Arkitekt

The Pinned Seal ~ Merchant Galleon & Crew (Winds of Fate, Advanced)

Captain Gerrard C. Griffin,
Captain of The Pinned Seal

Capt. Griffin

Captain Griffin has long been a trusted, personal retainer to Lord Vargas. He is the Captain of The Pinned Seal, an oddly designed mercantile galleon, and head of its crew. Gerrard was born in Bridland, but he took to the seas at a very early age. He has spent much of his time in the Spice Islands of the Mavian Sea, and much of his later years as a mercantile captain between Baakara and Talbos Island, where much of his most trusted crew members come from, like Ba'ku and Simbo. The waters between Baakara and Talbos were known for ruthless piratry, and his crew are some of the toughest to have sailed its waters.

The Pinned Seal ~ Merchant Galleon & Crew (Winds of Fate, Advanced)

This Galleon and NPC crew were made for Winds of Fate ~ A Thieves' Adventure RP.

Ship: The Pinned Seal
Captain: Gerrard Griffin
Crew: 21 men

Crew Roster:

Captain Gerrard Griffin: Captain of The Pinned Seal (Personal retainer for Lord Vargas.)

Captain Griffin

Captain Griffin has long been a trusted, personal retainer to Lord Vargas. He is the Captain of The Pinned Seal, an oddly designed mercantile galleon, and head of its crew. Gerrard was born in Bridland, but he took to the seas at a very early age. He has spent much of his time in the Spice Islands of the Mavian Sea, and much of his later years as a mercantile captain between Baakara and Talbos Island, where much of his most trusted crew members come from, like Ba'ku and Simbo. The waters between Baakara and Talbos were known for ruthless piratry, and his crew are some of the toughest to have sailed it's waters.

Hopper: Navigator, Griffin's Trusted Consort

Hopper

Hopper, as he is known to the crew, is both the Navigator of The Pinned Seal, and Griffin's trusted consort. The two actually met through Lord Vargas, who met Hopper whilst abroad in the Kingdom of Liros. He was a well-known navigator and consort to the King and was quite prosperous and also worked as a professor in the city. Hopper is extremely intelligent, and he and Vargas became good friends over a very short period of time, and shared a great deal in common... perhaps more than most knew. Hopper had grown quite bored of his time and occupation in Liros and as it turned out Lord Vargas had just the remedy. Hopper has been with the captain for over fifteen cycles now, and Griffin spends most of his time with him, and values his opinions on most things.
Hopper has become quite inexpendable to both the Captain and the crew, and has always sailed them true. He is well versed in all things nautical, as well as all things astrological, and a wealth of knowledge on many other things including geography, anthropology, and is an astute study of various cultures known to the realm. He likes to keep a journal in which he documents all the various peoples and things he finds along their travels.

Ba'ku: First Mate

Ba'ku

Ba'ku is the First Mate on The Pinned Seal and is second in command under Captain Griffin. Ba'ku is from Baakara, and was a very prominent figure in his community. He was highly regarded by his people, as a large and noble warrior, and was of noble descent. His father was a great tribal Chiefton and ruled over many fertile lands. That is, up until one day... one of his tribesman, and a fellow warrior warrior committed a heinous crime and blamed it on Ba'ku and his companion Simbo. His own family fell for the lie and Ba'ku had to run, never to return with no way to prove his innocence. Captain Griffin saved Ba'ku from his fate Baakara and Ba'ku has dedicated his life to Captain Griffin and he has remained with him till this day.

Jarvis: Second Mate, Expert Swordsman

Jarvis

Jarvis, like his brother Jarvis are both Bretonians who grew up in Villona, a long way from their homeland of Bridland. Though they are twins, they are not identical. They do, however, finish each other's sentences quite often, and do most everything together. Jarvis is the Second Mate on The Pinned Seal, and under the direct command of Ba'ku and the captain. Jarvis is also an excellent duelist with the blade, a master swordsman in every aspect of the trade, as both he and his brother grew up under a very skilled duelist there. Both were from a very prominent family in Bridland, but their father was murdered for political reasons. They were sent off to live witheir mother's sister, who married into prominence in Villona before they were born. When the political violence followed their family to Villona the two decided to take their chances and fled, and through a series of hurried events they found themselves on the crew of The Pinned Seal, and have been a part of the crew for several years now. The pair are some of the most skilled fighters on the crew, and show a great deal of finnesse in battle.

Interesting story about how they both lost their eyes...

Sal: Quartermaster, Sailor

Sal

Sal is the Quartermaster aboard The Pinned Seal. Sal is a very blunt, straight to the point kind of guy. Sal is from the Northern Lands, but he doesn't speak much about it, or his past for that matter. Sal runs a tight ship, and keeps a keen eye on the ships manifest, rations, and supplies. If something goes missing he's sure to find out about it, and will scold and discipline a grown man into utter humility for it too. He goes to great lengths to make sure that everyone has what they need, and he doesn't take kindly to those that think it's alright to take a bit extra for themselves.
In fact, it's also a well-known rumor that he keeps a jar of finger digits that he's collected over the years in payment for missing rations or various acts of thievery committed whilst aboard the ship. A harsh punishment, to be sure, but it's a far more effective deterrent than anything, and the Captain seems to encourage this as well. Needless to say, the crew stays quite honest while under his watch..

Raul: Master at Arms, Sailor

Raul

Raul is the Master at Arms aboard The Pinned Seal and is in charge of running the cannons and swivel guns on the ship. Raul was once in charge of running a cannoneer crew on the fortress walls in the Port of Khar'Jassa in Yhemer. He proclaims to everyone that he loves the smell of the gunpowder, sulfur, and smoke, no matter what time of day it is.. and some say his laughter is just as thunderous. He does seem to take great delight in the consistent volleying of cannon fire, and is quite proficient at it.
Raul works very closely with Sal, and makes good and sure that he knows just what is needed for munitions aboard the ship, maintenance on the cannons, and he is also in charge of the ship's armory, including keeping an inventory on flintlock munitions for the crew. It's a lot to keep up with, but if you ask him, he will tell you that there's nothing else he'd rather do.

Stamey: Engineer, Alchemist

Stamey

Stamey is the ship's Engineer, a master carpenter and an apprenticed alchemist. He keeps the ship running smooth and makes any repairs necessary to the ship or its parts. A talented man indeed, he can fix most anything, even when suitable parts are scarce, and when needed he can also make new wooden parts so long as the necessary raw materials are available. He is also a decent blacksmith. Stamey was born and raised in Bridland, the son of an Alchemist, and his older brother was an accomplished blacksmith and farrier. Stamey knew that he would not have an easy time making a name for himself under his father and brother's work, so he set off with captain Griffin when he became of age to set off on his own, rather than dwell under their names for the rest of his days, or theirs.

Simbo: Surgeon, Sailor

Simbo

Simbo is the Surgeon Doctor on The Pinned Seal. He oversees all ailments and matters of health aboard the ship. He has remedies for all sorts of things from the scurvey to the scabes. He was Ba'ku's loyal companion back in Baakara, and was assigned to be Ba'ku's personal companion, and acted much as a squire would to knight. Simbo is very well educated in herbal remedies and natural healing. He also mixes his remedies with a sort voodoo that is centered around spiritual healing. Most people shrug it off as mumbo jumbo or mere superstition, but Simbo is deadly serious about it... and none dare question it in his presence, at least none of the crew. Regardless of whether or not his voodoo is real, his remedies surely seem to be without question. The entire crew will vouch for that.

Tolby: Boatswain

Tolby

Tolby is the Boatswain aboard The Pinned Seal, and personally oversees the day-to-day chores and upkeep of the ship. Tolby is in charge of doing the ships chore roster and is to ensure that all the crew do their daily duties that are required to keep the ship safe, as well as clean and tidy. Tolby was an orphan back Bridland, and he stowed away on The Pinned Seal along with another orphan named Finn. Having not a soul to care for them, Captain Griffin took on both of their wards. He is now a young man, nearly sixteen cycles in age. The Captain tries to keep him from as much fighting as he possibly can, but don't let his innocent, boyish charm fool you.. he has killed three men whilst on the ship, two of which before he was nine. Mind you, they all had it coming..
Tolby's chores include rostering the crew for ships chores such as swabbing decks, kitchen detail, stoockroom detail, hull washing, tarring and patching, restocking of oil lamps, candles, tobacco stores, The restocking of desert musk and spiced rum to the cabins and quarters, and he oversees the personal maintenance of the Captain's quarters. He works closely under Sal and Raul, and he is also in charge of handing out personal munitions upon restock. It's best not to argue with him about chore assignments, he can make your life miserable, as the crew can attest to.

