Voyages Of The Blue Rosie

Premise

Aldis, the Kingdom of the Blue Rose, under the reign of Queen Jaellin, is a beautiful and diverse kingdom, but one that is still being rebuilt and is still recovering from that battle with Jerk, the Lich King, from several years ago.

Aldis is home to a many people and many races, and welcomes refugees from all around, for the most part. The Queen has had to navigate her way through the politics and having to face many enemies on many fronts.

While her armies dealt with the threats throughout the land, her navy dealt with threats along the seas and among the farther away islands and remote islands.

However, the Navy was not enough, and there were areas where the Navy could not access. The seas are expanse, mysterious, dangerous, and contained all sorts of threats, some of which are submerged and some of which are very difficult to locate.

The Navy required more troops and more assistance, especially when there was a sudden increase in merchant ships being attacked, crews and passengers being kidnapped or disappearing without a trace, cargo being stolen, and a sudden uptick in seaside threats.

There also have been many rumors and stories of several major sea creature and undead attacks, as well as some reports of some strange goings-ons on some islands and even in the various ports.

Recently, a mysterious fog has also covered some areas of the seas, and correspondence to or from some areas have been lost or delayed.

So the Queen had her Navy acquire occasional assistance of friendly or more honorable pirates, like those of the Azure Banner, for areas near the Pirate Isles. The Navy has also recruited some privateers to deal with the various threats and dangers at sea, to protect the valuable merchant ships, investigate the strange goings-on, and to help the many passengers, islanders, and Aldin citizens.

Meanwhile, some Aldin nobles or merchants have also hired their own privateers to protect their own cargo ships and so on.

This is where you (the players) come in. You are a group of mercenary, but good-intentioned Aldin privateers who work for Aldin nobles and even the crowned Queen herself, and you travel the seas to combat the sea threats and to protect the innocent.

You will have your own reasons and goals, of course, but you are all part of a loyal crew, and you will work together to face the many threats out there.

Your ship is actually named The Witch's Storm, but to give it a less threatening edge when investigating, your ship's alias will be The Blue Rosie. Some enemies can underestimate your ship with a cutesy name like that...

OOC Thread Link

IC Thread Link

Characters

Players // Characters:

ajdynon // Arvini Hagin-Jala

Shawn_Hagen // Pira

talam // Angus

Darad Zhall // Johan Darche

Player Characters' Bonds and Relationships

Arvini's Bonds and Relationships:

-Relationship: My crewmates on the Rosie are friends who have earned my loyalty.

-Relationship: I still think of Jashila Lar'Kau, the young priestess of Maurenna I was involved with. However, her mother will never forgive me.

Pira's Bonds and Relationships:

-Bond: I am loyal to my crew and they can trust me to have their back (2)

-Bond: Fera laughed when I professed my feelings, but I can’t help but love her (2)

-Relationship: Captain Demetrius of the Bone Sword (1) I will see him and his ship destroyed

-Relationship: Fera of Knight of Aldis (1) I will convince her to see me as an adult!

Angus's Bonds and Relationships:

• The crew (2) - Though I might make fun of them a lot, I would fight and die beside them before I consider running away.
• Godfrey (1) – We are the definition of bad friends. Under any other circumstance, we’d have a blood feud.

Johan’s Bonds and Relationships:

• The Crew (2): “The Cap’n took me in when I lost everything, even after learning what I’d done. I owe my life to her and the crew.”
• Marcel Darche (1): “It’s nice seein my broher again. I can’t help but feel there’s a gap between us now though. Time’ll do that I guess.”

Rumors and Opportunties

• Lots of Darkfiends and Shadowspawn in various places:

        *Stone Forest
        *The Veran Marsh
        *Jarzon
        *Kern
        *Basketh Bay
        *Dark Isle (of the Pirate Isles) 
        *Mysterious Shadowed Isles 
        *Various parts of the sea and in some rivers

• Lots of sea creatures around at sea:

        *An envoy Warrior said there was a giant Sea Serpent in the Rezean Gulf (on his travels to the Fallen River Camp)
        *The Navy ships have just been dealing with Merrow (sea ogres) from the soutwestern area of the Scatterstar islands
        *The Blue Rosie has also been dealing with mermaids and weather-shaping Adepts and Fiendish Sharks on the way to Scatterstar islands

• The clouds were formed by Weather-Shaping Arcana, and the fogs by Darkfiends or ghosts (unsure); it signals bad magicks

• Queen Jaellin is pregnant with twins. Some people are excited, others say it's an omen

• The Navy believes that the increase in attacks are because the Shadowed Seven and Lord Sayvin (all from Kern) are possibly gathering together an army and building up resources in order to invade the Blue Rose Kingdom. Was Lord Sayvin threatened by the Queen's twins?

