I would like to propose an elven utility character based on the setting material you linked.
He would start off with two levels of ranger, one barbarian and one rogue. Is the human ranger a missile or weapon build?
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"Zandra, I . . . very well. You and Fir'umil should best be going then. I need to catch up with Sacredos, there need be no further argument. Good luck and gods speed to you both?" With that Karthan turns and hurries off after Sacredos.
Karthan startles at Thor when he rises up. Caught off guard he doesn't get his own words out.
Karthan moves in to steady father Agius while simutaneously shooting an ernest look in his cousin's direction. "Cousin, it is far to dangerous to travel by one's self. We have learned a harsh lesson in that department that I don't wish to see repeated. If you could wait we could see about gathering you a proper escort."
Karthan gracefully steeples his fingers and executes an informal salute a student gives an esteemed teacher. "I appreciate you Windsinger and the things you have taught me. You have opened my eyes anew. I shall indeed seek out your counsel should I venture to The Queen's Court here in the city. I imagine that being a succulent fresh cut of meat at that table may indeed be more perilous than at others." "Let us not be as ships that pass in the night and speak each other only in passing;
"Perhaps our courses will cross again someday. Until then fair winds and following seas, full sheets and rolling waters and may the sunset be red across your sails."
Karthan folds his arms and watched as Onura's guns ripped, tore and shattered the ill fated Wake to death. "By the gods I hope that slime will be killed by the salt water or we are going to distribute it all across the globe on the floatsam. The wardrobe and the lab should be burned beyond recognition along with anything else we might have missed." "Ah well, water under the bridge now. . . As far as Wendell Velsurian goes though, I have a bit of information. He has a shop in the Clockwork Academy, sells navigational equipment, that sort of thing to fund research. A few of the Harbormaster's ships hold sextants and signal lamps of his design. Onura's fixer, Valryssa, can arrange a meeting if needed. Dealing with that band of tinkerers can be a troublesome thing according to her." "I guess that removes some of the mystery surrounding recent events." A blossom of fire erupts and expands outward from the windows of the captains quarters. As the expend themselves and dissipate into the night air a scintillating display of colored sparks and colored smoke mark Mal's grand finale. A true smile threatens to spread across the ranger's face. "Nice Mal, real nice. That was what the magnesium, copper, zinc and iron oxide were for. To an alchemist, the powdered metals would be invaluable ingredients, to our showman of a rogue, they are a chance to display his unique cunning and to satisfy his need to be notibly memorable. . . Mission accomplished, you can't do anything halfway can you?"
"Magnetic interference with the Earths lay lines. My raven and other birds use them to navigate. . . I am glad nothing else has manifested. Hopefully it will end once that derelict has sunk beneath the waves." Zandra hesitates long enough to sight along the compasses bearing. "Have you tried to walk it around the deck? Does the reading remain the same? Or does the false magnetic north remain consistent?" "I won't keep you here it it bothers you so. You are released from service. Thank you for answering my call."
"Heh heh, like you mean Onura is a switch hitter and Valryssa is one of her team captains? I guess that would explain how she was able to fight off and resist your legendary charms." "But heh seriously, we flipping missed this key in the journal I hope we didn't miss what it went to. Also, if the demon this was U then why did the captain need that candle thing and why did he report having a hard time talking to U if he was a cabinet away?" "Nice work on the explosion though. It was a nice punctuation to the pummeling Onura's giving her. I don't get why she didn't just hit it with a few fire arrows or a flaming bucket of pitch though. . .$hit, you think she is so scared or flustered by what she saw she would vent 1000's of gold in powder just to get some distance?
Karthan seeks out Mal in order to pull him aside or catch a moment in a room. "We might have a little problem. This key was hidden inside the journal. We might be sending the container to the bottom of the sea, but I am not so sure I care. Also Onura brought in that Tuan girl. Now she is in the know and I think she has a line on the dead captains brother."
With that Karthan leaves to go seak out the party members to share what had occurred.
"We may well need to meet this man Wendell, but I would strongly prefer that our meeting not be announced prior to our arrival if a meeting is required." "As far as the key goes . . . I truly have no idea. We may well have sent whatever lock it fit to the bottom of the ocean, but there is very little want on my part to find what is secured by this key, for it is likely to cost mind, body and soul." "I urge you Valryssa to resist your own interest in investigating these matters. There are trails of bodies behind them and precious little to show for it. That is not a threat, but a statement of fact. Having said that, I will pass along your eagerness to be employed in the endeavor should the need arise." "I thank you Windsinger for your time. If I am not needed here further I shall retire and see to my own affairs."