Jonesy: Cook

Jonesy

Jonesy is the Cook aboard The Pinned Seal. If you can get it to the stove, he can make it edible. Jonesy is well known for his lemon pepper glazed dishes he does with seafood, fowl, and swine. He also makes a mean jerk rub as well. Some would say that he cooks till it's a bit tough, but there's nothing worse than an undercooked meal on the ship and a bowl full of the gutrot from eating some tainted flesh. "Better to be safe than sorry", as he always says... and he's definitely right about that, nothing worse than a week's worth of rumbleguts on a rolling sea. You'll be wishing it was only coming out of two ends..
None the less, the food was always more than palatable and the complaints were never louder than the sounds of the men eating. He went out of his way to make sure that the meals on board the ship were as various as they are flavorful, and spends most of his time while in port with the quartermaster, acquiring fresh foods and spices each time they go in for resupply, and opts for fresh fowl and swine whenever possible. Pheasants and quals, cornish hens, whatever might be available.

Finn: Able Seaman, Crow's Nest

Finn

Finn is the Able Seaman and lookout in crow's nest when needed. Both Finn and Tolby hopped aboard as stowaways some ten cycles ago now. Finn is a bit older than Tolby though by a good seven years. Finn, now some twnety three years of age works directly under the boatswain, and operates deck gear, mooring lines, etc. He likes working with Tolby directly as it is easy for him to keep a watchful eye over him. They aren't related, but they both ran away from the same orphanage in Bridland and had been living on the streets for nearly a year before stowing away on the ship. Finn, being much older than Tolby gets his hands pretty dirty during skirmishes. He's not much of a fighting frame but he's got a keen eye for opportunities and will gut a man from the back if given the window. Both Tolby and Finn help operate the cannons with Raul when it's called for.

Jameson: Head Rigger, Marksman

Jameson

Jameson, like his brother Jarvis are both Bretonians who grew up in Villona, a long way from their homeland of Bridland. Though they are twins, they are not identical. They do, however, finish each other's sentences quite often, and do most everything together. Jameson is the Head Rigger on The Pinned Seal. Jameson is also an excellent marksman with flintlocks, as both he and his brother grew up under a very skilled duelist there. Both were from a very prominent family in Bridland, but their father was murdered for political reasons. They were sent off to live with their mother's sister, who married into prominence in Villona before they were born. When the political violence followed their family to Villona the two decided to take their chances and fled, and through a series of hurried events they found themselves on the crew of The Pinned Seal, and have been a part of the crew for several years now. The pair are some of the most skilled fighters on the crew, and show a great deal of finesse in battle.

Interesting story about how they both lost their eyes...

Hank & Wilson: Riggers

Hank & Wilson

Both Hank and Wilson are excellent Riggers aboard The Pinned Seal. They work directly under the management of Jameson, the Head Rigger. It is the rigger's job to work the rigging and sails of the ship. Captain Griffin and the crew stumbled upon them both marooned on a deserted island. Hank said that they were on a ship transporting gold from Liros to Bridland when they were overtaken by a group of pirates. They were made to help bury the ships gold on an island and then they were deserted on another island. Hank made a run for the cover of the jungle but Wilson was not so lucky. They cut out his tongue out and left them there to die alone. The two men were on the island for five cycles before Griffin picked them up. Wilson is unable to talk, but Hank and Wilson have developed a sophisticated way to speak to one another using hand and body gestures, and the two work very well together and Wilson's inability to speak doesn't seem to slow them down whatsoever. The endeavor has left Hank a more humble man, and Wilson, well... Hank has always maintain the notion that he was a bitter man well before his tongue was removed...

Jermaine: Sailor, Cannoneer

Jermaine

Jermaine, a Bridland born Afrik, is both a Sailor and Cannoneer aboard The Pinned Seal. Fairly new to the crew but he's a good five cycles in with them now. He was picked up in Bridland after he and his old crew parted ways and was a well-seasoned sailor by the time he came to work for Captain Griffin. He's a hard worker and a bright spirit to be around as he is usually in good spirits. This tends to keep the crew's morale high, which is also greatly appreciated. He often likes to tell jokes or stories, or sing tunes while working, which helps in getting the men into a good, working rythm.
Jermaine also works as a cannoneer under Raul, and is his favorite cannoneer, by far. The both of them seem to enjoy the job immensely and share a good deal in common, especially in their sense of humor. Jermaine and Raul are practically inseparable and act like siblings, incessantly pranking one another until Sal's finally had enough of it...

Jermaine is quite the lively gentleman indeed.

Crispin: Sailor, Fisherman

Crispin

Crispin is a skilled Sailor aboard The Pinned Seal. He also happens to be a Master Fisherman as well. He is master of harpoon,line, net, and sail. Crispin provides a great deal of fish and various other sea dwelling morsels to the ship's cook, Jonesy. Crispin is from the Northern Lands, and the village he is from is known for its lucrative fishing industry. Crispin was a part of Jermaine's old crew and opted to split with Jermaine when the crew parted ways in Bridland some five years ago. Crispin isn't much for talk, likes to spend most of his time by himself, either fishing or reading books he picks up while they're in port, when he has the time to do so, that is.

Smiley: Sailor, Cannoneer

Smiley

Smiley is both a Sailor and a Cannoneer aboard The Pinned Seal. His real name is unpronounceable by anyone in the crew, and that includes Ba'ku and Simbo. Smiley is from a northern tribe, and they do not speak his tongue very well, as he does not speak much Bretonian either. He does understand the common Bretonian language, but most of his words and syllables get hung up in pronunciation, so he is left with choppy and short replies. He is always nodding and smiling, hence the name. Generally a good spirited man, Smiley is a stout built man, and was a great warrior to his people. He was captured during a period of war and sold into slavery by the winning tribe in Khar Ahara, but he was found by Ba'ku and the captain all the way down on Talbos Island in a slave market there. Ba'ku paid for his freedom, and though Smiley is a free man, he has indebted his life to Ba'ku and the crew.

Bernard: Sailor, Cannoneer

Bernard

Bernard is a seasoned Sailor and Cannoneer aboard The Pinned Seal. He was born in the Port of Kinton, in Mavia. He has been a sailor for most of his life and has pretty much seen all that the sea can throw at a person. He worked the docks there as a young boy until he was old enough to take to the sea. He was crewed many a merchant ship in the waters of the South Sea, and the internal waters around Marth, all the way to BaaKara. He is a devout follower of Leathe, who is known as the God of the High Seas, as does most of the crew, but none so much as he.
Bernard claims to have seen a great many things beyond a man's grasp of sanity. He says the seas are full to the brim with foul beasts that dwell in its darkness... stories which Tolby and Finn take great delight in. In his free time he likes to play cards and gamble with dice amongst the crew.

Zedrick: Deckhand, Anchor Crew, Seamster

Zedrick

Zedrick is a Deckhand on The Pinned Seal and works directly under the boatswain. Zedricks duties include crewing the anchor, swabbing decks, mooring lines, operating deck gear, and general upkeep of the deck areas. Zedrick is from a small port city called Shiford, in Marth. Zedrick is also a skilled seamster and can perform general sewing tasks and repairs on garments, leather armors, belts, straps, and does the general upkeep to the canvas aboard the ship, including the sails. His father ran a business making canvas and leather goods in Shiford like tents and sails for ships in the harbor. He also has a knack for waterproofing garments.

