Vance Magravi's page

"Of course, miss Staelish, we will be there momentarily." Recovering his cool, at least on the outside, Vance follows Cimri as well. Certainly, despite his misgivings, the creature might have been more than they could have handled with the whimsy woman.

Vance breaks into a cold sweat as he glances at the perforated doll before asking Amatsu: "What in the Majestrix's name did you do to it?"

Amatsu is truly terrifying. Quite novel really.

Vance stumbles backwards from the monstrous creature, drawing his sword as he stares wide-eyed at the screaming horror. "What in the nine hells is this freak?!"

"I believe you're hearing phantoms, Arruk. No one has bathed here for decades!" Vance looks around the room in disgust with his nose pinched and eyes watery at the stench of the stagnant water.

Still here :)

Congratulations Game Master, and good luck Arruk. Texas huh? Sounds hot ^^

Before meeting Razelago

"Sorry about the delay, sirs, madams." Vance arrives later than the others, looking not at all sorry for any inconvenience his tardiness might have caused. Wearing a conniving smile, he continues his greeting: "With a crowd like that, I'd be a fool not to advertise my services with some pro bono work. Seems like we might stay a while."

Present

The prospect of even greater reward has Vance feeling dubious. The amount of gold being thrown around is staggering to him, and while he's used to wealthy people, suddenly being wealthy himself is an unwonted position. It seems all too easy. However, his equivocal attitude dissolves as soon as he opens the chest, and its twinkling contents illuminate his face; his eyes taking on a strangely absent quality in the golden sheen.

"Careful Arruk. You of all people should know about being underestimated." His eyes never leave the gold as he speaks in a soft, absentminded, almost mono-tone. He picks up a single piece of the gold and examines it in the dull light of the parlor. "They might not overthrow Thrune, but they could kill some fools in their folly. I don't want to be one of those fools."

I'm still here as well, and in the same coach as Amatsu.

Whew, that took a while. It can be so difficult to know where to cut, sometimes.

At the Ash House

"Why, nobility is my specialty, sir! In Egorian, my typical clientele consists of aristocratic, typically, but not limited to, tourists, visiting the opera. I have even had the pleasure of chauffeuring royalty a few times as well!." Vance boasts with barely contained rapture as he leads the way back out of the house and through the window. He has every faith his carriage will exceed Justimar's, and his other compatriots' for that matter, expectations. The carriage is his pride and his honor. As the carriage comes into view, Vance changes back into his customary subservient tone once more, but basks gloriously in the reactions of the diverse party: "In anticipation of your wish for a ride back to town, your papers await you inside, sir."

Before you stand a magnificent view, the like of which you have never imagined. The sheer intensity of pure chelish manufacture before you conjure up either the intense pride of a nationalist, or the rumbling dissent of an antagonist. At first glance, the carriage seems to be constructed of Arcadian marble in dark red hues and black, with sharp lines, narrow points and brutal, jagged spikes. However, a closer inspection under the sun reveals the truth; the timber has been polished in such a way as to achieve this effect. You doubt you would be able to scrutinize this in the night, however. The door bears iconography, on one side the cruelty of the Tines, and on the other a portrait of her Infernal Majestrix Abrogail II boldly kissing the air at the viewer. Chelish people may recognize this duality as the methodology "The Kiss and the Lash" taken to either extreme. The doorhandles of the carriage carries the likeness of the Chelish flag's circle forged from red gold, and at the front by the driver hangs two bull's eye lanterns in the shape of imp's heads, with the light coming from their mouths, like Comedy and Tragedy one laughing; the other woeful.

Upon entering, you confront a scene of such seemingly fragile beauty, you fear you may break it simply by glancing. Of course the notion is quickly dispelled as you find yourself staring, yet nothing has broken. Black leather and red silk cover most of the interior that can comfortably hold four people; two on opposite sides of a wooden table suspended between floor and ceiling by taut, yet unobtrusive strings that manage to keep the table roughly plane during even a rougher ride. On this table, next to a built in candelabra, lies Justimar's papers.

Pulling the carriage are two foreign looking horses, each with a fire in their eyes suggesting both their wildness and their intelligence. One is a jet black stallion, and the other an auburn mare with a mane like rippling fire. Anyone who know anything about Varisia, or horses, recognize them as Varisian broncos.

"Welcome, ladies & gentlemen, to The Kiss and the Lash!"

At the Church Square

Like Amatsu, Vance does not wear the badge, but has it with him should the need, or the inclination, arise.