"Well, I bet I know a certain half-elf that would find his pride immensly damaged if he were here at this moment. I am not certain I saw anything that the key would have fit."
"As far as what we brought back other than this? Well we gathered up some alchemical potions which Zandra would be far more qualified to identify for you. There were some items of interest to a wizard and a few items of clothing found in the captains wardrobe. I was surprised by the lack of any monetary items like gold or silver and such. So, if you were hoping to win some spoils in a game you will be disappointed." "Oh and there was a sort of holy symbol from the Inquisitors order that was returned to him. I believe he brought it with him, but he may have left it. He is not the most sentimental person I have come to know."
"The thing on deck? An educated guess is that it was the third cleric whose casket we found sundered. To put you at ease the other two are intact and are heavily warded both inside and out. It is believed that the crew performed a ritual on deck to breach the broken casket then caused the transformation to occur. Some of the crew were reduced to mere hulls, others were as you decribed on the other ship. Some were eating other crew members."
"U was some sort a a demon summoned to this plane then surgically altered and bound into a clockwork device. He could reach out with his mind to feed. Even his dying screams were weaponized. from him was being pumped necromatic goo that was fed into a vat. Mere drops of this substance on the floor created deadly toxic fumes in reaction. The demon was an incredible source of information, but even welcome interaction with it threatened ones mind. We had to end him."
Karthan was displeased that the Windsinger was bringing in an outsider unknown to him. He halfway considered requesting to take Mal with him as Karthan was becoming increasingly aware that his lack of human world life experience was a major hindrance and in fact dangerous. However, he would have to leave it up to faith that Onura was benevolent towards him. He looked at Zandra and summoned her to him. Without words he put out his hand. With a poker players hesitation that only an elf would notice she opened her bag and handed her brother the ships journal. Karthan carried it to Onura's quarters and after the door had been secured he placed it on the table and indicated the portions he believed the captain would find of interest. "I think you should start here. Once you are finished reading I will fill in some of the details." Is the Tuan here to "fix" me? She appears to be of Mal's ilk. Does she not trust me or is she just being cautious or does she have another purpose?
"No, I most definitely don't think you a fool Onura. If there is a fool aboard this ship you are standing port side of him. In fact I quite admire you and your free spirit. If you can forgive the forest dweller comparison, you have the aura of a wild horse about you. Free to run and roam as you please. Resplendent in your mane and as keen as your flashing hooves. You remain ever rampant, unbroken, and will bear no rider." "I have something for you to read, but we should view it in private. To be clear I am not asking you to invite me to your quarters, but I do think the material should be viewed and discussed from behind closed doors and out of the view of others."
Karthan noted how firery Onura could become and then quickly cool to calm seas. She was dynamic, dramatic and powerful just like the oceans she plied. Karthan wondered what he would become after centuries of living the life that was opening before him. Would he become like The Lord General, hard nosed and like the bundle of scar tissue his body had become? He reminded the young elf of a well used battering ram. Heh, in fact that animal suited him well, but a well muscled and bad ass old goat. Would he be one like the Rook? Consumed by himself and so long lived that the sharp edges of good and bad, right and wrong would braid themselves together then meld to the point nothing mattered to him other than order out of chaos. Now that Sabastian was presumably permanently dead Karthan would forever more be forced to puzzle out in his head who and what the Rook was. Beleg was another matter still. Karthan imagined he had been too hard on the wizard. In fact he probably owed him thanks and a good measure of respect, but his rebellious independent side wasn't quite ready to let the resentment of the hand holding the leash go quite yet. Also there was a small orphaned boy inside whose pain had not yet healed. Get a hold of yourself, this isn't the time for selfindulgent introspection. Focus on the matters at hand.
"I am not being coy Windsinger, but do you really wish to know the answer to that question with fair warning that once it is revealed you may find yourself caught up in something that you might never be free from it or control your own destiny ever again? I say this because I know it to be the case in my life now. I can tell you much of what I know . . . I won't pretend that we wouldn't be richer for having you as an entrenched ally, but I want to. Make sure that you don't unwittingly give up your life's freedom simply by asking a question. There are no coincidences and the evil is beyond compare." Karthan is being frank and contrite should Onura sense motive in him.