Kang'e: Deckhand

Kang'e

Kang'e is the newest Deckhand aboard The Pinned Seal and works directly under Tolby the boatswain. His duties include swabbing decks, kitchen and crew quarters maintenance, operating deck equipment, mooring lines, and various other mundane daily chores that are necessary in ship and deck maintenance. Kang'e is fairly young, but definitely a man at twenty-three. Kang'e's father had offered him to the monks of Wu'Dhang to go and live a life of servitude at the monastery there... a life which Kang'e did not want. His father sent him with the monks when he was just 5 years old. Kang'e ran away many times before the monks let him go. Kange tried to return home to his father but he was dishonored by his actions, and left him to the streets of Wu'Dhang as he had brought shame to his family.
Kang'e's lived the life of a beggar and petty thief for most of his youth, picking pockets and pulling snatch and grabs in the markets just to keep from starving. His will to remain free to make his own decisions knows no equal though, for he has paid a hefty price for his freedom to decide his own life's fate, the cost of losing his father's pride bears heavy on his chest. His life has greatly improved since then, and his belly stays full on the ship, and he's also gained a family in the crew.

Abdul: Deckhand, Anchor Crew

Abdul

Abdul is a Deckhand aboard The Pinned Seal, and also works the Anchor Crew along with Zedrick. Abdul works directly under the orders of the boatswain and his duties include swabbing decks, Kitchen and storeroom maintenance, and helps to prep meals with Jonesy at meal times. Abdul is from Khar'Jassa, the very same port city in Yhemer that Raul is from, though the two joined the crew at different times and did not know each other before hand.
Abdul is an expert appraiser and worked the markets in the streets of the city. Captain Griffin coaxed him to join him for an appraisal job in Liros, and Abdul has been a part of the crew ever since.

Ship Manifest:

X2 Barrel-Dried Meat(feeds 6/wk, heavy)
X2 Barrel-Fresh Fruit (feeds 6/wk, heavy)
X2 Barrel-Potatoes (feeds 6/wk, heavy. provides starches, fights off hunger)
X2 Barrel-Baking Flour (supplies 6/wk with daily bread rations, heavy)

X10 Barrel-Fresh Water (barrel supplies 1 person/wk, heavy)

X3 Lantern
X2 (250ft) Braided Rope (suitable for climbing/scaling)
X2 Grappling Hook
X2 Simple Tent
X2 Twine/Lashing, simple twine
Spyglass
X3 Shovel
X2 Pickaxe
Toolkit

X3 Storage Chest(footlocker size)
X6 Satchel Bag, Leather ( large)
X6 Water Skin: (leather, 1.5l)
X6 Bedroll (not suitable for cold climates)
Cook Pan
X3 Flint & Steel

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-Tabletop)

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-Tabletop)

Y'Vanna stood frozen in silence, her jaw gaping in awe from the sudden blast of the cannon. The chaos that ensued and the carnage had solidified her legs completely. She quickly shook it off as the captain began to shout once more and she dug her heels in deep and clutched at her belts as she gave it her all in one final push to catch The Pinned Seal before it pulled away from the harbor. It wasn't much of a distance, but the sails had already caught wind and the ship was slowly beginning to pull away from the dock. She was almost there when the gangplank began to slide and drag along the edge of the ship. She decided to risk it, which proved to be a very bad choice as it began to lean to the side as the ship continued to move, and it became unstable beneath her boots.
She slipped and almost found herself in the wash with the crabs and barnacles, but she barely managed to catch the side of the ship, her belts and scabbards flailing about like a rack of kitchen utensils as she dangled from the side. Jarvis seen that she was struggling in her approach and quickly ran over to help her on deck. His brother James was close behind him. Jarvis and James, or Jameson, did everything together. They were twins but not identical. They did however finish each other's thoughts and sentences often, perhaps a bit too often, and were sometimes scolded for doing so. Both of them were fairly young, wiry and lanky men, and both were extremely skilled in dueling with both pistols and blades. The two often fought in unison, intertwined with each other in a fantastical dance of death.
They quickly pulled her up and over the railing, her legs flopping wildly about as she made her way over to the deck planks. Grace was obviously not her best quality... She lay with her face against the planks for a moment, in sheer gratitude for their hardness beneath her. Gratitude that she was still alive, and that she wasn't in line for the gallows, at least not yet.

"Fecking hell." she said, as she hoisted herself up. "What a fecking show that turned out to be..."

Ba'ku noticed the casualty in Skarsat's arms. They were both very large men, and Ba'ku forwarded a certain respect towards the Tork for it as well. Men of such stature were given great respect in his culture, so he naturally offered it in kind. He approached Skarsat and nodded to him respectfully, and then knelt and stretched his large arms out to take the burden from him.

"I will oversee this man's care for you personally. We will clean him up and bathe him and prepare his body for a proper burial at sea." he said with a great deal of reverence. Skarsat gave Neh'miah over to him and he stood and nodded once more. He then looked to a few of the crew men to come over and help. "Take him down and prepare his body, wash him in oils and sage. find him a proper outfit and ready him for the ceremony." he said, and the men all did as he asked and took Neh'miah below.
Ba'ku then turned to the party and spoke to them all.

"Welcome aboard The Pinned Seal. I am Ba'ku, first mate to the captain. If you will all follow me, I will show you to your quarters below."

His voice was very deep but also very gentle. Despite being rather large he was extremely hospitable and very well mannered. It seemed a very odd pairing to be sure. He then turned and made his way to the cargo opening mid ship and open the grated hatch revealing a steep staircase below. "Mind you all watch your heads and footing, the staircase is quite steep, more like a ladder really." and with that he made his descent into the dark crew hold below.

He guided the party through the small crew hold towards the back to a set of two rooms, neither of which were very large at all. It had several of the hammocks hanging inside that were also lining the walls of the crew hold. It was going to be a tight squeeze for sure but at least they were safe, and it was dry and void of any signs of mold. In fact, for such a cramped ship it was rather clean, and although it was rather stifling, it was not all that unpleasant. There was a certain smell aboard the ship, it was an oil they all used that was similar to a desert musk, made with a sage that grows out in the Yhemerian desert. It is a very fragrant and goes a long way to masking bodily odors in small spaces. The wood inside was all dry and the floors were also very clean and showed signs of regular mopping and maintenance.
The ship itself was as unique as its crew was diverse. A specifically designed galleon, a splice of a mercantile design mixed with a war galleon. It was very slender, and only about two thirds the size of a regular galleon, with nearly twice the speed and half the drag of regular galleons, this ship could maneuver in waters that other galleons would find treacherous. It was sure to be a very unique ship indeed, and one could be sure that Vargas had definitely had a hand in either its manifestation or its acquisition. One could be certain of that.

"These two rooms will be your quarters aboard the ship, you are free to do as you please and are not required to work while you are aboard the vessel. You are our cargo and our ward until we reach the island. Should you need anything simply ask. There is plenty of spiced rum upstairs, and there is a crate in the corner there for you should you require it. Also, in the small brown bottles you will find some of the desert musk we use to keep ourselves from being unpleasant... it's use is encouraged. Lunch will be in 3 hours, at the time of one. You may eat here or with the crew, or whichever suits you best. There will be a ceremony for your friend just before dinner around dusk." he said. He then turned to Skarsat who's head and a shoulder could barely make the doorway. "I think you may wish to bunk with us in the crew quarters, I fear this room may not be suitable for your size. I will leave you all to rest now and I'll see to the care of your friend, as promised." and then he took his leave, nodding to Skarsat on the way out.

Y'Vanna cared little for how cramped the room was, it hardly mattered as she was glad just to be alive, and every second they were at sea the further away they got from the nooses that surely waited for their return. She made her way over to the hammock on the corner and set her belts on the ground beside it, and then went straight for one of the bottles of spiced rum.

"Well, I don't know about you lot, but I could certainly use a feckin' drink." she said, biting the cork from the bottle. She spat it to the floor and took a long, healthy swig. She took a moment and paused, in either prayer or gratitude for their freedom, or perhaps a bit of both. The spiced rum tickled her tongue and throat and instantly brought her belly a growing warmth. She extended her arm and the bottle to the rest of them.

"Anyone else fancy a drink?"

Y'Vanna's Failure

Y'Vanna's Saving Grace

Status: -1 (Drunk.. again.)

