The Margravine (to be completed. again !)

[sirpercival]

Disclaimer for others reading this thread: if you are not Harald, please wait to read the spoilers until your own wrangling has been completed.  I want the character generation to proceed unhindered by any preconceptions based on what's inside.  Thank you.

Harald (please reply in spoilers):

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You've been sailing for three days aboard the Chained Lady-- three days of unending water.  Everything is boring.  You, who are used to the finest things, are frustrated.  These merchant's guards and sailors do nothing but work and ogle you all day, and sadly you cant justify killing any of them for sport, as you know little about sailing and can't tell who is superfluous.

You've taken to standing at the bow during the day, watching for any variations in the thus-far-unbroken green sea; at night you retreat into your dreamworld, conjuring up fantastic, deadly monsters and hunting them for sport.  It is not the same, though, as you understand your subconscious mind and how it thinks, so even the most dangerous of creatures is child's play.

On the night of the third day, however, the routine changes.  You are awoken by sounds of shouting and gunfire, and the grind of metal on wood.  You stand quickly, pulling your rapier from beneath the bunk; this means that when the cannonball shatters the hull of your cabin, you escape with only a few splinters.  Through the hole you can see another ship tethered to the Lady by grapples and ropes.

[Harald]

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Pirates, so far away from the Middle sea or the Turtle islands ? Or the Northumbrian Navy, already on her tail ?
Quickly, she unlocked her trunk, took her rifle and bullets, and peeked in through the hole in her cabin. 

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Spot roll :1d20+21 → [13,21] = (34)

Once she determined who attacked her ship, she will get out of her cabin, on the bridge. No place is safe during a ship fight. Besides, she was sure that these ne'er-do-well sailors were getting massacred by boarders. It is time to show them how a fight is done, and to defend a ship.
She hoped that the Chained Lady's Captain was sill alive. She has a few words for him...

[sirpercival]

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The ship is certainly not the Northumbrian navy, the beaming is far too broad to be one of their sleek warships.  Pirates it must be, but they are flying strange colours if that is true -- the flag is matte black, with this symbol stitched in green:


Baffled by the circumstances, you grab your rifle and sneak up the creaky stairs, keeping to the side to avoid firing lines.  When you reach the top, you see another baffling sight.  Much of the crew is lying senseless on the deck, but they're still breathing and don't seem to be wounded.  The merchant guards are battling with some ordinary-looking ruffians in dirty black wool clothes, wielding rusted cutlasses.  The pirates seem to be winning... and as you watch, you realize that what you took to be a fanatical gleam in their eyes is actually bone-chilling terror.

Finally you notice a shadowy figure in the gloom, standing up at the prow.  It seems to be quite large, and wearing a cloak with a deep cowl.  It is observing the fighting, and as you watch a merchant guard stumbles from the melee towards it, waving a blooded blade.  The figure raises a thin (almost skeletal) gloved hand toward the guard, who stops short and collapses in a heap on the deck.

[Harald]

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A Nautilus green & black flag ? She has never seen that before.
And she has never heard of pirates using non-lethal force in a boarding action. That means one thing : they are looking for something on board. Or someone.
She immediatly became invisible, hidding cautiously where she can, behind ropes and destroyed crates, trying to keep the shadowy figure in sight.
This man can stop someone cold in his track, with a mere flick of his wrist. That means potent magical powers; and it is confirmed by how terrified the pirates are. If there is something that can make a blood-thirsty sea scoundrel quivers in fear, it's magic.
And the best way to fight magic, is using some as well. She took a deep breath, and through mental triggers, unleashed one of her own powers.
She will need half a minute to read the minds of those in front of her. But that's the safiest way for her to learn who they are and why did they attacked her ship.

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She uses one of her 1/day Detect Thoughs, save DC 22

[sirpercival]

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As you send your thoughts probing outward, the first thing you can ascertain is that they are indeed absolutely terrified, and of the shadowy figure.  For some reason, they also have nightmares about squid... (you think...).

Then, you pick up the echoes of a slithery, cold thought entering their minds.  It feels utterly alien.  I grow tired of waiting.  I will end this -- round up the others, then search the decks below.  Anything you find is yours, as per our agreement... but anyONE is mine.  When you are finished... sink it.

The figure takes two steps towards the fighting men, and suddenly rubbery tentacles leap from beneath its hood and latch onto the skull of a merchant guard.  The man drops his sword and screams, scrabbling at the tentacles to no avail, before he is dragged off his feet toward the cloaked one.  The rest of the merchant guards cry out in horror, and then drop their weapons, some of them falling to their knees and the braver ones jumping overboard.  The pirates just turn their faces away, looking sick, and begin tying up the senseless crew.  One of them starts winching the two ships closer together.

The poor guard's screams begin to gurgle, and you hear a sharp snap and a spray of blood. 

The screams end.

[Harald]

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Waiting ? Ah ! This thing is looking for me. For what purposes ? Better to stay far away. She moved slowly, climbed up the rigging of the foremast. A few seconds, to decide where to go later : jumping  from there while letting a rope fall as a decoy, on her previous cover. From there, running near the cargo hatch, then she will go down in her cabin, and from there, plunge to the lifeboat.
But now, let's try to contact.
Greetings, mysterious stranger ! If you do not want to wait further, how about you present yourself, and tell us why did you board this ship ? She shouted, before falling back, hidding in her new cover, holding her rifle steady.
 

[sirpercival]

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The hooded figure turns immediately from its gruesome business, looking up in your direction.  It searches for a moment, then seems to find you despite your invisibility.

The cold voice slithers into your head, bypassing your ears.  It sounds slightly amused.  I have come, as I always do, for slaves.  I find that this is the most efficient way of collecting them -- few seem to enter into servitude willingly.  Why don't you come down here, and we can discuss it?  It recoils slightly as it speaks those last words, and you can feel the compulsion laced into them.