• Rumors of various Shadow Cults possibly helping with the invasion as well

• The enemy is attacking merchant ships or any ships with easy targets, especially refugees, and taking the captives onto slave ships and experimenting on people using all sorts of Sorcery.

• Surviving refugees' intel states that there are more Shadowgates around:

           *Amber Bay
           *Barrens Island
           *Elsport
           *Lar'tyan islands (Arvini's home islands)

• Another survivor said thatthere was an underwater passage that connects from Aldis--somewhere--all the way to Basketh Bay. Could be more passageways that lead to Basketh Bay inland.

• Slave ships and hostile ships' routes are often found along the coastal areas of Aldea and on the eastern sides of the islands. Main source area is most likely Basketh Bay.

• Various happenings in Arvini's home islands of Matriarchy of Lar'tya:

           *Darkfiend and Shadowspawn down in the mines of Salista
           *Sea monsters attacking pearl divers and sailors in waters near Grala 
           *A Fire Elemental was seen in one of the volcanoes of Ryzana
           *The Matriarch Queen was almost assassinated by a Shadow Dancer assassin spirit (which went on the Navy ships disguised as a Navy healer and made its way onto the Blue Rosie...)

General information

Places of Note

Link to List of Places of Interest with Page Numbers

Pirate Isles:

-Mashae, which has an Arcane College, but has a slave market and does not recognize Aldin authorities.

-Lauren's Town: a fishing community that's more welcoming and highly disapproves of slavery.

Peoples

Races

NPCs

Fera of Knight of Aldis, Pira's unrequited crush who also works on the ship

Captain Demetrius (of Bone Sword), Kern pirate captain who has attacked Pira's old ship with his ship of undead

"The Captain"/"The Cap'n" Alcazar, the serious captain of the Blue Rosie

Climaco, the teenaged red-headed, green-eyed Observer (refugee from Jarzon), who has Psychic Arcana and is friendly with and communicates with Rhy-fen (Rhydan aka “awakened” dolphins); son of the Navy Captain, Captain Ferrin

Marianne, the courageous brunette Warrior higher-up officer of some sort on the Blue Rosie, probably the Lieutenant?

Babette, a buxom, blonde Warrior crew member of the Blue Rosie, who's the spouse of Marianne

Catalina, the fun-loving younger sister of Babette; often drunk or silly

Daisy Jones, the Blue Rosie's cook, who can see visions in her dreams

Luonne, the golden-eyed (“wolf eyes”) shipmate from the forest areas of Aldea, who’s good with a crossbow.

Matias, the golden-eyed (“wolf eyes”) brother of Luonne, who's also from the the forest areas--and seems to be a shapeshifter (Lycanthrope/"wolfman")

“Rabble-Rousers” —a group of violent and hot-tempered privateer orphans who are good warriors and have some arcane talents:

• Shawna: the gentle blue-haired warrior with Cold Shaping powers (is in V star marriage w/ Ayden and Xavia)

• Ayden: the fierce red-haired and red-eyed Warrior with Fire Shaping powers who’s very over-protective of Shawna

• Xavia: the bratty, arrogant niece of the Blue Rosie’s Captain with silver and white hair; Warrior with pistols, loves bubblegum and Shawna

• Cayla: younger sister of Xavia who admires strength and has brown Mohawk with white streaks; a good sniper with a long rifle

The Verst Twins, a pair of human twins with golden hair and emerald eyes from the port city of Garnet. Johan found the two children early in his life of piracy as the only survivors of a merchant vessel he had destroyed. Impressed with their resilence and defiance Johan adopted them into his crew rather than sell them into slavery. Over the years the twins became infected by Johan’s insatiable greed and cruelty, growing up to become 2 of Johan’s most infamous crew members.

• Damian Verst, A cold and calculating young man who served as Johan’s First Mate. Despite his stoic nature he is every bit as cruel and ruthless as the man who raised him. He greatly admired Johan, and longed to take up his mantle.
• Rosalyn Verst, A wild and fierce woman who served as Johan’s Quartermaster and Cannoness. She was a devil in battle and took sick pleasure from the sight of ships shattering to pieces under her canon fire.

Marcel Darche, Johan’s boisterous and excitable younger brother who makes his living fishing the waters of the Shatterstar Islands. He has the same tan skin, blue eyes, and dark hair with blue strips that are common in his family. While he may not have Johan’s knack for arcane magic, he makes up for it with the strength and fortitude that comes from living off the sea.