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-Tabletop)

The sheriff and his men were taken aback as a great cloud of smoke filled the air about them, clearly confused as to what had just happened. It was unclear whether it had been sorcery or mere parlor tricks, but it made it little difference as the men all stepped back gasping in awe at the sudden event. There sheriff took note and quickly tried to regain the poise of his small regiment. He shouted loudly and grabbed the bowman who had fallen to the ground with his ear mangled, wrangling him up to his feet.

"YE ALL BE FEEBLE MEN! Be up with it.. NOW!!" the sheriff shouted voraciously, yanking him up onto his feet.

It was an ill-fated attempt though. Just he did there was another pistol blast, followed by a massive fireball that landed them all back on their fleshy seats. The blast was not an explosion by any means, but the force and heat that rolled out from the ignition sent them all to the cobbles once more. What's for worse was they couldn't see the danger as it was shrouded by the smoke from Fu's diversion, but they could definitely feel it's presence.
It was at this moment that the captain had taken note of the chaos unfolding just up from where they were docked with the ship. The flintlocks had almost gone unnoticed, almost inaudible in the coastal breeze, but the smoke and the fireball had caught his attention, as well as half of the crew's as well. Then, captain Griffin's brow furrowed as he noticed his men had also taken note. He looked to them and nodded..

"Aye, that probably be our Vargas's cargo then.." he said.

"Aye." said several of the men in chorus.

"Aye, I guess we're up then... MEN, TO ARMS, TO ARMS!" he shouted.

The men all jumped into action as the planks of the ship seemed to crawl with life, like an ocean of fleshy waves rolling about the planks. The cannon crews all started shifting cannons to position them for a better field of view, as some restacked the shot. They were exquisite in their proficiencies, all hardened by years of salt and sun. The men's dark complexions all glistened with sweat, like seals on the rocks after a swim and a meal. Muscles torqued and tightened as they wrestled with them. The captain made his way to the bow of the ship so that he could get a better view of the chaos that was unfolding. He could now see them, a disheveled group running frantically towards the ship. "Aye, that be them indeed.." he muttered, his lips curled and snarled in anticipation. The captain had no love for the city of Guillan, and even less for those that governed it. He relished in the idea that there might be a scuffle, and the thought seemingly brought him a bit of joy as his snarled lips curled into a smirk.

"Ba'ku.. get then men and pull anchor, dorp the mains and let's get her ready to move. This is gonna happen fast." Gerard said, looking on to his first mate.

"AYE, captain." said the towering Afrik.

Ba'ku had been with the captain longer than most of the men on the ship, and was very close to the captain. He had picked him up from the coasts of Baakara, his homelands. He was a fugitive and on the run from his people for fictitious crimes they had wrongly accused him of. Griffin, a man of good judgement in character decided to give him safe passage and took a chance on him. An act that the large Afrik would never forget, and one that bonded him to the captain for life. He was a grateful servant of Gerard, and would happily give his life for the man without even a thought on it. Men like Ba'ku were hard to come by, and fortunately for the captain, hard to get rid of too.

Ba'ku gave a short bow and took off to man the anchor crew and began to pull it up as others tended to the sails, and the captain turned his attentions once more to the party. They were all running for their lives. A red headed woman was leading the pack, it was an odd sight to see such a frail frame moving at such a high speed. She was quickly followed by the others, one which could be seen much better than the rest as he looked to be as big or bigger than Ba'ku, and looked like a boulder that would surely crush the rest of them had he rolled an ankle on the cobbles. It looked as though they had suffered some hits in the scuffle, and possibly even had a casualty with them. This was a dire situation indeed. One that would require drastic actions.. and even if they weren't warranted, the captain was surely a generous man.

The sheriff's men had regained their feet and were no longer disoriented by the brief distraction, and the noise coming from the cart did much to bring them back in. Some of the men had already made their way around the fire and were once again in pursuit of the party. The mule breyed vehemently at the heat of the flames coming from the alchemist's fire, and the sheriff could no longer handle it.

"SHUT-THAT-FUCKING-THING-UP!" the sheriff's neck and forehead were bright and reddened, and veins busted forth beneath his skin as he shouted, saliva flying and frothing from the corners of his mouth with rage.

One of the halberd men promptly did as he was ordered, sinking his spike into the mule's neck and queueing a final gurgled brey, giving it the peace that it had so longed for. The sheriff and the rest of the men quickly made their way around the fire blockade and rejoined the pursuit. The blockade had given the party a good bit of ground on the sheriff's men and had at least prolonged their lives, for however much longer that would be...
The party had hit the planks of the docks as the sheriff's men gave one final push on them, choosing to confront them one last time before they tried to board the ship. Gerranti had recognized the ship's flag, and knew straight away the captain. This seemed to infuriate him even more, as they had had several run ins in the past, and there was a decent amount of bad blood somewhere in there. He raised his saber high into the air and gave command once more. Horns could be heard in the distance to alert reinforcing units to come to their aid as well...

"I SAY HALT!" he shouted once more.

The entire city seemed to shut down completely, and time briefly stood still. The streets and docks were deathly quiet, as if the air had been sucked out of the atmosphere. Deafeningly quiet, even the winds seemed to heed his command.

"Griffin." the word stern on the sheriff's tongue, as if it was thick with tannins.

The silence was to be short-lived. The captain with a solitary gesture gave his command to fire upon the port. The sound was not heard before the smoke and ball had cleared the chamber and bellowed forth over the bow. A small bore cannonball found it's place when it met with a belltower on the edge of the city, overlooking the bay. The sound was most definitely heard then, and the steeple and bell fell to the streets with a great deal of rubble falling apart on the way down and street goers fled as best as they could, but some were not so lucky and were crushed by the heavy falling stones. The sheriff's men were once again felled to the ground as the shot rang out. Moments later shrieks from the chapel could be heard.

"You'll not get away with this Griffin! You will not deny me these dogs!" the sheriff shouted. "You'll swing from a noose for this! I swear it, I SWEAR IT!"

"Maybe so.. but not before you sprout fins" Griffin said in retort.

A jolly laugh bellowed from his hefty gut, and the men all laughed with him. The ship had already started pulling from the docks as the party made their final push to board. Guillan would not soon forget this day, nor anyone that took part in these events. Had they ever made their way back to the city they would surely meet their ends. No one would be able to overcome the charges that were gained here on this morning.

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-Tabletop)

"What the feck is-" Y'Vanna snarled as the cart is suddenly and violently heaved at from behind. "Shite, let me grab a hold to something first, would ya?"

Both Nora and Y'Vanna were both taken by surprise as the cart now scuttled forward with a great boost to its otherwise mediocre speed, and they both did their best to secure themselves to it before calamity struck, yet again. Y'Vanna grabbed hold to the cart's side whilst also trying to stabilize the crate of alchemist's fire as Nora seemed to have herself a bit more organized, managing all the while not to tangle the reins in Y'Vanna's flailing feet. Neither of them had had enough time to register what was going down but it was all coming together now.
Not that the sheriff's men hadn't noticed either...

"They're making a break for it!!" the footman shouted, raising an arm in their direction and waving it wildly to signal the others.

The surrounding area exploded with chaos as one of them shouts. People were thrown to the ground or shoved out of the way as they all began their pursuit with a newfound voraciousness. There were fifteen men in tow with sheriff Gerranti. there were six footmen, and five men were armed with halberds, and another four with crossbows. The rest of the people in the streets did their best to stay clear of the cart that was now barreling clumsily towards the docks, swerving haphazardly as Nora did her best not to run anyone over...

"Out of the way, NOW!" she clamored, yanking at the reins in her best attempt to steer the janky cart. "Move, MOVE, I say!"

The party begins to make ground on the sheriff's men as they near the docks. The sheriff becomes desperate and orders his men to take action.

"They're getting away!" he shouted. "Fire upon them! Fire upon them at once!" He thrusts his sword towards them to authorize the attack, a visual validation and call to arms. The mortified civilians duck and dive to the ground, anything to clear the path of the sheriff and his men's wrath. They knew all too well the cruel hand of the law, the coldness in their hearts, and how they would not hesitate to carry out their notion of justice.