Standing next to an imposing yet intoxicatingly attractive Windsinger, Karthan spare a glance to make sure none of the other crew are around before he spoke frankly to the elven sea captain. ahem "I am sorry we weren't able to secure her for you Onura. She was badley damaged and in danger of sinking, but with Zandras magic and your crew I think we could have limped her back to port. But, believe me that ship was tainted and cursed down to her smallest timber. You saw the thing that was dead on deck. It was only one of the horrors on that ship. . . I am sorry about the men I lost as well. They were stalwart and true to the end. I assure you I didn't sell their lives easily. In fact I had them away from danger when that . . . Thing . . . burst up from below decks and claimed their lives."
"Hoy, Captian Onura! The boarding party and I humbly request that we may be allowed to come back aboard. We wrested this wreck from its foul crew, but I regret to inform you it will soon be relocating itself to the bottom of the sea. However, we have secured some of the cargo that we were sent here to retrieve by the temple and stand ready to transfer it to your vessel Windsinger.” Damn she looks hot! here's hoping that she isn't pissed about us scuttling the whole mess, but no sense in trying to bringing up the whole chaos spawn mess in front of the assembled crew. I suppose she wil interview Croaker no matter what I say so good thing he survived this meatgrinder to bear witness to the horror we defeated.
"I say we burn it. The whole thing. The whole ship if we have to. We are out of our class here and well above my head at least. Every turn we take, every move we make, we find chaos one step ahead or a new threat." "That other ship must have been coming here for this. Who else would know this ship lay adrift? There are no circumstance happenings here. We cannot risk letting this fall into enemy hands intact." "We burn it and report what we found, bring the charred remains back for study. Who knows if one of us or the good crew are subject to the influence already. I find it hard to believe the men and remnants of men dead out there on the deck set out from port believing that they would become fowl worshipers of chaos intent on dark rituals."
"Speculation. At any rate lets look around. Okay Fir'umil, I know this was extracting something from this little science project, but what and what for? Can you make any sense of this contraption?"
"What Fir'umil says makes sense though. It would make sense to have a second portal. These cultist has little regard for life or loyalty. The man's own brother would be forfit if furthered his cause I would imagine. Maybe the brother already got what he wanted and then abandoned the captain."
"That is alchemists fire in those jars. I would say if we can't take it or secure it, we incinerate it. Maybe the whole thing."
". . . And his sonic attack?"
"And what would the length of our mother"s&w toe have to do with anything?! Just a bunch of bantha poodoo if you ask me. He was most likely talking drivel like the stuff they were pumping out of his mutilated carcass."
Karthan grits his teeth a bit. "Again, I apologize. Hopefully my sister and I didn't overreact and I do wish you all to recognize that I saw U., whatever he was, as an amazing opportunity to gain insight into our enemy. I suppose we could have left the room and left it in here. . . Gods bless it! Had we done that could we have taken this chamber back to the arcanum somehow? . . . Sacredos, can you tell us anything about it? And his brother is mentioned by name. Perhaps he is the true Meat-Father."
"Thank you cousin, though I worry about how useful I will be in our current endeavors. I seem to be more susceptible than anyone else to these assaults on my psyche. Luckily I had the Rook's blade. The weapon of my enemy may be my best weapon. Sounds like the good start of a song. Perhaps I will see if the Scroll would pay me royalties for it."
Karthan stood in shock for a tenth of a second. What happened to my arrow? It was enchanted and it just disappeared, dissolved. Mothers sword bit . . . the metal, it must be the metal!"
"Ha! Thank you Sebastian." Karthan stows the bow with his one hand a he draws an ancient and weathered looking blade from the small of his back as he charges to a flanking position with his sister. "Eat this." masterwork keen cold iron dagger, charge and flank.
Initiative
Karthan fights through the waves assaulting him and grabs hold of his primal instinct to fight back. He lets fly with and arrow. In less than the blink of an eye the ranger dropped, strung, drew and released. A finely crafted leaf patterned arrow imbued with the enchantment of Karthan's bow speeds towards its target. to hit
The creature punches through Karthan's already fractured defenses. His stomach lurches and spills its contents on the floor spattering Mal'undil's boots with flecks of breakfast. "Sacredos! It has me!"
