THE SAVAGE TIDE ADVENTURE PATH
 Module One: There is No Honor... (Dungeon #139)
 Chapter Four: Tracking Down Vanthus

The next day dawns bright and clear and the characters each wake and go about their day in a different way... but one this is the same. Each of them feel more confidence in their abilities and know that they have learnt something from the ordeals of the last couple of days.

For Angati there is something even more - she feels a slight spring in her step and when she peers in the mirror... is that possible? Has she actually grown younger overnight?

Please describe what your characters do on their day off.

Congratulations and welcome to LEVEL TWO! PM me with your new level decisions, hp, skills, feats, etc. Note: for hp make a roll then either keep the roll or take average hit points.

Angati, you also loose 10 years of apparent age.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:02, Sat 15 Aug 2015.

Depending on what we had agreed, if at least some of the other characters want to join at an Inn taking long term rooms, or renting a house, she would probably spend the day finding one such house with them.

Otherwise, I am horrible at shopping, I pretty much hate it real life and in-game. Angati I guess not so much. She would probably try to find a better shield or armor maybe masterwork or something ? If anyone has any good Ideas I'll be glad to take them.

As for her apparent age, what do you suggest it has happened over night ? or shall it happen gradually next few days ?. If overnight, its just great that I have just left the shrine.... and I would need to settle an appointment with my sister to let her know... but probably so that others dont see this change. Otherwise if its gradual, we will see as we go.

Well, I just made it overnight so that there would be a definite point where she gained her lost ability score point back. BTW, don't forget to select and change that. But please make it quick or gradual as you wish, whatever you think will be more interesting.

Logan's probably going to be spending most of the day finding someplace new for his mother to live (possibly with Celene's help) and then actually moving her there.  Bonus points if he finds a temple with someplace he can stay nearby.

Kassius walks home the long way, taking the time to work through his thoughts slowly and deliberately. This new income is hardly a large fortune, but it is substantial. More importantly, it is his money, rather than inherited wealth from his parents. Kassius' father had always been proud of having earned his own money through sweat and blood. Now Kassius had done the same. Perhaps there were more lessons to be learned from his father.

When the half-orc finally reaches home, he does something he has not done in some time. He actively starts a conversation with his grandfather. "I have recently come into a regular income, and would like to discuss a business proposition with you, grandfather..." Kassius begins. This discussion was likely to go long into the night.

In the morning, Kassius does something else rather rare for him. He reads some books, looking up where the exotic animals and plants he had seen in Lavinia's book might be from. He had a suspicious feeling it might be important.

With my new rank in Knowledge (geography), let's see if I can get anything useful:
18:01, Today: Kassius rolled 21 using 1d20+3. knowledge (geography).

Kassius has a good memory for flora and fauna, and sets about trying to match the sketches in his memory with any of the descriptions in the small library of his grandfather's house. Fortunately, although the library is small, it is focused on the creatures and plants of the tropical jungles of Davninia (the continent that Sasserine sits on) and the nearby islands.

The first match he gets is for the strange plant he saw an illustration for - sort of like a huge giant fly trap.



He gets a definite match in a book on exotic jungle flora - it is called a 'greenvise' and they can grow large enough to trap and consume small mammals. Hmm... actually, he'd heard of them before - he should've known that without a book! Perhaps a possibility for an exotic challenge in the arena? They didn't grow anywhere near Sasserine though, only out on the islands in the Sea of Dread.

The small marsupial he'd seen an illustration of took a little longer to find.


Friggen ewoks. Ruined Return of the Jedi for me.

That are apparently called Phanatons and live on the Isles of the Thanegioth Archipelago (to the north west of Sasserine on the main map) and the isle of Dawn (proto England). Not found on islands with large human populations.

To research the last sketch he can recall he pulls down a thick book of bedtime stories - 'Big Barbarian Adventures' - one that he had begged his father to read to him time and time again when he was a kid. He turns to one of the stories in the middle without hesitation and looks at the illustration.



'Thunder Lizards' the fable had called them. Giant reptiles that could eat men (and little half-orcs who were naughty) in one bite. Bah! Silly children's stories. Apparently they lived on the 'Isle of Dread', a mythical island somewhere in the Eastern Thanegioth Archipelago. He closes the book with a thump. Surely only fairy tales to scare the young ones?

OOC: Any other characters up for this idea? just need to know.

Logan: What type of temple are you looking for. The Shrine of Liir, goddess of art and beauty just had an opening appear if your mom doesn't mind the attic.