Talori, a mishevous and adventurous Sea Folk woman from the Shatterstar Islands who makes her living as a self proclaimed treasure hunter, which is a polite way of saying theif. Her skin and hair have a light green tint with eyes of a similar shade. Johan and Talori have known each other since childhood and Johan would often skip out on his lessons to go swimming with her in the ocean or explore caves along the coast for treasure.

Alram (“Anchor”): In his early childhood, this Scatterstar native was someone who used to tag along with Johan and Talori when they were children. The “baby” of his large family. Called Anchor due to his habit of being dragged along on Johan’s and Talori childhood treasure hunts. Now works at Sea God’s church.

Rules

Character Generation Rules

Link to the free Character Sheet

1.) Come up with a character concept.

2.) Determine abilities. (Roll 3D6, add them, and then match them to a table.)

3.) Choose a race. Your character can be a human, night person, sea-folk, vata (either the “light” vata’an or “dark” vata’sha), or one of the rhydan (intelligent, awakened animals).

4.) Determine background.

5.) Choose a class (adept, expert, or warrior)

6.) Pick your character’s equipment.

7.) Calculate Defense and Speed (for combat purposes).

8.) Pick a name.

9.) Choose your character’s Goals and personality.

10.) Write down the Hero’s Relationships.

General Rules

Ability Test = 3D6 + Ability + Focus

It's always 3D6 when it comes to doing any Ability Tests, and you can only use one Focus (which is +2) per Test. ROLL HIGH!

Doubles rolled (on some type of tests) creates Stunt Points, which allows you to pull off various special moves or do special stuff. :)

Two of the dice should be one color, and the third a different color.

The third one is called a Drama Die, which does different things, like showing how many Stunt Points (SP) you get from the doubles, and providing the degrees of success, and even breaking any ties.

Basic Test Difficulty:

7 = Routine

9 = Easy

11 = Average

13 = Challenging

15 = Hard

17 = Formidable

19 = Imposing

21 = Nigh Impossible

Conviction Points: Points that give PCs some different beneficial actions or allow rerolls. Everyone will have three Conviction Points at Level 1, and gain 1 CP every two levels (ie. 3, 5, etc). CP are useful for automatic resist against corruption, gives options for rerolls and other actions (see Blue Rose AGE, pg. 16). CP is regained by following Fate or Destiny of the character, making progress on the character’s goals, or passing a milestone. I would refill Conviction Points at end of quests or at my discretion, whenever.

Combat Rules

When it is your turn, you do a Major Action and a Minor Action or two Minor Actons.

-To Attack (to attempt to hit), it is an Ability Test vs the opponent’s Defense.

To attack, it is: Ability (based on your weapons group) + any applicable focus or modifiers vs the opponent’s Defense.

For example, 3d6 + Fighting for Heavy Blades + Focus + any relevant modifiers (like Talents that add modifiers, etc)

-Defense is: 10 + Dexterity + Shield Bonus (if applicable)

-If the attack hits, (meaning the Attack Ability Test above is equal to or greater than opponent’s Defense), then you do your Damage in the following way.

-Damage roll is: Weapon’s Damage + Strength Ability OR Perception Ability, depending on weapon + relevant modifiers

Finally, subtract the opponent’s armor rating from the above Damage, and you get your remaining Damage total. This is the actual Damage the opponent will take.

Current Encounter

Our heroes find themselves involved in the middle of helping Jarold, an Aldin officer, with a kidnapping crime of a farmer boy, who may have been trying to run away and save a pig.

'UPDATED as of May 5, 2019:

Our heroes have captured the Sorceress and her bodyguards and have taken said enemies to the Wardenhouse to be held and interrogated by the island authority (the Watch) as they traveled along to follow the Shadowpig. After getting some tips from Julinn and Jarold and being healed and prepping for the potential hostile encounters, our heroes continued following the Shadowpig along the path leading to island’s church of the Sea God—where the kidnapped children were being held hostage and where a cult and criminal syndicate may meet them...

They stopped along the brush to watch the scene:

A priest had given a speech to a group of acolytes before returning inside and placing guards at the entrance of the Sea God’s building, and then the acolytes scattered to do their duties amongst the shrines. A young cleric woman with a crescent tiara on her forehead and a rhy-mouse on her shoulder (Estrella, Julinn’s contact within the church) was inspecting the shrines. Meanwhile, Matias and Luonne were having a discussion about waiting for Climaco, who has entered one of the buildings to do some ritual. Matias complained about not being allowed inside the church and on how long Climaco seemed to be taking. Impatient, he discussed with Luonne on who they should ask next and what to do next..