((I rolled a Will save for you, and you aced it, so your will is your own.))

[Harald]

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"I do not mind a little discussion, good sir, though, I prefer to speak aloud, and without any form of coercicion. You will not appreciate if I lodge a few bullets in your head in retaliation, would you ?
she was walking slowly, looking for a shadowy place on the bridge , to activate her collar and there hide again. How did he see me ? Through my thoughts ?
"I am the Margravine Moïra-Nyx d'Oneiroy, and the slave of no one. Who are you ?"

[sirpercival]

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The figure hesitates slightly, and you can see you've made an impression. The pirates have all stopped and are gaping in your direction; it waves at them, and they scurry about their business with renewed vigor.

The cloaked one walks forward until it's standing beneath you, and lifts away its hood.  You can see now that it is not human -- its skin is purple and rubbery, and instead of a mouth it has four long, curling tentacles (which right now are spotted with blood and gore).  It occurs to you that with such an apparatus, it may be incapable of speaking aloud.

The thought comes, "You intrigue me.  I had been led to believe that this was a simple merchant vessel, ripe for the taking.  You, however, are... special.  What is your purpose aboard this ship?  What was your destination?"

[Harald]

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"I am simply a passenger. I was heading to Merica, New Haven precisely, to began a new life as my old was over in my own treacherous country.
She did not recoil in fear at the sight of the strange humanoid, nor in disgust : the first because she has never known fear, the second because she was a well-educated lady.
I have never seen one of your kind. Who are you ? Where are you from ?

EDIT : By the way, items are done. I've scraped the flying carpet, upgraded a few items through Metalline, as well as her armor. 706 gp left. basically, she is ready to go !

[sirpercival]

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It pauses for a long moment, lost in thought, then reaches into a deep pocket and pulls out a monocle.  It holds the lens up to one eye and looks at you very closely, then nods and puts the monocle away.

You are very interesting, Margravine, and clearly not of common slave stock.  I wonder, since your fortunes are fluid at the moment, if you'd be interested in discussing a business proposition with me.

It turns to the pirates, and you hear the echo of its thought to them.  There's been a change of plan.  Collect the salves and bring them to me; this ship is yours.  I will take my own craft, and this one will accompany me.  It points up at you.

Then it gestures at the pirate ship, and the tethering lines fall away.  Before your eyes the ship transforms, taking on the look of a colossal, artificial sea creature.  The creature turns back to you.  Shall we?

[Harald]

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" that's ...  impressive." she says, baffled by the size and the foregin architecture of the... ship ?
I am curious on how you manage to communicate directly through my mind, without using any spell. That's a gift I would like to  master, it can be quite useful in my trade.
Anyway, as long your business proposition does not end for me as a slave or a meal for you or any of your minions or eventual superiors... I might be interested."

[sirpercival]

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The thing seems somewhat amused.  It is an ability that my kind have from birth.  I suppose I could pass it along to you, though you would most certainly find the process extremely... unpleasant.

And I cannot speak to events far in the future... but it is not my intention to enslave or consume you.  It is my intention to employ you, to our mutual benefit.

[Harald]

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Really ? I am sure, there should be a way to harness this kind of power through hard work and some research.
If you allow me to retrieve my luggage,  I would be glad to discuss business with you." with a courteous bow of the head.

[sirpercival]

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  The creature nods, and you descend.

The pirates have tied up the crew members and remaining living merchant guards, and are carrying them across a gangplank onto the creature's strange vessel.  They give you a wide berth, and fearful glances.  You don't see the captain anywhere.  After collecting your things, you and the creature cross the gangplank as well, before it is retracted.  The pirates remain on your previous ship, looking relieved to be rid of the company of the creature.

Do not be frightened, the thought comes, and so you are somewhat prepared when the craft lifts up into the air, dripping seawater and barnacles.  It rises higher and higher into the sky, higher than you can imagine, and the merchant vessel below fades into a dot and then disappears.

My kind have performed auguries, it begins, and have discovered that our... business operations... are under threat of attack by those who wish to shut us down.  We have been looking for special individuals who may be able to aid us in preventing this.

You seem a capable and intelligent woman.  Are you interested?

Slightly distracted by the thoughts entering your mind unannounced, you suddenly realize that you can see the curve of the world below, and the sky above you is quickly running out and turning dark.  The ship seems to still be rising, but you have no trouble breathing.

[Harald]

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A ship that can sail through the Aether ? perhaps the forgotten author of the "The Other World :The States and Empires of the Moon" was right after all.
"I am interested in. Where are you from ? The Moon ?  What is the name of your kind, and your magnificient sky ship ?"

[sirpercival]

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You hear a raspy mental chuckle as the creature watches the ocean disappear beneath layers of cloud.  The answer to that question is rather... complicated.  But no, I am not from THIS moon.  I am an Illithid, and this is a Nautiloid.

As the Nautiloid speeds away from your planet, the illithid looks back at you.  We have some time before we reach our destination.  I have food below -- it is not perhaps the most refined, as it is usually for the chattel, but it should serve its purpose if you are hungry.  Please forgive me for not joining you, as I... ate recently.

I am glad that you have accepted my proposition.  When we arrive, you will meet the others my kind has collected.  Rest and refresh yourself now.

And, that's that!  You've been successfully wrangled.  You can read other threads now, and when everyone's up to speed I'll post the intro thread.

[Harald]

Neet. Here is her portrait by the way , still WIP. I need to shade it and perhaps add some color.

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[sirpercival]

That is extremely cool.  It exactly fits what I was thinking!

[DonQuixote]

If I kill you and eat your heart, do I get your artistic ability?