"What do you mean "great things"?" Vance directs sententiously at the girls, and, voice heavy with sorrow, continues with a sigh and a shake of the head, "Sounds like more blood spilled, more lives lost, to me." He hadn't meant to follow Justimar, it just happened, and even Vance was slightly taken aback as he realized this. It may be tougher to shed the subservient attitude, apodted over the course of his still short life, than he had hoped.

I hope the beginning of my post does not break momentum, but I had to describe the carriage. As much for my own compulsory pleasure as anything :)

Writing now. Apologies for the delay.

Darn, thought I'd posted. I'll get a post up once I get back from work. Sorry about that.

With his carriage restored and his horses cared for, Vance rumbles down the dusty dirt roads of Longachre towards the ruin that is Ash House, taking care to go at a slow pace, so as not to kick up too much dust and dirty the carriage all over again. While he had not expected Razelago to call on them quite so soon, he much preferred this immediacy to the alternative of waiting, and was humming softly to himself in anticipation.

Seeing the Ash House in the daylight hours, Vance truly takes note of the dilapidated state of the manor. Not where he would have held secret councils, that's for sure. Not expecting to stay long, Vance simply ties up the horses to a nearby tree, placing the carriage in the shade, and walks in through the windows.

"Sir, I must confess to some reservations on this as well. Why use us for a job such as this? I was under the impression our endeavors would be strictly, or at least chiefly, covert." Vance adds his voice to support Justimar's position, albeit not his motives.

"A kind offer, miss Staelish, but I have a room at The Last Stand, and will be retiring thereto. I thank you and our host for this exquisite feast, and wish you all a very pleasant evening indeed." Vance takes the cue and, after donning his feathered hat, bows with his customary Varisian flourish. Without waiting for any potential company, Vance steps out into the night. He walks toward town thinking of his new luxury whip and the gold clinking in his now bulging pouch; of his new companions, disparate as they may be; of this strange town of untapped potential. Despite his reservations with Razelago, Vance feels the pull of his heritage, recognizing it instinctively – he was born for travel and adventure. Tonight, he would sleep soundly.

Vance will spend the night at the tavern. In the morning he will visit the carpenter he tasked with restoring his coach.

"If master Arruk is appeased, so am I. I wish you a pleasant evening sir." The sunken feeling in the pit of Vance's stomach would have been all the alarm he needed, but the imp had referred him here, and would not have done so unless Vance deserved it. Be the reason punishment or reward, Vance had to stick around to find out before taking any action, and that meant serving, such as he was used to. For now, he follows Arruk out of the room.

Ugh, that got later than I would have liked, and while I have something to add, I think it would be more prudent to have Razelago answer Arruk's question first xD

After reading the posts, I think Vance will wait with speaking until he gets a response to Arruk's question.

I'll have to postpone my post until I get home from work tommorow at noon. I may be able to post from work, but I've had a long day and I need to get up early. The burden of overtime I'm afraid. I hope you will forgive and be patient with me, and I will try to have the post up at about 12:30 CEST or earlier.

How Viviendi reacts is up to you. I'm still learning her personality.

Who is Viviendi? Did I miss something?

"Best not get caught with those papers on you then, yes? If you wish, I can keep them safe while you complete your task." Vance stifles a yawn as he unveils, revealing his prodigious beard, and turns the veil into a makeshift strop for the crossbow so he can sling it onto his back.

Now that they are out of the woods, so to speak, Vance relaxes once again, and ckuckles at Arruk's words.

"What does that make us, then?" he smirks genially, but before anyone has a chance to respond, he continues at Justimar, "I'd love a drink myself, but since you wish to go alone, I suspect you have a different motive. What are you planning, sir?"

"Thieves..." Vance spits at Louslik's feet and turns to leave the way they came. As he leaves, he looks toward the sound of the cart to get a better idea of what they're dealing with, and reloads the crossbow he took from Louslik. Who knows, it may come in handy.

Alright! Finally got my hands on Ultimate Intrigue. I will start reading once I hit homebase, and keep you posted on whether or not I wish to retrain.

"Choose your words carefully, Louslik. Treasonous talk such as that may land you in a whole different sort of trouble." Still fuming, Vance sheathes his sword once more as he casually inspects the office. He is particularly insterested in the documents flying about, and hopes to catch a glimpse of any official seals or marks related thereto.

"Truly, I am sorry for the loss of your dogs. However, I cannot help but notice that you failed to answer the lady's query." He casts a perfunctory glance first to the lacerated bulldog, then to Amatsu, and, unwittingly and unnoticed, shudders.

