Jade Tian's page

That reminds me how I wanted our giant baby owlbear to be named Mr. Fluffy, but the Duchess ended up pulling rank in favor of Gwendor. She's really become a diva these days. Naming babies after countries? So Hollywood. ;P

She so named it because she was prophetically aware that the fate of the country would be ever linked with the fate of that owlbear cub.

So, yeah, the country of Gwendor is dying ignominiously in a dungeon, blind, alone, and irreversibly enchanted into eternal mindless rage by our greatest enemy. Oh, well.

So, at this point, I am about to go on vacation and then move, and my time is going to be extremely limited for several weeks. You should probably assume that my character is simply "on hiatus", as it is entirely possible that I will not be able to post here at all.

Sorry about that.

Yup.

No change to action.

Will save if Jade is close enough for it to be needed: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

"Hmm," says Jade, "That was ineffective."

She drinks a potion and webs grow between her fingers and her feet transform into flippers. Her boots and gloves meld into her form. Then she jumps off the side of the boat into the water, drawing her axe as she does so.

Touch of the Sea

The water elemental that jumped out of the ocean. It's the only thing I'm aware that I can see.

Same.

Since I doubt I'm in melee range of anything, I'll do roughly the same action but with a bow instead. Take out the bow as a move action, draw an arrow, lick it, fire it, shout out, "ENVENOMED VITAL STRIKE!"

To hit: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29
Damage if it hits: 3d8 + 8 ⇒ (4, 7, 6) + 8 = 25
Poison: DC 18, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Con damage; cure 1 save

Jade would just have emerged from belowdecks, surely.

If a Reflex save is allowed:

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Those on board need to make a DC 25 Acrobatics check to remain standing

Auto-fail.

(And if actions need to be declared, when the invisible creature is outlined with Faery Fire, Jade will unsling her axe, lick it, move to the creature and attack, screaming aloud as her weapon crackles with electrical energy:

"ENVENOMED POWER ATTACK VITAL STRIKE OVERHAND CHOP!")

To hit: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (14) + 23 = 37
Damage if it hits: 6d8 + 38 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 6, 3, 3, 3, 5) + 38 + (2) = 62
Poison: DC 18, frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Con damage; cure 1 save

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Jade emerges from the cabin, and heads to deck to see what's going on.

I imagine Jade would be in her cabin.

Jade graciously accepted Meredian and Pinky's gentlemanly offer. Since then, she has spent most of her time in the cabin. Hopefully, she and Adin have spent the trip so far contentedly ignoring one another completely.

"Fair enough." She once again turns to the others. "Well, he still seems to be laboring under the delusion that his orders must be followed. It's puzzling, really -- I thought I was quite clear earlier. Perhaps I didn't speak slowly enough."

She shrugs. "But he didn't hire us on, and as far as I'm concerned, that option has now expired. And a good thing too, after talking with him -- I feel we dodged an arrow there, frankly."

"At any rate, I'm a reasonable woman, and basically good natured, so I would propose the following. As long as neither he nor his men either lay a hand or cast a hostile spell on us, we don't kill them. As long as he steers the ship where it's supposed to be going by a reasonably direct route, we don't take it from him."

"If he's willing to be reasonable about it, too, I see no reason why we can't pass this voyage with ourselves and the crew blissfully ignoring each other. However, I have seen no evidence whatsoever that he's reasonable, so I suggest those of you who agree with me on this find ourselves a good set of rooms with stout doors, and figure out a schedule of watches, since I, at least, do have to sleep."

Jade looks puzzled. "For hostile action by you or your men, obviously. Why? Is there something else we'd need to keep watch for?"

"Hmm, that presents a bit of a problem. How are we to keep watches if our rooms are separated?" She turns to the others. "What do you think? Shipboard rooms are fairly cramped already, but if we go three and two, we'd only need a couple of rooms reasonably close together. I'd be willing to suffer a bit of discomfort for the added safety."

"Actually, I would much prefer to stay with the others, if they are being given a room or rooms rather than general bunks."