Two of the men fire while the other two wait for a second volley. Both of them take aim for the big man because he's a large target and he's fueling the cart's boosted speed. The first bolt misses by several feet, finding residence in a structural wall nearly missing a crouching pedestrian. The other bolt narrowly misses Skarsat's left arm, finding an opening between his arm and his ribs and almost burys itself completely into the barrel holding Neh'miah... the other two men waste no time stepping forward as the other two step back to reload.

1st Man's Shot- 7 - Miss

2nd Man's Shot- 11- Poorly Placed/Near Miss

"And FIRE!" the sheriff shouted yet again, his jaw wrenched with hatred and his lust for blood could be seen painted all across his face.

The third and fourth man both let their strings loose, and the bolts whistle audibly through the party sitting on the cart, the first bolt missing everyone barely. It does manage to find it's way right into the ass's ass causing it to wail in agony and shifting the cart's weight hard to the right just as the other bolt hits Nora directly above her pelvis on her left side.. the force of the blow throwing her from her seat on the cart and onto the ground. The mule flails and kicks wildly as the cart veers wildly to the right, slowing down just before crashing into some stacked crates some forty paces from the dock's planks.

3rd Man's Shot- 5- Miss (Hits Other)

4th Man's Shot- 15 - Hit

Nora rolls several times after hitting the ground fairly hard. She winces as she struggles to get to her feet, gritting her teeth as she finds her footing. She looks down to her hand, as it finds way to the bolt now sticking out of her side. She grasps it firmly in her palm and then she lets out a curdling scream as she then yanks it free, tossing it to the ground. Just as she unsheathes her blade to defend the party one of the sheriff's men hoods her and another two of the footmen grab her and take her into custody, dragging her back out of their perimeter as they slowly close in, the men with halberds now closing the gap whilst the crossbowmen ready themselves once more...

Y'Vanna was thrown from the cart as well once it hit the wall. She her best to hold on to the crate of alchemist's fire but she lost hold of it in the violence of the collision. It flew from her arms and crashed upon the ground just a few feet from the cart, it's contents now wetting the cobblestones and wasted to them on their journey.. no matter now, there were much more pressing issues. She sprang to her feet despite the aching scrapes and bruises she just accumulated and took cover by the cart to get her wits about her before testing the efficiency of the archers once more. She made sure she grabbed the rest of her gear from the cart while keeping herself low, throwing her scabbard and belts on. Sh then readies her pistol to fire upon one of the archers. She knew it was a fleeting chance but it would at least buy the others some time to react as well. She raised up as quick as she could and aimed as one of the archers was bent over his bow cranking it to the ready and she fired.

"Here goes fecking nothing..."

A loud crack rang out in the square and a plume of thick smoke shot forth over the bough of the cart. The sound echoed off the faces of the buildings adjacent to the docks. The gulls squawk and take to the skies along with the songbirds and the streets scatter as pedestrians climb one of the other in the scramble and there is a single, solitary moment of sheer silence before a hefty, chanking thund is heard, followed by a loud shriek...

"You bitch!!." he shrieked.. "The fecking bitch fecking shot me in me ear.. she shot me in me fecking ear Marituse!!" his words fell upon the air as if they had slid down a blade on the way out as he clung to the side of his face. A glint of red staining the outsides of his fingers.

The other archer next to him falls backward, dropping his crossbow on the ground, and the other two hasten their readiness. The men with halberds also step back with caution in the commotion. Nora can be heard screaming as the sheriff's men drag her further and further back as the other remaining footmen move to close off any exits. Gerranti pushes forward to bolster his men, but he is still in behind his archers. The anger on his face is still yet visible, even at this distance.

Y'Vanna's Save - 5 (failure)

Y'Vanna Fires crude pistol - 9 (grazing hit 1d6 dmg)

1d6 DMG: 3

Y"Vanna takes -1 to VITALITY from collision.

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-Tabletop)

10:55AM
City of Guillan,
By the market near the docks.

"Right then. let's get a move on, shall we?" Nora said, giving the mule's reins a hefty yank.

The mule jerked his head against Nora's prompt for it to move, but finally succumbed to her will once she applied a second jerk of the reins, and the cart began to slowly lurch forward. Y'Vanna had barely managed to get her stuff on the cart before it did, nearly spilling the crate of cat's eye. Y'Vana's temper flared slightly, her nostrils flared and brow furrowed... had that been the alchemist's fire it could've been a catastrophe.

"Easy. will ye..?" she said, pushing the crates closer to the center of the cart to avoid mishap.

"We've wasted enough time V, we need to get going." Nora said, not bothering to make eye contact and firmly focused on the path ahead. "And I've certainly not the time to dealing your shit either. Now let's keep ourselves on the task a' fore us, eh?"

"All's I was saying was you need to be a bit more careful.. had that been the alchemist's flame we could've had a serious iss-" Y'Vanna was cut short as Nora turned to her and snapped back.

"Look, we need to make that ship or Vargas is going to have our heads for it." Nora said firmly, grabbing a healthy handful of her cloak and drawing her in close to her face as she continued, "You need to remember that this is just my job, but you lot are in his pocket and it'll be far worse on your backs than will be on mine. One thing Lord Vargas does not fuck around about is his coin.. and I'm sure you don't even need to be reminded of that." Nora's words were filled will anger and frustration, but she had managed to her voice down so that they didn't cause too much of a scene. It was still mid festival, and while the patrons of the city were quite wild and outrageous, they were not as rambunctious in the earlier hours of the morning, save for a few pockets of "the all-nighter's crowd", so she did her best to keep it down as best she could but Y'Vanna was testing her limits.
Nora let loose of her garments and Y'Vanna straightened up a kiln-dried plank and was as silent as a tombstone after that. Nora continued on with the reins in her hand and her eyes firmly forward, she was intent on embracing the silence for the remainder of their walk. It would be a welcome change, even if but for a fleeting moment. She was already trying to prepare herself mentally, she was going to be on a ship with this lot for three weeks, and that's if the weather is good...

What they had both failed to notice was that they were being followed. In fact, they had been followed the entire time. From the time they left the tavern they had been tailed by the sheriff and his men. They were on them like a pack of patient wolves, waiting to make their move. Surely they must've found out about the ship and their plans to get out of the city as well. They were mindful to keep a safe distance from the party as to not be seen by them and nearly had a full perimeter around them as well, cutting off any alleyways or side exits so that the party would not have a chance to give them the slip again. Once they made it to the docks there'd be nowhere for them to go, trapped like rats with their backs against the water's edge. Both Nora and Y'Vanna are oblivious to the wolves in waiting, and continue forward in awkward silence. Y'Vanna regretted opening her mouth and would be mindful of it for the remainder of their walk.

Party rolls for Awareness...

2 openings for Winds of Fate- A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-tabletop, long adventure, 18+)

Our party is looking for one or two more skilled writers for our campaign: Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure. The premise for all of the playable characters is that they are some sort of petty criminal or common street thug, pirate, or some other sort of your run of the mill sort that makes a living by doing less than honorable work. They are underachievers and by no means professionals in their respective trades, and they all have to deal with some sort of major character flaw for the entirety of the campaign.

Original Premise:

The Premise
The story starts off in Guillan, a huge capital and port city. It is the crowned jewel of the Lands of the Nine, and home to the High King of The Lands of the Nines. All the subsidiary kingdoms of the Nines must answer to him as the top authority. Guillan is a grand port city, sure.. but it is dense, and dirty, and extremely corrupted. There is a major divide between the rich and the poor which is very disproportioned, and acts very much like great bellows, only fueling the fires. As a massive port city, it is also a great trading hub, and almost anything from even the furthest bits of the Nine's can be found here, if you have the coin for it.

It's crime syndicates are plenty, and range from petty criminals to vast, and infinitely powerful groups. The Black Hands are at the top of it all, and are all but untouchable.. Pirates and cutthroats, scoundrels. All manners of outfits. The streets are constantly soiled robbers and pickpockets, piracy on the trade routes, rape and murder.. even rumors of slaving and human traffickers from the very bowels of the city. Nothing is off limits to those consumed by greed, and everyone seems to have an angle, or a finger in something. Mind you keep your wits about you, or as best you can..