"Thieves?! Who's the thief here, Louslik?! Thunder, you knew this day was coming when you stole from her Infernal Majestrix, or you're as naïve as you are foolish!" Vance steps properly inside and swipes at Louslik's crossbow, his anger palpable as a storm in the air.

5-foot step
Standard: Disarm Louslik (2 stamina points)
Move: Pick up crossbow if maneuver is succesful

I agree. 4 players should be easier for the GM to handle as well.

I was thinking we could put the Roll20 link in the "Campaign" tab instead? Give it a reason to be there ^^

Vance follows swiftly, Almost stepping on the half-orc's fingers in the process.

Upon Cimri's mouthed words, Vance walks up to the door, "Stand down Louslik, you're surrounded. You know why we're here, but there's no need for you to be hurt. Let's be civil, yes?" Accentuated by the audible sheathing of his sword, Vance's accent gives the threat a savage authority.

Standard: [Ready action] If guards arrive, or Louslik fails to stand down, break down the door/enter the small office.

My apologies, I've had a busy weekend :) I will post as soon as I am in front of my computer and not on my phone (Roughly 6-10 hours from now). Been a joy reading the posts so far though ^^

In my experience, the games that start the most explosive are the ones that die. A slow start may just be good for bad.

Not to hurry you, but what's the status? It would be nice to get the posting rate up a little :)

Waiting for it myself, but I can play as is for now. Probably not going to be a lot of difference at level 1 anyway :)

Alright, my post is finally up. It took some time for me to be happy with it, it being the introductionary post and all, but I think I got it :)

Also, with Ultimate Intrigue just released, I think Vance might be a better fit as a Vigilante rather than a fighter. With your permission Game Master, I may propose a build change over the course of the week. Or I may just multiclass into it eventually, we will see. I need to read the class first after all :)

The previous day

Five uneventful days of travel on the dusty road from Egorian to Longacre had tarnished the carriage. Much of the once pristinely polished timber had taken on a matte lifelessness; a wheel had lost a spoke and ran unevenly across the lonesome road, bumping with every turn; the team was covered in a layer of sweaty dust, tails wagging mindlessly at flies much more aggressive than their city kin. But this exhausted little expedition trekked ever on, carrying the most precious of cargo of all: a sense of purpose, a shred of hope, and a flicker of excitement. In short, the beginning of an adventure.

For the first time, Vance could see the elusive light at the end of the tunnel. Not just because Longacre was finally visible on the horizon, but because of the prospects the small town promised. The imp had been vague, even moreso than was usual, but there were unmistakable hints at fortune in the future. So long as he served. Vance was used to serving. As a coachman, it could indeed be summed up as the purpose of his profession – and Vance resented it. Nobility, and other wealthy patrons, constantly attempting to frame him to further their own plots, treating him as no more than a collateral pawn in their games; the arrogance and the haughty attitudes of those that believed themselves better than him; and the complete disregard with which they treated him. One day, he would serve no more.

Before reaching Longacre, Vance changed from his dirty travel clothes to his proper coachman's dress. His new clothing clean, fitted and well cared for; his sturdy boots of varisian aurochs leather always freshly shined; a great and well-groomed beard braided from the chin down covered half his face, and a widebrimmed, feathered hat covered his short, military-fashion haircut; a loose cotton coat covering a simple white shirt giving him a stately and official look, even with his unorthodox kaleidoscopic scarf. After all, he would have to look his best to find a proper artisan to fix his beloved carriage. He would attract no decent patronage in its current state.

While waiting for his carriage to be properly conditioned, Vance spends the day looking for a hotel or an inn to keep his belongings, and attempts to learn more about Longacre and the task at hand.

Knowledge (local): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Present

Silent throughout the exchange until introductions, Vance bows low in the typical Egorian fashion – but with a small Varisian flourish – as he takes on the role of a man born to serve.

"It is an honor to make your acquaintances, sirs. Madams. Vance Magravi at your service. Still bowing, Vance speaks silently and with a varisian accent. Unlike his coachman's garb, his current attire is much simpler: a dark blouse and trousers with a veil covering his beard and a mask covering the rest of his face. A single sword hangs at his hip.

"What do you propose we do about the dog then, sir?" he adresses Justimar.

Alright, I'll be home today, but I might not have time to post before tomorrow. I'll try to make it happen though :)

I've gone visiting the family for easter, and only have my phone, so I cant write a proper post yet. I will see to it asap. My apologies for the delay.