Logan was following Celene's lead, but the goddess of art and beauty sounds like a good place for Tessara.

The party members spend their 'day off' doing various things and deciding how they are going to spend their 100 gp/month.

Kassius negotiates with his grandfather and manages to convince him to go 50/50 in a business venture to build a ranch on the family plantation about half a day's ride from Sasserine. His intention is to breed exotic animals that are difficult to handle but will fetch a high price in the markets of the city - the plan is good and should eventually provide a decent payback on the investment but for the time being most of his salary from Lavinia will be disappearing into setting up that business.

Angati says a sad farewell to Karthack and a rather less sad farewell to Sister Agnes in the library, and heads out into the city to find a place to live. She finds pleasant lodgings which are lively, sometimes a little rough, but always interesting. Compared to the Shrine it is heaven for the Oracle.

OOC: Please have a look at the Sasserine map and decide which tavern or inn you would like to stay at. Not in the noble or champion district since these are out of your price range if you also want to have money to eat.

Celene decides that the time is right and takes her vows to Wee Jas that morning although these do not pass without incident (to be role-played later). After that she meets up with Angati and she decides to join the oracle and stay at the same place (after clearing it with Magnus Eseriel of course).

Logan struggles to find anywhere to look after his catatonic mother. After almost giving up, he gets a hint from Angati that the Shrine of Liir might have an opening and sure enough, he is able to secure the attic space that had been Angati's. It is perfect - the dwarf that runs the place is kind and promises that her needs will be seen too and she will spend most of her time in the enclose garden or the library. The only issue is the price... 100/gp a month... does Logan do it?

Alohan spends the day focusing his mana and deciding what he wants to do with his life. He decides to develop his native unarmed combat just has his master back in the islands always told him to do. He feels an inner calm once the decision is made.

Logan tries to haggle for a better price, but it quickly becomes obvious to the rogue that his skills at negotiating with the people of Shadowshore fall flat outside his home district, and the acolytes of the Liiran Shrine seem turned off by his advances.  With a sigh, the half-elf agrees to allocate his entire retainer from Lady Vanderboren to his mother, resolving to find other ways to live.

At eight o'clock the day after, the party assembles in Lavinia's private dinning room for another breakfast - this one has excellent food that hasn't be pre-chewed by the Jade Ravens. As they dine Lavinia speaks and explains her next task for them.

"My brother and I were quite close growing up since our parents were rarely around - they always seemed to be out on some adventure or another. We grew to depend on each other, and also to get into a fair amount of trouble! It all come to a head one day when I was 13 and he was 11, with one particularly complex prank involving several elixirs of love and the mansion's rainwater barrels. Well, I don't know how it happened but..." Lavinia blushes. "Somehow Vanthus and I also ended up drinking some of the water with the potions in it and... then things got really weird."

"Anyway, our childhood together came to an end that day with me being sent to the Thenalar Academy for Fine Young Women, and Vanthus being sent south to the family plantation which Uncle Kellum looked after. It's a small place called Rothsted. About two years later there was a fire within which dear Uncle Kellum died, so Vanthus was send to a military school in Alphatia where he stayed until turning 21 a couple of months ago."

"I like to think that I benefited from my time in the Thenlar Academy, but Vanthus seemed to have spent his time away nurturing his bitterness. He no longer had time for me, slept all day and spent the nights with..." Lavinia sighs. "...associates of doubtful character. Eventually he quarrelled with our parents, and moved out the mansion entirely. I do not know where he went."

"One month ago when..." Lavinia looks down at the floor. "...our parents died, Vanthus returned for a week to live here at the manor, but he had changed even more. Gone was the easy sense of humour he'd had in our childhood, and in its place was a bitter cynicism and a morbid streaks that..." She shudders. "Sent chills up my spine."

"We had several arguments and then at the end of the last one..." She rubs her cheek. "...he struck me with his fist. I was so shocked! And for a second I think he was as well but then he was back to his new self, all scowls and menace. He gathered up the last of his belongings and left - I haven't seen him since."

"So that is the situation. I know that something profound has happened to my brother at some point to change him, but I'm not sure what it was. Perhaps it could be as simple as the crowd that he has fallen in with, perhaps smugglers, or thieves or even killers if he is mixing with people like this Soller Vark."

"But when all is said and done he is still my brother and I don't think it is too late to save him. I think he can be brought back to my side if I could just talk some sense into him and redeem him... before it is too late and he passes forever onto the wrong side of the law. The problem is I don't know where he is gone."