Our heroes discussed their plans, and Johan decided to work with Arvini to fight and distract the guards while Angus and Pira try to warn some allies and find a way into the large church.

Luckily, Johan has made enough of a ruckus to at least attract a few handfuls of guards from inside the large church, giving less guards for Angus and Pira to deal with.

While Johan and Arvini were distracting the guards, Angus managed to copy the praying symbols to activate the magical mechanisms to open a hidden compartment within the Mood God’s shrine, Angus and Pira snuck into aforementioned secret passageway and met up with Luonne, Matias, and Estrella (the Aldin rhy-mouse cleric/spy, ally of Julinne) along the way. Estrella led them through the library/study and a praying ritual area into the underground cavern “cove” where a few ships were docked, loading and unloading supplies and many children/teen hostages. She also led to them to a holding area nearby where the arcane-talented or Adept children and teens were imprisoned in sleeping cells.

Back with Johan and Arvini, they were dealing with a growing group of guards and gained the attention of the acolytes as well. Johan recognized a few of the acolytes as innocent townsfolk and Luna (the cleric/spy and friend of Estrella) psychically tells him about some of her fellow spies and potential allies within the acolyte crowd. The two tough guards that Johan had dealt with earlier were trying to recover from his forceful Move spell while the other guards either guarded or started approaching Johan and Arvini...

Guard 1:

3d6+4 for Strength (Might)

Guard 2:

3d6+5 for Strength (Might)

Group of other guards = default Warrior Adversary stats in Blue Rose AGE book)

~Past Encounters (enemies captured so far and being held in the Wardenhouse by the Scatterstar Watch): Sorceress, Archer bodyguard assassin, and other bodyguard assassin)

As our heroes searched for clues, Johan also discovered a Shadowspawn pig amongst the herd, alarming it and causing it to try to escape. The pig was a shapeshifting Shadowspawn, and it transformed into a Shadowy boar.

When Arvini managed to hogtie the boar with help from Pira and Johan, Angus noticed several strangers within the brush on the sides of the path, north of the pig’s barn. There seemed to be patrols changing shifts and the current patrol was a sorceress and what seemed to be her bodyguards.

Suddenly, one of the strangers, a sorceress on horseback, tried to strangle, and twist and snap the neck of the Shadowspawn boar, but was thwarted by Johan and Angus. Jarold ran and leaped out the windows to try and fight the sorceress and her bodyguards. Our heroes soon joined Jarold and are trying to fight or defend against the Sorceress and bodyguards.

The Sorceress has just taken something out of her pouch and was seizing on the ground while her bodyguards are currently still being ambushed by our heroes.

Our heroes ambushed the bodyguards, forcing them to try to hide in the brush. Pira calms the Sorceress’ horse as Angus and Arvini search for the stealthy bodyguards and Johan took out of the poison out of the Sorceress’ mouth using his Water Arcana.

As Arvini and Jarold tried to race to the barn, the bodyguard assassins suddenly started throwing molotov/fire bottle bombs: one at the Sorceress, and the other into to pig’s barn. Julinn, a worker from the pillowhouse, was summoned by Jarold to help protect the pig. She was in the pig’s barn when the fire bomb flew in. Luckily, she and the pig weren’t harmed.

Pira calmed the Sorceress’ horse and rode the horse to where Johan was, trying to find a way to help out in the situation. Meanwhile, Arvini was using a bucket of water, trying to put out the fire in the barn and Johan summoned a rain storm to try to put out the fire for his own location within the brush. Angus saw that the archer bodyguard was notching an arrow to shoot at Jarold, and Angus immediately dove down to attack the archer.

Angus managed to stop the archer from attacking, and Arvini put out the barn fire while Julinn stabbed the bodyguard within the barn.

In the meantime, Johan summoned a rain storm to start putting out the fire within the brush. Pira arrived with the horse to extract the Adept and the Sorceress. Johan put the Sorceress onto the horse before getting up on the horse himself. Pira steered the horse, weaving the horse through the brush in order to avoid the fires and any potential attacks, towards the beach.

Once there, Johan used his Arcana to levitate stones and shells. As he and Pira rode along the shore, Johan then released his Arcana to aim and throw his prepared rocks and shells towards the brush where the archer was hiding in. The rocks and shells hit the assassin and cut into his armor, causing the archer to fall down in pain.

Jarold managed to heal himself enough to get back to chasing the archer. However, the archer tried to hide within the brush again.

Johan and Pira managed to follow the shoreline and hide next to a fish barn building that was right between the beach and the pig’s barn.