"So," says Jade once the ship is well underway. "I believe mention was made of showing us where we are to be staying?"

At any rate, either way:

Pinky, I don't see anything under the telepathy rules that say you have to initiate it: "The creature can mentally communicate with any other creature within a certain range (specified in the creature’s entry...) that has a language. It is possible to address multiple creatures at once telepathically, although maintaining a telepathic conversation with more than one creature at a time is just as difficult as simultaneously speaking and listening to multiple people at the same time".

As far as I can tell, someone "thinking at" your character is just like being talked to for you.

Jade walks onto the ship, smiling sweetly.

"No," says Jade suddenly. "Enough is enough. I've tried to be sweet as friggin' pie throughout all this, but they Just. Will. Not. Stop."

She turns to Omiv. "I don't care what arrangement you think you made, it's not any arrangement I ever heard of any ship making in the history of ever. If you've been paid to take on passengers, then take us on as passengers and stop treating us like crew. If you've arranged to take us on as crew, then you can friggin' treat us like crew and pay us."

She hooks a thumb at Karsa. "That man," she says, "I'm guessing normally charges somewhere around 100 gold a DAY for his services. That'd be around the market rate. I suspect he's asking for a whole heck of a lot less than that from you. So I see this going down one of four ways."

She ticks the list off on her fingers. "One. You pay us something even vaguely reasonable, and we act like the pros we are and put our considerable resources and abilities at the disposal of the ship while we're aboard. Two. You pay us like common sailors and treat us like common sailors, and when the ship is attacked by demons we act like common sailors and maybe do a little ordinary bailing while they burn your vessel down to the keel around you. Three. You don't pay us, and you treat us like already paid-for passengers and respected guests on your vessel, since that's what we will be. We'll protect our own lives and by extension your vessel, and follow all reasonable instructions intended for the safety of ourselves and the ship, but you will not treat us as your subordinates. Four. We walk now, and you have a nice life and enjoy SEVERELY pissing off the person who hired you. And I'm done with this conversation, pick your number. Because this is stupid."

Translation: She worked as a sailor for two years on a medium sized (150 crewman) ship, mostly in the extremely dangerous job of furling and releasing the sails up in the spars. She also trained under the ship's Navigator, and is probably worse at it than you or your cohort, but better at it than any of the other sailors in your crew.

Jade shrugs. "Not really. Let's see ... I was A.B.S. aboard a Bergantina for two years, working mostly as a Rigger. I'm a dab hand in the ropes, but I'd be wasted in the crow's nest if you put me there, I never had a talent for it. I trained under the ship's Sailing Master while I was aboard, but of course I don't know these seas and I'm sure you already have a navigator. But I can still predict the weather about three days in advance with good accuracy, and my navigation skills are about the equivalent of an Expert of the 8th Level if an assistant or back-up in case of injury would be useful."

(Jade greets Scarto when he is introduced.)

"I do have one question," she says mildly to Omiv. "If we have any special skills that we believe might be of use when we are aboard the ship, should we inform you of such?"

Jade will accept the offer.

Jade will buy a piece of fruit for Pinky.

"Jade already is a nickname, actually," she says to Pinky.

"Of course you may come! Although if you do not mind, I do request you do not use my family name again, as it is a grave secret I never tell anyone lest assassins come in the night and murder me. Still, probably no harm done."

"I have no problem following orders, it is his attitude that ..." Jade starts. Then she reflects. "Actually, thinking about it, I totally have a problem following orders. Oh, well. Hopefully it will not become an issue. His attitude is still abysmal, though."

She joins the others who are going shopping before the trip.

Jade sighs. "Frankly, the last time I had to experience this much testosterone being sprayed around was when I had to share an alley with thirteen unneutered male cats. If anyone else feels obligated to add to it, can we just assume that you have already demonstrated to the rest of us that you are the Baddest Baddass in all of Baddassia and that we are all terribly, terribly impressed?