Your Party, is a small outfit of thieves and petty criminals who operate out of the Faded Lantern Tavern and Inn, which is ran by Lord Vargas. He fences loot but charges a hefty fee. The Black hands have taken most of the jobs in your line of work so things are looking quite scarce for the crew. Some jobs get prospected to smaller groups by the Black hands, but dealing with them was always sketchy at best. The group gets a lead about an archaeological site that has just begun excavation and seems to be ripe for the pickin's, but you'll have to get to it first. The tip off mentioned loads of loot to be plundered and has been rumored not to have been opened for a thousand years. The group decides to go after it, with the color of gold in their eyes. Better to do that than to keep things as they were. There'd be money on the seas as well, if they can keep their heads above the water...

The game setting and genre is a mix of swashbuckling and pirateering era, low to mid fantasy, minimal magic to start with and some minor elements of early machinery/steampunk(minimal). All playable characters will be human, as this is definitely a low to mid fantasy rp. It is intended to be gritty with mature content and comedy. All playable characters are as I stated above less than proficient in their skills and will write in many failures with as much comedy or aggravation as possible. This rp is intended to be a good read with lots of sharp and witty moments as the party members are less than fond of each other.
The RP campaign is to be an epic saga, long term campaign with several chapters. Individual character growth as well as growth within the party is the overall goal, and the rp will facilitate a few dice rolls and mechanics to keep this campaign from being just a write through, and player inventories and statuses will all be meticulously kept by each player. The campaign will utilize elements of traveling and sailing, and there will be a lot of it as this is a complete, globe-sized realm, with many different regions and ethnicities to explore.This campaign is for seasoned rp'ers, and writers who are capable of creating well thought-out characters and posts. As GM I have taken a great deal of time in creating a very detailed and in-depth realm with a very loose main story arc, with lots of room for backstory side plots, and I've intentionally left a lot of room for this as I find it to be important to incorporate as much of the players I can into the environment and the story as well. I'm also running a character within the party as well. I have made up a complete list of services and goods, some history, religions, ethnicities, as well as a growing list of antagonists, places, and npcs. The antagonist's list is a growing compendium of encounters the party will have to deal with. I also like to add lots of visual aids that I create myself.





The story thus far has the party of underachieving thieves gearing up to head out to an island some three weeks away by sea. The party is going to an archaeological site that has just been discovered to pillage it of its treasures. The party is indebted to a prominent fence named Lord Vargas, and owner of the Faded Lantern Tavern & Inn, a local hotspot for thieves in the slums of the great Capitol city of Guillan. He has fronted the money for this excursion in which they are about to embark with hopes of a huge return on the expedition. The party has just geared up at the markets and they are about to board their vessel to leave.

We've had one of our writers go MIA on us and we have all been discussing adding a few more players for some time now so I am writing this post to inform the masses that we have a few openings available. I can get new players in immediately so long as their character could fit in as one of the ship's crew, or perhaps a stowaway who jumped aboard while the ship is in harbor, otherwise new players will have to wait to be introduced once they get to the island.

Here is a link to the RP Campaign so you can get a better idea and feel of the genre and setting to see if it's something that you'd be interested in joining, and as a good example of the skill level that we are looking for:

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure

Here is the zero post to explain the rules and the dice mechanics that we've incorporated:

ZERO POST- RULES

Please post your interest on the OOC page in the campaign or here, either one is fine. We also have a discord set up as well, link will be provided.

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-Tabletop)

Y'Vanna was eager to hit the markets as well. She had long been broke, the grog and dust made certain of that. She had neglected most everything else. There was only one thing that she took good care of and that was her sabre. She went through Ziva's and made a bee line straight for the nearest weaponsmith at Ahmad's Blades. From what she could tell it was a Zherpian establishment, even better, she thought... She undid her belt and scabbard and handed it over the table to Ahmad.

"A good grind and oiling for it please... she's going over waters so she needs a good rub down." she said, as Ahmad took it from her with a welcoming nod, he was equipped to facilitate her needs and seemed skilled and learned enough to know exactly what was needed.

"I'll come back for it in a bit and have a look at your other goods as well." she said as she turned to keep browsing the vendors. She had neglected most of the other items she wore. Her cloak was thrashed and bleached, beaten from the harsh rays of the tropical sun. This would have to be remedied, first and foremost. She passed by a quaint little place called Po's Exotic Pets, and she was rather giddy at the sight of all his peculiarities. She was enthralled by the hairless cat, thinking it so ugly that it was oddly cute, adorable even. She bent down to eye level, scrunching the skin of her nose to imitate it's likeness with little success. Her stress seemed to melt, and she took a moment to giggle at a pair of overly playful ferrets, and then kept on moving. It was a passing moment of happiness, though she wasn't completely without it, not with such a hefty purse to shill out...
She found her way to an armorer and stopped, looking over the various cuirasses and greaves, gauntlets and the likes. She took note of a leather corset that was strengthened by some small sized plates down the front and a bit of silver embellishments etched with roses on the bust, and there was a matching pair of bracers laying on the table next to it with the same rose pattern etched into the silver, but with an embossed rose in the middle as well. It was absolutely exquisite, and provided a suitable amount of armor to boot, more than she was used to having. The Armorer, Alma, being as astute as she was, quickly noticed her interest in it.

"I see you've got a good eye.." Alma said without being too over bearing. She was a good salesman, and gave customers a good bit of room. One of the marks of a good store, one could be certain to be dealing with items of quality when no one is begging you to buy their less than adequate and over priced garbage. No, places like this let the product sell itself.

"Indeed I do." Y'Vanna said "I suppose there's not much room for beating the bush then is it? How much for the pair?"

"For the corset and bracers it's 12 gold. The good eye indeed. Seems like a lot but it's from an armorer I deal with in the mountains of Bavoria, hand engraved. The plating is good steel and I'll vouch for it's quality. He's an old man and my exclusive dealer from the region. You can see his mark there, VonBrandt marked in the plating just there. If you're ever in the region i suggest you pay him a visit. One of the best smiths I've seen to do leather and metal together like that.." Alma stated with confidence.

"Aye, fooks sake..." she said, taken aback by the amount. She knew it was worth it, she could see and feel the quality. There was no denying that. The leather was soft and well tanned, dyed black.. and the engraving was beautiful, and the black lines helped to dampen the shininess of the silver, which wasn't over polished to begin with. The plates were well riveted, it was immaculate. "What about cloaks? As you can see me own's seen better days."

"We do. Several actually." Alma said, giving Y'Vanna enough space to browse.

"Fantastic, I'll be going by sea so I'll need a sturdy one." Y'Vanna said as she walked over to a small stand with several cloaks hanging on it.

"I'd suggest this one here. It has a few pockets and loops for storage as well." Alma stepped over to help, gesturing at a cloak. "It's made from manta ray, great for wet climates. It's also very sturdy but also very soft and light."

"And how much for that then?" Y'Vanna was almost scared to ask.

"That one is 4 gold." Alma said "well worth it."

"Indeed. So then, how much for the lot, The cloak and the corset and bracers?" Y'Vanna said, hoping to get a package deal, at least, she thought she had been building up to it but it would seem Alma was already ahead of her...

"I'll do all of it for 14 gold, and I'll throw in a matching set of manta skin gloves to go with the cloak. Should pair well with the bracers and corset. These leathers have all been thoroughly tanned and dyed, pre-washed and bled for your convenience and guaranteed not to bleed." Alma had all but had the receipt already written up.

"Right then, I'll have it. Don't suppose you'd help me change then, I've not been properly suited for quite some time." Y'Vanna said. She wanted to make sure she knew how to properly put it on and to adjust the fit. Alma being a woman herself bolstered Y'Vanna's confidence in acquiring her aid. It was rather embarrassing to have to ask in the first place but she figured it wouldn't be near the embarrasment she would have to endure for looking like a fool with it not fitting right.

"Of course, dear. We are a fine shop and our services will reflect it. I'd be happy to assist you. Ive got a place behind the drape there where I can assist you. Should only take a few minutes to get you properly sorted out." said Alma. Of course she didn't mind, it was a lot of coin for hardly any work.