Karthan nodded in understanding. "Zandra, gather up what we need from the table. Fir'umil, do you have any further questions or need for this . . . Thing?"
"There are many useful things here on the table that we can use." Karthan wanted to ask Fir'umil if the way out was usable by them. Looking around the space it was apparent that there was only one way into this place. It would set his lizard brain at ease to know that there was an avenue of escape. I must hold my tongue and urges for a moment. My little sister is engaging that thing and I don't need to interrupt Fir right now. Karthan's eyes searched Fir'umils face latching on briefly to his intensely intelligent and deeply piercing eyes. Karthan wondered at what more his cousins eyes could see that his could not. Zandra could see auras what did he see?
We should kill it with fire, burn this whole place down. We need to find a way back and destroy the door to this place. <ehem> "Sacredos, do you understand the question it asks?"
Perception
Karthan's eyes darted about taking in his alien surroundings. I must try not to broadcast my thoughts. Humans and their alchemical science, this looks like an abominable activity. What would allow itself to be mutated and tortured like that and still love the thing that perpetrated such ministrations?! Karthan chose to remain silent for the time being. He was out of his element and would let those better equipped to extract the most out of the situation. Sacredos might be the problem though, he will just want to kill it right away I'd guess . . . Okay, how do we get back out of here?
Karthan went and spoke to his men. He explained the course of action they were taking and why. He gave instructions for the journal to be turned over to the Windsinger or the Temple should something happen that prevented that. in the margins he had quickly penned what the had discovered in the captains quarters. He wrote down as much of what he could remember that Fir'umil had said. Wishing them luck he returns to the cabin unless Mr Croaker stops him.
"Perhaps he did, we don't know who he was and we didn't find anyones body here, just blood and signs of a struggle. Maybe the blood was from those trying to force their way in. Who knows. At any rate the ship is cleared. I can give Croaker instructions to make sure the caskets are returned to the temple should we not return. It is a calculated risk I think we should take and Mal and Sacredos seem to share that sentiment. I say we all go together."
"Someone took the time, treasure and effort to install this device in this ship. I could not imagine they would place something here that merely opens into a death trap. . . I think we should follow Fir'umil."
"We don't know what spells out cousin has at his disposal. I would think he made an educated and calculated risk using the device. I woulda think he would make a jump like that completely in the blind. Remember his mentor was Tabir the Grey."
Karthan eyeballs the black candle, "Yes, I have no desire to communicate with anything from the otherwise at this moment. . . Very well, lets continue with this exploration, but lets try not to get someone stuck on the other side. Hey, could we send one of Zandra's creatures?"
"Cousin, if there was teleportation magic here in this room then why didn't the captain use it? He also mentions the black. I wonder? And what manner of beings speak Akio?"
"Woukd it be prudent to touch it with your sword Sacredos? If it is a chaos related symbol the holy sword should let us know it right?"
"I rather enjoyed my more myopic understanding of the situation, but your theory sounds all too probable."
"Does it really sound all that fantastic after all the events of the past few weeks?"
"That is good news, but could you please join us inside. We have another matter that requires your expertise." "Mr Croaker, please choose one man to stand as look out and to get a line to our launch. Then see what can be done to keep us afloat. if there is nothing to be done about the ships condition please set about getting a lift set up so that we can bring two heavy caskets up to the deck. There should be no danger, they are protected by holy magics." Karthan looked at the men to see their reactions Sense Motive
"Great, can't wait to see what that was." Karthan followed Mal out and saw the crew eyeballing and then visually retracing the pathway to the deck that the halfling's body had taken. They visibly relaxed a bit when the halfling simply laid there and remained apparently and utterly dead. I would suppose a fall from that hieght would probably rekill a zombie. Perception
Karthan eyeballs the candle, "Mal, I am way outclassed in the magic department and think we also need to keep Sacredos on point here. No doubt my cousin will enjoy finding me in this position, would you mind fetching him? Though don't use that exact word or he might take his time. Lets not move or alter anything else before he arrives or we might unwittingly make things worse than they seem."
Karthan watched the inquisitor closely. "Yes we have already encountered and destroyed two so far. Do you believe there is a secret compartment, or is there something extra dimensional at play?
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