"As for the good captain in particular, I actually understand his nervousness at taking aboard the equivalent of a bunch of lunatics armed with high explosives, which is what most 'adventurers' tend to be in my experience.

"But I must say that the utter lack of any social skill just demonstrated by him to a group of new associates, immediately before a long voyage in a confined space, does not precisely fill me with confidence. Considering that he is the man whose job is to be a leader of the sailors upon whose loyalty and willingness to work in adverse conditions all our lives depend.

"Unfortunately, if what he says is true, I doubt many ships head in that direction, so perhaps our employer had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find someone who would serve the purpose. And if that is the case, since I have agreed to the job, I fear I must therefore put up with him somehow, no matter what the rest of you decide.

"I will say that if alternate transportation can be found, I would be far from averse to the idea."

Moving to address Jade, "Glad to have you with us, I hope that axe isn't merely for show?"

"That depends on my mood, really," she replies.

Jade cocks an eyebrow at both Pinky and Meredian's response.

"Likewise, I'm sure," she says to either or both, her expression unreadable.

Pinky smiles at the human female, showing off his own pearly fangs to her. "Nice to meet you! Don't let the name fool you, I am actually a fierce killing machine!" Of course, he looks like anything but that.

The woman grins at the tiny dragon. "What a coincidence! Me, too!"

To the group as a whole, she says, "My name is Jade, I am pleased to meet you all."

She wears an expression of polite interest when Karsa speaks.

Jade approaches the conversing group. She is short for a human, barely breaking 5 feet, and she has bright, acid green eyes, light skin, and reddish hair. As has been noted, when she speaks or smiles it is evident that her canine teeth are extended and pointed into definite fangs, an effect that is somewhat adorable-looking. Equally as noticeable is the truly enormous axe strapped to her back -- strapped slantwise, since it is easily eight feet long. The width of the blades is as great as her extended armspan, and it looks like something she should not be able to lift, much less wield.

"Excuse me," she says in Taldane to the group at large, "I have been sent here by someone I do not know in a manner I cannot comprehend, having agreed to perform tasks I am as of yet unaware of for reasons I probably will not understand. Are any of you involved in this somehow, or are you some completely unaffiliated adventuring group on an entirely separate mission here by coincidence?"

Jade walks into the Inn, whistling merrily.

Jade would be happy to do a side quest, but will only participate in evil actions if she doesn't figure out they're evil. However, her Perception and Sense Motive are -1, so you've got a shot.

Karsa, I only just got the first e-mail for my prelude today, about 8 hours ago. I think he's just doing them one character at a time. So no worries.

Remind me never to go to an award ceremony or gameshow run by Meredian.

On the other hand, that is pretty much in keeping with what I imagine Drow gameshows are like. ("Welcome, folks, to Symptom Six of BEAT THE REAPER! Our weekly show where contestants have just ten seconds to work out what disease we've injected them with and tell us exactly what they have contracted!")

I think anyone who manages to die in the prelude should get a special award.

They've been insufferable ever since their little god died, frankly.

Anyone else start on their prelude yet?

Not I. So far as I know, only you are doomed!

I am fine with an e-mail start.

It's not so much the AC per se, as the fact that the Armiger's job is to be hit on the head. The position evolved as follows:

"The orcs have almost broken through the South Gate!"
"We have to get around behind them, it's our only chance."
"But that'll take hours! We need to block them somehow ... Kolm!"
"Yes?"
"Go to the South Gate and let the orcs hit you on the head for an hour!"
"Should I ... fight them?"
"No, just put on all your armor and let them hit you on the head! And don't let them pass! Keep them distracted with your head!"
"As you command, general!"

Thus was the Armiger class born.

Compared to an Armiger, everyone is a bit squishy. It's like being called squishy by a lump of iron. How can you take offense at that? It's just ... descriptive. It's like a gnome calling you tall or an elf mentioning your short lifespan.

Boon added, expanded background added and sent.

The girl's frown returns as those around her rudely chatter in an unknown tongue.