"It is much appreciated." Y'Vanna said, both relieved and satisfied. She then reached into the small coin purse and retrieved Vargas' token. "I suppose this will make do for payment?" she said, handing it over.

"Indeed it is.. makes no difference to me whether the coin comes from you or your benefactor. His mark is respected here." Alma said as she pointed towards the drape that closed off a small portion near the rear of the booth. "I'll just grab these up and I'll meet you back there."

Y'Vanna did as she instructed and made her way behind the drapes, eager to get her old clothes off. Alma was only a moment before joining her. A few moments spent tightening here, loosening there, and that was that. It was much easier than she had anticipated, and to her surprise it fit extremely well and was rather comfortable to boot. She stepped out and admired herself for a moment in a standing mirror, and was sure to thank Alma for her troubles, and tipped her the two gold she would've saved on the deal.

"For the extra trouble" Y'Vanna said gratuitously.

"Aye, a good eye indeed lass. I hope you make your way back sometime." Alma said, giving her a slight nod in approval.

She was more than content with her purchases and was eager to get back before wasting too much time so she decided to head back towards Ahmad's to retrieve her sabre. Along the way another vendor caught her eye. She had been passing by when a small brass lantern caught her attention. The vendor, Zeke, explained that it was a witchflame lantern and told her all about it. Witchflame wasn't very common in Guillan so she decided to buy it outright, knowing it would most definitely be a handy and useful item to have along. She also took fancy to a small spring loaded pistol, which she also decided to purchase along with a bit of ammunition for it and her other pistol. She paid the man for both. She also purchased a small leather satchel to put her stuff in. With that she made her way back to Ahmad's, only a few vendors down from Zeke's. She stopped in and inspected her blade, which was adequately sharpened and oiled, and a nice bit of wax for the handle. She glanced over the wares while she waited for him to bring it out, settling on a set of matching daggers, and a leather case for them. They were a fair price and she didn't feel like haggling with Ahmad so she bought them as well.

Having retrieved her belongings there was just Ziva's left, and she had left it for last since it was on the way out. She stopped in and browsed for a short moment, comprising a mental list of things to purchase. She ended up buying 2 pouches of the apothecary's grace, a whole crate of dulcimer's pluck consisting of 10 vials of the nasty liquid, and a case of the cat's eye as well, two elixirs of sincerity, two bottles of clotting honey, and two smelling salts. That was more than she had planned on getting for her travels but she figured being well equipped couldn't hurt. Ziva took down Y'Vanna's order and went to gathering it all up. Y'Vanna told her to put what she could in the satchel, leaving only the two cases to carry. She threw the satchel over her shoulder and took the cases up into her arms after paying and then made her way back out to the cart. It was a nice surprise to see the group seemingly getting along with a bit of chit chat.
She set her stuff down on the back of the cart and set her satchel down.

"How we holding up Ne'miah?" Y'Vanna said, "You guys do know he's no good to us if he perishes in that barrel, right? I grabbed a few extra items for us, and a few gifts along the way." she said, setting the crates on the cart and starting on the strings of her satchel..

"Got us some alchemist's fire and some cat's eye, should come in handy at some point."

Purchases

1 case of Cat's eye (10X) = 1G, 40 bits
1 case Alchemist's fire = 2G
2 Elixir of Sincerity = 1G
2X clotting honey = 50 bits
2X smelling salts = 15 bits
Witchflame Lantern = 3G
Spring Loaded Palm Pistol = 2G
Sabre serviced = 50 bits
set of daggers (throwing) = 1G
Corset and bracers = 12G
Muffling Cloak and matching gloves = 2G

-14G for Token
Total = 11G

Winds of Fate - A Thieves' Adventure (Semi-Tabletop)

"Good luck to you both, and Godspeed on your travels!" Percy said, his muffled voice echoed in the alleyway from the window above. Both Skarsat and Neh'miah looked to one another and then upwards, witnessing Percy's tiny little arms protruding as he hastily slammed them shut without delay, and the alley was silent once again. A servant working in the warehouse heard the resounding thud as the pair had met with the cobbles and hurriedly rushed them inside to avoid any prying eyes...

Y'Vanna made her way back downstairs after hitting the lavatory to alleviate some of the pressure from her over worked bladder, and to powder her nose for a bit of motivation. She seemed bright eyed and eager to get a move on. She grabbed a small biscuit and a piece of sausage cramming them into her mouth with little resistance and made her way to join the rest of the party, which seemed to be a bit distraught, but she paid little attention over the growling in her belly.
It was no more than a moment or two before Percy came scrambling down the stairs, only to lose his footing on the last flight, causing him to slide down the last few into a crashing heap at the bottom. The mishap was extremely noisy and the sheer terror on Percy's face as he rose was more than humorous. He took a moment to straighten himself up and scanned the room, with no sight of the sheriff he began to panic even more. Nora gives a sigh of disbelief, what had she gotten herself into with this lot?

"Where.. where's the sheriff?" he said, his voice shaking notably as he did.

"Why, sweetheart? Are you finally ready to come clean about you-know-what?" asked Solange, pretending she knew about some dark secret that he was hiding when really she was just trying to make poor Percy panic. She leaned forward, stroked her chin, and studied him as she continued, "He left. The Sheriff must've heard the jangling of coins in a crooked merchant's hand and went off to feed a hunger that your breakfast couldn't fulfill."

Percy's eyes widened trying to pinpoint exactly what she was referring to, and then scowled as he realized that she was toying with him, as was her nature. Then he immediately perked up, remembering the two that were now in the alleyway.

"Make haste, much of it!" he said, making his way behind the front desk to retrieve everyone's parcels. he began to toss the small coin purses onto the bar as everyone came to claim theirs. "These are your parcels, one-hundred gold each for the journey, and a special token from Vargas to use at the market, good for one item. Make sure you use it here because it is only good here in the city of Guillan. You will know it by the V. There is a cart by the front of the warehouse with some last minute goods for the ship, please try not to waste too much time on the way. Lord Vargas is a man who appreciates punctuality from his constituents." he then did his best to shepherd them pout the door as quickly as he could manage.

Skarsat was just shoving Neh'miah into an empty barrel as they approached, much to his refusal but also much to Skarsat's amusement. Skarsat then loaded the barrel onto the cart as they all prepared to leave. Neh'miah could be heard through the boards in protest, to which Skarsat gave the planks a hefty slap.

"Quiet, unless you favor the gallows over this." he said quietly, leaning in as he did.

The slap gave the mule tethered to the cart all it needed to lurch forward, and they began heading off for the market. It was only a few blocks from the tavern, a very short walk with little incident along the way. The party was mostly quiet along the way, and they all seemed to be glad that they were finally on their way. It was a few minutes into the walk that Maréngo began to feel a slight discomfort growing in his bowels, which seemed to bloat and fall much like an extra lung. His gait shifted slightly and it was apparent that he hoped that no one in the party was the wiser...

The market, or the black market, as it was, had been well established here in Guillan, as there were many patrons and suppliers to keep it going, and the demand was and had always been high. Lord Vargas, and a few others like him, had all built and bolstered this over time, and had made substantial wealth from it. It's existence was well known to the crown and well documented, but payoffs and corrupted guardsmen, and sheriffs like Gerranti, all made it possible. It was a complex and elaborate entity altogether. The market was also never set in one place, but moved around all the time. It's next location only given to those in the know to ensure it's secrecy. Like a hydra, if one head was caught another head would spring forth without any hesitation. Items from all over the world could be found here. Scarcity, rarity, and variety were all subject to fluctuate constantly. One never knew what one could find there.
On this day, the market was above ground and not too far from the docks, which worked out well for the party. It was inside a small enclosed courtyard adjacent to a fountain shrine to Leathe, in behind a regular shop for most common items, Mast's General Goods and Wares, and could only be accessed by someone with the proper credentials. Nora makes her way to the shopkeep and leans in, whispering something to them. They had obviously been expecting them, they gesture and nod. The shopkeep then shuffled the party through a door in the back, locking and bolting it behind them. From there the party finds itself in a small fenced off enclosure, where a man ensures their credentials before letting them enter into the market.

Vendors List:
all items are not represented below, inquire for more options or item availability...