Meanwhile, Arvini and Julinn deal with the bodyguard within the pig’s barn. Angus attacked to distract the bodyguard. Julinn tripped the bodyguard and hovered over him with her sharp dagger-like sword close to his throat...

Julinn and Arvini worked together to tie the bodyguard assassin and tied the rope to the pigpen’s post while they and Angus talk with the Shadowpig.

The Shadowpig shape-shifted to its more humanoid form and noticed Julinn used to be a type of Shadowfiend just like it. Julinn mentioned she works with the good guys now after a brave warrior had won her heart and helped destroy her Sorcerer master and shifted her allegiance. Julinn, with Arvini’s and Angus’ help, managed to convince the Shadowfiend that it would be better to have freedom and to work with the heroes than deal with a treacherous group that would betray its own. (In the meantime, Arvini also made a positive impression on Julinn who offers a free session at her pillowhouse business.)

~Sorceress

Hit Points: 16 (after getting hit by a molotov/fire bottle bomb from one of her bodyguard assassins)

No Armor

Has Sorcery and Arcana spells: Torment or Sorcerer’s Grip, and Scrying

Low Dex

~Bodyguard (against Arvini and Julinn)

Hit Points: 4!!! (after being damaged by Julinn)

Light Armor: 3 AR

Dex: 3 (Def: 13)

Accuracy: 4

3d6+4 to attack

Has something like a Dagger (1d6+1 damage)

~Archer bodyguard (outside in brush)

Hit Points: 9!! (after getting hit by Johan’s rocks and shells attack once again

Light Armor: 3 AR

Dex: 3 (Def: 13)

Bow and Arrow

~*~

Previous Encounter:

After having docked at the island and allowing the Navy healers and Captains aboard the Blue Rosie, our heroes are currently dealing with an corrupted assassin trio who have infiltrated the Navy healer group, and now they must fight them to avoid any more future suffering and deaths.

Currently, our heroes have managed to destroy two of the three triplets. The third triplet is still alive and has flesh-shaped and mutated yet another fellow Blue Rosie privateer. The male privateer’s mutation has grown, and he is a nine-foot creature. Our heroes and the rest of the crew are now trying to deal with this new opponent and the remaining triplet.

In the meantime, Angus dove into the brute’s mind space and is trying to find a way to free the privateer’s mind with Climaco’s help.

~~Big Mutated Privateer (altered Ogre stats in Blue Rose AGE book)—Now, cured and brought back to being normal Matias (Climaco’s crush).

2 Accuracy (Brawling)

–1 communicAtion

6 constitution

-1 dExtErity

2 Fighting (Axes, bludgeons, heAvy blAdes)

–1 intElligEncE

2 pErcEption (hearing, trAcking, smelling)

6 strEngth (intimidAtion, might)

1 WillpoWEr (morAle)

Health: 51

Defense: 10

Armor Rating: Natural 2 (currently 7 when wearing any type of armor)

Attacks:

-Maul (+4) 2d6+9 damage
              
-Unarmed (+2) 1d6+6 damage

All three Shadow Dancer (fake healer) assassins had Arcane gas bombs that can put people to sleep, or mutate or poison people

~~Copycat Flesh-shaper (DEAD)

-Sins: Envy/Sloth

-Current Hit Points: DEAD (Arvini and Pira found a bracelet vessel with a locket and symbol charms and a small key. Also, three bombs remaining in pouch.)

-Defense: 12, but with Battle Dance may add +3 to that Defense total (or sacrifice 1 or 2 of that bonus to Attack bonus)

-Armor Rating: 2

-Arcana/Sorcery discovered so far: Flesh-shaping and Cold Shaping (copy cat); Psychic Weapon (looks like Arvini’s sword)

-Unpredictable stats due to being a copycat

-Being a Lich, she has high Arcana roll with the Shaping (3d6+8 for shaping roll)

~~Fake Healer (DEAD; Shapeshifter)

-Sins: Gluttony/Sloth

-Current Hit Points: 13

-Defense: 12 (unless Battle Dance, see above enemy)

-Armor Rating: 2

-Arcana/Sorcery discovered so far: Sleep; Draw Vitality; Flesh-shaping (Sorcery usage); Torment (attempt); Mind Shaping; Suggestion

~~Possessive mind-space spirit (DEAD)

-Sins: Pride/Sloth

-Current Hit Points: DEAD (destroyed by teamwork of Angus, Climaco, and Finny)

-Defense: 11

-Armor Rating: 1

-Power to possess people

-Arcana/Sorcery discovered so far: Psychic Domination

-Has high mental/psychic stats (3d6+7 on a Psychic roll)