Great, and congratulations on the job :)

Alright, I'm going for it then :)

He is limited by the piercings, in that he can only have as many as his con mod + Wis mod. Of course this value may increase over the course of the game, but for now that would be his maximum.

Game Master, how do you feel about a fairly major change to Vance in regards to his weaponry and build? I've always felt that whips are a bit cheesy, and the amount of feats I have to pick for it to function like I wish it is turning out to be a bit stiffling, so I think going with a different primary weapon would be a bit more entertaining. The talk about tattoos put me in mind to pick Varisian Tattoo as my last trait, which gives me proficiency in the bladed scarf – quite a flavorful fit, if I say so myself.

Here's what I'm thinking:
Instead of using a whip, as in the weapon, I'll get a training whip and the catch off-guard feat. Only 10 ft. long but otherwise identical to a whip, I figure it would function like a whip with 10 feet reach instead of the standard 15. Not being my primary weapon, but still combat available, will save me a number of whip related feats, and open up a very different set of doors. I think it would be more variable combat, and should turn out more entertaining.

It would change my focus from "whip use and dirty tricks" to "damage and dirty tricks", with a little more variation. What do you think?

Underhanded. So thematic! surprisingly powerful as well. I think I'm getting it rather late though, as whip use takes a surprising amount of feats.

Talking about plans/goals, Vance is not that far yet. For now he's trying to get a secure position in Cheliax, where he may be able to do some good for his family, without them having to resort to criminal activity. He hopes his father will see eye-to-eye with the government for the sake of survival.

By the way, Justimar, did you draw that portrait yourself?

Hello everyone, it's an honor to get to be vicious with you :)

With Vance in mind, here are my thoughts on yours:

A life oracle eh? Well, I guess you don't really have to be a good guy to care about life. Still, an interesting choice. I look forward to seeing the character :)

The tattoo focus sounds really awesome. As a half-Varisian Vance has some tattoos of his own, but getting them enchanted? Now that would be neat. Probably something with snakes/serpents, what with his whip focus. This brings me to summons: Maybe some snakes/serpents would be a good thematical fit?

Vance:

It had been several months since Vance had received one of his assignments from the harelipped imp who had become his "handler," so he was reasonably startled when the detestable little fiend materialized right before his face as he was drifting off to sleep. Relishing the man's discomfort, the imp explained that his tenure with the imp's master was coming to its end, and that Vance should make the trek to the tired township of Longacre and present himself to a woman answering to the name of Cimri. Seeming unsurprised to see him once he arrived, this young woman explained that she had a job for him.

Roger. At the beginning of the adventure, approximately how long has Vance been in Longachre? I was thinking he pretty much only just arrived, but I can see the others have been there a while, so I want to make sure :)

I'm going to be playing up the controller/debuffer aspect of the class, using dirty tricks and maneuvers to lock down enemies, and Arruk can do some decent damage as needed as well, though he's not going to be able to pump out damage like a dedicated barbarian or fighter.....

I was actually going for some Dirty Fighting myself. Of course that can be changed, as two may be 1 too many? I don't know though, never tried it :)

Runge submitting Tom Selvor, an aasimar nature shaman with a mongoose familiar called Scav.

Thoughts on the build:
As I was building this character, I was incredibly frustrated with the amount of stats I needed to have in the decent numbers to appear relevant, so I went with a race (aasimar) that got 2x +2. I considered Human with the alternate racial trait, but the Augury spell-like ability seemed to fit perfectly with a shaman, so I stuck with the aasimar. I’ve also never played an aasimar, so that weighed a little on the scales as well.

Adding to this, I planned to go Nature from the start, which reduced the MAD slightly, so I think the character should work decently.
In short: A very human-like aasimar because he lost some, and sacrificed some others of his bloodline’s powers over his youth. He’s a daredevil, and his mongoose companion, Scav, is the same. They spent their youth daring each other to do crazy stunts, but never one without a purpose of some sort. He’s from Sandpoint, Varisia orignally, but went to Magnimar for one of their dares. He’s on the Jenivere because the spirits urged him to: Something to do with snake spirits, and Tom having a role to play (need some collaboration with the DM for the particulars).

I’m having some trouble writing in all my details for his background, as it ended up being a bit more of an “advanced” character than I had originally thought I would make, but hey, that’s a luxury problem. I’ll be submitting what I have fleshed out for now, and continue on it over the next 12 hours (need some sleep, don't want the quality to be low).