Veronice's Food & Rations

Quality: above average Price: above average Variety: below average
Haggling: no Owner: Rovanni male, angry, mildly racist and a male, cheerful but sickly
Stall Type: tables for eating, small cart made to cook food. Regular meals, street foods, and cured meats can all be purchased here, as well as dried rations.
Specialty Items:

Fine Dried Beef- Dried strips of jerky made from fine beef steaks that bolster stamina and energy levels.
Dried Fruits- Dried fruits help with maintaining energy levels and help fight off scurvy and promote a strong immune system. Highly recommended in damp tropical climates.
Exquisite Spices- An assortment of fine spices from the Spice Islands sure to please the palates of the pickiest eaters.All sorts to match any meal, sure to make even the least edible meals tolerable.

Bows, crossbows, and Fletcher

Quality: above average Price: above average Variety: above average (specialty items available)
Haggling: only for the expensive items
Owner: Aniska, Tork female fletcher and a Tork male name Lark, grouchy in demeanor.
Stall Type: Oxcart full of wares
Specialty Items:

Heavy Arrows- These arrows pack a wallop! Broadheads specifically designed for high piercing damage… great for armored or heavier targets.
High Velocity Arrows- These arrows are made from a very light but durable wood that allows these arrows to find their targets much faster than normal arrows. Exquisitely made.
Toad’s Poison- A fatal poison found in a type of toad from the wetlands of Maarth. Attacks the respiratory and nervous systems. Sold by the vile.
High Tensile Bowstring- Adds more draw weight to a bow, causing arrows to fly faster, and gives a bow a bit more range.
Poisoned Ink Beads- Glass beads filled with an inky black poison found in squids. Can be thrown from a sling or shot from a slingshot. Ink can blind and the poison causes intense vomiting, hallucinations, and eventually convulsions. (20 per bag)
Repeating Hand Crossbow- Revolver-style crossbow that can house up to five bolts at a time. Has an overhand crank lever that re-cocks the bowstring for each time you fire it.
Bolas- These thrown weapons are used to trip or incapacitate, can also be used as a bludgeoning weapon. Also useful for hunting medium sized game such as wild boar or other swift moving animals. Tork made.
Caltrops- Bag of steel caltrops. 25 per bag.
Hunter’s Bow- A traditional Hunter’s bow, used for hunting. String has muffles on it to cut down on noise from vibration. (+1 Stealth)
Hunter’s Quiver- An ornately carved quiver made from wood and lined with fine red fox fur. The fur helps cut down on noise when pulling arrows from it. Ideal for hunters… or thieves. (+2 Stealth)

Armorer

Quality: very high Price: average Variety: average
Haggling: is treated as an insult Owner: Alma, Bretonian female, friendly but quick tempered
Stall Type: tables and an Oxcart
Specialty Items:

Brawler’s Gloves- Quality studded leather gloves that add extra melee damage. Extremely durable.
Muffling Cloak- Dark cloak that muffles sound from the wearer. Has several interior pockets for storage.Made from the skin of Manta Rays.
Cloak of many Thorns- Dark leather cloak that has many sheaths for many daggers. Extremely well made and stitching looks very durable.

Ziva's Apothecary Supplies

Quality: above average Price: average Variety: very high
Haggling: is expected
Owner: Zherpa male, spiteful, exotic clothing and a very knowledgeable female named Ziva (Apothecary)
Stall Type: Incense, Medicinal drugs, Salves and Herbal Tinctures, Poisons. A booth and several connected stalls
Specialty Items:

Apothecary’s Grace- A small pouch containing medicinal herbs that can be ingested, applied, or boiled into a broth. A literal cure-all for all sorts of nastiness, infections, and any other ailments of the body. Can be applied directly to wounds to speed up the recovery process.
The Dulcimer’s Pluck- A concentrated poison from the Dulcimer Spider, native to Baavaria, and named for a small white spot on its abdomen that resembles the instrument which is also native to the region. This poison is not fatal, but will bring on temporary paralysis that lasts for several hours.
Medicated Wraps- Pre soaked dressings for deep wounds. Soaked in a mixture of herbs to help the healing process and to keep wounds covered and free from infections.
Cat’s Eye- A medicinal tonic derived from boiling down various plants that allows one to see nearly twice as well at night.
Elixir of Sincerity- A concoction that prompts people to be open, welcoming, and completely honest.
Purifying tablets- These tablets are used to purify water for drinking. Recommended to avoid serious illness and or diseases.
Clotting Honey- Salve that promotes the clotting of blood to stop wounds from bleeding. Made from a certain type of honey known for its healing and medicinal properties.
Jar of Leeches- Leeches are used in several medical procedures, and help to alleviate illnesses found in the blood. Leeches can also eat away rotting flesh around an infected wound.
Smelling Salts- Salts used to awaken someone who has fainted or been knocked unconscious.
Blessed Water- Water that has been blessed. Does holy damage against the undead.
Pure Salt- Bags of the purest salts. Used in rituals, rites, and to aid with incantations.

Abel's Trinkets and Fine Jewelry

Quality: high Price: high Variety: below average
Haggling: is enthusiastic Owner: Abel, Bretonian male, hopeful, oddly pale
Stall Type: permanent structure (locked at night)

Po's Exotic Pets, and Reptiles

Quality: very high Price: very high Variety: scarce and rare
Haggling: is expected Owner: Po, Jin-Zho male, aggressive, bows and makes courtly gestures and a female, aggressive, overuses a certain word/phrase
Stall Type: Tables, pens and cages
Specialty Items:

Cockatoo- Emerald green and nearly two feet in length. Can repeat overheard conversations on call.
Ferret- This sweet little fellow loves to steal shiny things and hides them.
Hunting Falcon- Extremely expensive, will not negotiate. Extremely proficient hunting falcon that is trained to hunt small game, like rabbits or smaller animals, and in some cases foxes or medium sized fauna. (Will hunt twice daily upon call)

Zeke's Tools & Gear

Quality: average Price: average Variety: average/good
Haggling: is only allowed for certain items Owner: Zeke, Dwarf male, drunk and scornful, but fair
Stall Type: several oxcarts full of wares including mining equipment and expeditioner gear, fine gemstones, minerals, gunpowder, rare earth metals, Flintlock weapons and firearm provisions
Specialty Items:

Witchflame Lantern- brass lantern with an eternal flame that emits a low greenish yellow light. Very well made.
Infernal Torch- An alchemical marvel derived from magnesium, black powder, and a number of other trace elements that combine into a very useful tool. Not only does it burn with a bright ruby flame even when immersed in water, but with a bit of patience, the flame can burn through solid metal. Thieves have been known to make use of these torches to crack especially tough vaults. Used predominantly for mining and commercial use.
Double-Barreled Revolver- This unique 6 shot revolver fires three two-round blasts for extra punch. It is intricately engraved and shoots only round balls. Dwarven made.
Spring-Loaded Palm Pistol- Small derringer style pistol that has a spring-loaded wrist bracer that it attaches to. Fires two small caliber rounds.
Scatter Stick- A shortened blunderbus style firearm that is shorter and more concealable than its full sized counterpart. Only suitable for grapeshot or or other suitable scatter fire such as salt or rocks, silverware, anything really. A favorite for deck clearing pirates.
Alchemist’s Fire- A sticky fluid that ignites when it comes in contact with air. Improvised Grenade encased in a round clay container. Store with caution.

Ahmad's Blades

Quality: Good/High Price: average Variety: good
Haggling: occasionally involves barter Owner: Ahmad, Zherpa male. Optimistic, obnoxiously loud and mildly flamboyant
Stall Type: Blades, Axes, Mauls and other Melee Weapons, many tables, stands, carts
Specialty Items:

Whip of the Viper- A whip made from viper skin that facilitates two small fang like spikes at the end that can have poisons applied to it.
Zherpian Blade- An exquisitely made thin sword in a slender scimitar style. This blade is extremely sharp and is guaranteed to hold its edge. High quality item that is not up for negotiation..
Set of Javelins- A set of 3 Zherpian javelins, known for being extremely well balanced and light. Very easy to wield and can be used as a hand weapon or be thrown as a ranged weapon.