  Amused by her audacity, he took her on as one of his crew.

The next eighteen months were great fun for Aeshma as she learned the Corsair’s trade from Kashan’s crew on “Running Crimson” as well as serving on the ships commanded by Kashan’s allies, a group collectively known as the Lords of Dismay.  But even as the days were high adventure, the nights were often restless as she started seeing a bronze-masked figure clad in yellow in her dreams.   Soon, with equal parts horror and glee she discovered she could access magical powers.  Then a mark like a brand appeared on the palm of her left hand.  The ship’s Shaman and Windcaller said she was cursed and should be drowned lest the curse affect everyone on board.

Kashan instead ordered her set adrift in a small boat saying if she had angered Tarhun, then Tarhun would call a storm to take her.  A few days later she was picked up by a trading ship doing the run between Droum and the Quosa River and offered the chance to earn her passage.  She ended up in Quodeth and signed on with Captain Abal Bak of the “Stern Maiden”, though after “Running Crimson” it’s been very dull…

M8+ 2213 AR Aeshma's Temple Servant
Kallindri grew up in Quodeth working as a seamstress where she met Dalghar, a Dhari Jungle Trader who was in the city on one of his buying trips.  The two fell in love, married and started a trading post in Ghanport where for awhile they made a reasonable living bartering Quodethi goods for hides with the local Dhari hunters.  About three years ago her husband and two sons decided to borrow money and sail to Lomar to buy some quality Lomari weapons or armour for trade as the local Dhari tribes, under increasing pressure from Beastmen raiders, were looking for more than their usual bows and spears.  They never returned - local fishermen reported seeing Margish slave ships in the area so Kallindri concluded their ship had been attacked and they had been taken.  Kallindri had no option but to sell the trading post to pay back the loan and travelled to Quodeth hoping to live with her daughter Kalynn's family.  Unfortunately, between some bad business decisions and a run of bad luck, they were having serious difficulties of their own and couldn't take her in so Kallindri, always a follower of Mithra, went to the Temple for advice.  There she met the priest Kallesh Gan who, after hearing her story, advised her to become a Temple Slave as it would provide for her upkeep and give her some money which she could use to help her daughter Kalynn.  After considering her options, Kallindri agreed.


Kallindri is a Kalayan, about 40 years old, her dark hair now flecked with grey.  At the Temple she spends much of her time working in the garden alongside the Temple's herbalists as she no longer has the manual dexterity for the kind of fine needlework she did in her youth.  She's now a little near-sighted, but has recently learned to read and regularly borrows texts on the uses of plants and herbs to improve her knowledge.  

The Stern Maiden. Captain: Abal Bak.

Aeshma, in Cuirass

Zérda “The Defier” of House Saväschu

Born into a life of luxury within noble House Saväschu of Katagia, young Zérda was afforded a lavish lifestyle, and strict education. The only son of a proud family, they made sure he was tutored in the history and religion of old Atlantean culture, as well as the art of war. Through intense training, his mind soon became as sharp as the dual scimitars he trained with. Quickly developing a thirst for knowledge, Zérda whiled away most of his free time in Katagia’s Grand Orrery, using his family’s influence to gain access to rare Arcane tomes, and even teaching himself Elvish through his own personal studies. He wouldn’t tell his family though… they’d never approve.

As he grew up, one thing made less and less sense. House Saväschu, as one of the noble families that make up the Diluvials, want to declare a formal Atlantean monarch, found a new dynasty, and raise an army to conquer the Claws of Imystrahl and eventually Thule. There was even talk, amongst the more radical, about raising Atlantis above the waves. What underpinned this idolisation of Atlantis, was the notion that somehow Atlanteans were above all other races – yet Zérda’s private studies suggested Atlantis was a richly diverse culture, with a melting pot of other tribes and races influencing most of what would otherwise be considered typically Atlantean.

This contradiction was not something Zérda could ignore, and as a young adult, this led him to a lonely tower on the outskirts of Katagia – the home of Hyar Thomel, the last living person from the island of Atlantis. The more Zérda learned from Hyar, the more it cemented Zérda’s core and controversial view: Atlanteans are not above other beings. Had the Dhari or Nimothan humans received the same education as Atlanteans, Zérda firmly believed they would be just as strong, talented and smart as he was (well, perhaps not QUITE as smart). Never one to shy away from speaking his mind, Zérda decided to bring his findings to the Diluvian Elders. They were not well received.

Quodethi Thief

The Diluvials, including his own mother and father, were outraged with his viewpoint and tried every type of coercion to bring him back into the fold. On seeing this fall on deaf, arrogant ears, the Diluvials branded him a heretic, and a betrayer of his own kind. In the days that followed, Zérda was not only lambasted for his views, but suffered three attempts on his life. Fortunately, Zérda’s contacts within the New Katagians had gotten wind of the plot and warned him of the first attempt, Zérda’s own quick-thinking and ingenuity helping avoid the other two. Finally, Vrokath, one of the Diluvial’s most radical firebrands, gave Zérda an ultimatum. Leave Katagia willingly, forsaking all titles and estate, and never return; or one by one his entire family will be murdered: his mother, father and two younger sisters. Though Zérda was no fan of his parents – since both had ostracized him by this time – his sisters were innocent, and this forced Zérda’s hand.