"So here is your mission. Find him, where ever he may be in Sasserine and bring him back to me. I know that this will be a difficult mission since he could be anywhere in the city, but on the other hand I don't think he is hiding. Please at least try for a couple of days, how hard can it be?"

This message was last edited by the player at 20:41, Thu 30 July 2015.

OOC: That is very noble of him! He trudges back to Shadowshore, which looks to be his home for a little longer... I'll post an update on his Mom at a later date.

When Angati learned that Logan was to move his mother to the Shrine, she came to him and helped with all the introductions. She was leaving the chamber for his mother, so she left a few of her things there so as not to have her enter on an empty alcove like it had been her case... a few candles, a basin, a pot with flowers...

She made the introductions for him to all the acolytes and to Kartach hoping that she would have a warmer welcome that way.

"Look if you are going to be using all your money on your mother, I propose sharing mine, and find a lower end tavern... your skills with those districts will probably get us further mileage out of the money... so you might want to pick a good tavern there for the two of us, separate rooms of course, and I'll share my allowance... while we have it" she said to Logan.

---

When Lavinia finished speaking Angati said, "Well, we know from the smugglers that he is involved in these Jade Dragons, and that they seem to be putting lot's of pressure on the former thief guild... maybe we could start by locating some of the former thief guild and asking there ?" she said looking at Logan.

Logan smiles at Angati as she helps set up his mother's room and offers to share the expenses for a new one.  "Thanks, I...I really can't say enough.  Living in Shadowshore, you get used to a certain attitude: people not caring about you, and everyone suffering right next to everyone else.  It's good to know that the entire city isn't like that.  Maybe all I needed is to get out of that hellish place."

---

A little while later, as everyone's eyes turned him, Logan had no choice but to smile.  "But it seems that me being from Shadowshore has its advantages after all, especially when it comes to finding rogue nobles.  Yeah, I'll ask around, see if any of the people I know in Shadowshore know of the thieve's guilds or about Vanthus.  If he's not hiding, I should be able to find him.  Maybe some of them'll even spill some information about the Jade Dragons."

OOC: Great, just let me know if you have any questions for Lavinia and then which district you want to search, and write a few lines about how you are going to conduct this search. I'll make the necessary gather information rolls and tell you what your character discovers.

Oh, and LOTUS DRAGONS please!

Logan thought a few moments longer.  "Lavinia, do you have any idea of the names of any of Vanthus's associates?  Just having a lead would give me some place to start.  Even a description?  I can ask around about your brother, maybe someone flashing too much money or clothes that are too nice for Shadowshore."

The rogue shrugs.  "If that doesn't work, maybe I can try to get a lead on the thieve's guilds that were pushed out by these Jade, er Lotus Dragons.  That might work."

---

Information in hand, Logan sets out to Shadowshore.  He goes to his usual watering holes and criminal contacts, asking about activity that might match Vanthus.  He'll give a description of the nobleman.  He'll also ask about thieve's guilds that were pushed out of the way by the Lotus Dragons and try to get a lead on any of them who might still be around.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:48, Sat 01 Aug 2015.

The native sat in silence, deep in his own thoughts. He was going through some shit -an internal struggle of wants and desires that all young, handsome, powerful people tended to suffer through. His conviction to follow through with his pa uma training regiment -even if he was miles from his master- had left him with an inner calm he hadn't felt in years. For once, he felt as if his head was clear. He could think. Feel. Manifest his desires into a clear destination in order to better set his life's course. He felt alive, if not a bit lost. Yet therein laid the conflict. Despite his sudden clarity of mind, Alohan's destination to happiness was undefined. Empty. He lacked a clear goal, especially now that he had sworn off all things women. Lavinia and especially Rowyn.

After his troubling encounter with Rowyn, Alohan realized how naive he had been. He was quickly coming to the realization that there were bigger fish in the sea and a young prince such as himself couldn't go through life so carelessly. His lust for the female anatomy had remained but the Islander made a promise to himself -celibacy. No more would he let his eel swim freely in the vast ocean of female vulva. The desire was a distraction, an obstacle in preventing him from finding the happiness he needed.

It was time to grow up. It was time to put on his big-boy banana hammock.

Alohan followed Logan out. He cared for the boy. His mind was sharp and he kept his cool in combat. Primarily, the native wouldn't be good on his own and he much rather assist Logan in his search than the females in the group. Especially now with his sudden shift in life choices.