Giving up his family name and estate, Zérda left Atlantis without ceremony; now a lowly adventurer. In his wandering, Zérda acquired a manservant – a stocky, balding, middleaged man named Filagree, to carry his wares – and eventually was led to Quodeth, hoping to start anew and restart his once hedonistic lifestyle. Yearning to learn more of this fascinating world, Zérda believes he can start his own Atlantis amongst a like-minded group of people; and maybe one day see his sisters again.

Rien, ex prostitute & former lover of Oola, sans left pinkie, servant & lover of Zerda since saved from the clutches of Kurturbal. Dark hair, slim and beautiful.

FINNRIS - BACKSTORY HERE

Narthan Mammoth Hunters - White Griffin Clan
Also see https://simonsprimevalthule.blogspot.com/2019/04/highlands-of-nar.html
This clan of around 250 Dhari highlanders dwell in the eastern Highlands of Nar, south of the Jandar River, north of Faroshak and south-west of Thran. Like most Narthans, they are traditional enemies of both the Atlantean city of Katagia to the south and Thran, sinister City of the Black Circle to the north-east. They generally acknowledge the Narthan High Chief at Narhame; when the High Chief dies the Narthan clan chiefs journey to Narhame to elect a new High Chief in the Grand Moot.

The clan hold: The White Griffin chief’s longhouse is a “palace” of barbaric splendor. Most of it is one tremendous, timber-columned hall. Tables, benches, and numerous fire pits are arrayed near the center of the hall. Cots and pallets covered with warm furs are pushed near the walls for sleeping. At the end of the hall opposite the single entrance, an impressive, roughly-hewn chair stands beneath the mounted head of a griffin.

Evarr Hallborn is the hereditary leader of the clan. He was a great warrior in his prime, and even now few of his clansmen would face him one-on-one. He wears a mantle made from white griffin hide that’s the hereditary symbol of rulership in the clan. His two eldest sons both died (one in battle, one adventuring) before Evarr was ready to hand over the reins of power. Leafstan is his only surviving heir. Evarr judged against Finnris' mother at her trial.

Leafstan Hallborn is the son of Evarr Hallborn and the only surviving heir to the griffin mantle. He’s 17, passionate, strong, and impetuous, and he’ll become an excellent clan chief if he lives long enough. He was one of the few clansmen who always treated the 'witches' son' Finnris fairly.

Baishum Judocus was a mercenary of Atlantean descent who joined the Crimson Slavers of Marg raiding along the Jandar River from Thran, but eventually he grew to admire the people they were preying on and repented his wicked ways. He jumped ship during a raid, swam ashore, and tried to teach the barbarians he found how to protect themselves against the raiders. The clans accepted him and gave him a home, and he’s lived among them for 20 years. As a non-Narthan by blood he was not entitled to speak at the trial of Finnris' mother.

Bearn Tuham is a seasoned warrior and raider who’s seen more than his share of combat against slavers and other enemies of the clan. He lost his right arm battling lizardfolk a decade ago, but he still serves Evarr Hallborn as a lieutenant and adviser. He spoke for Finnris' mother at the clan moot where she was condemned to death.

VORSTAG

Ffion Macnamara, a former Princess of Donegal

Ffion Macnamara, Princess of Donegal: ST -2 (7) DE +0 (10) CO +2 (14) IN +0 (10) WI +0 (10) CH +3 (16) AC 10 HP 14
Skills: Persuasion +5 Deception +5 Insight +2 Perception +2 PP 12 Performance +5 Stealth +2
Languages: Gaelic (Daray), Vulgate Latin (Low Atlantean).
Human female, 'Daray' (Northern Irish), age 19 in 2213 AR.
Notes: A former Princess of the Kingdom of Donegal AD 1213, brought to Thule through Time by the Red Mage of Marg and sold into the slave pits, passing eventually to Oola, Mistress of the Whip. Rescued by Vorstag Iceslider from the Cannibal Degenerates of Meng.

LEGIONARIES
Legionaries are loyal, well-trained soldiers who
often serve as palace guards or elite mercenary
bands. They are a cut above typical guards.
LEGIONARY CR 2
Medium humanoid (human) XP 450
Senses average Perception 12
Languages Low Atlantean, one other
BASE STATS
AC 17 (scale coat, shield)
hp 52 (8d8+16)
Speed 30 ft.
ABILITY SCORES
Str 16 (+3), Dex 10 (+0), Con 15 (+2)
Int 10 (+0), Wis 11 (+0), Cha 11 (+0)
TRAITS
Skills Intimidation +2, Perception +2
Equipment scale coat, shield, warspear,
shortsword
COMBAT ACTIONS
Multiattack The legionary attacks twice with spear
or shortsword.
Warspear (melee or ranged weapon) Attack: +5 to
hit, reach 5 ft. or ranged 20 ft./60 ft, one target.
Hit: 1d8+3 piercing damage.
Shortsword (melee weapon) Attack: +5 to hit,
reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d6+3 slashing
damage.

Legionaries are generally older men with lots of battle experience, eg the Triarii of the early Roman Republican armies might count. So they have higher STR & CON and lower DEX than most younger warriors.
Iron mail coat (600gp) and steel-rimmed shield (500gp) would raise AC +2 to 19. Steel-tipped warspear (400gp) would raise attack to +6/d8+4.
Number of Legionary Companions derived from an Heroic Narrative is normally your level +6 + your CHA mod.

Other NPC warrior stats at https://simonsprimevalthule.blogspot.com/2019/05/soldiers-of-thule.html

Legionaries

Lomari Noble