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A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


BlueSlime

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From Mansion to Church in Barovia
Tag: Rovana


(In the first part of the dream)

"...Good. You know I like it more when you get to the point. Mmm... and when you use that tongue of yours more creatively. Hanh~" A blushing, vulnerable look crossed the warrior-woman's ebony face as the fair captain planted her kisses on the shaft, and then ran the tip of her tongue along the urethra and under the glans, before taking the hot, thick shaft deep into her warm mouth.

"Annh~ So good.~" She bit her lip as her knees trembled slightly. "Oh my captain. You tend to your crew so well~ I will sail with you, always. You have my spear and my heart!"

(In the later half of the dream)

"Is this real? It could be." The vampiric, feral version of Ludmilla grinned, as lightning flashed and lit up the dark night sky behind her. Was that blood dripping down from her lips??

"If you can do what needs to be done. If you can withstand the price!" She pointed down to Rovana's extremely pale and... clawed hand. Turning it over so that she could see her palm, she inhaled sharply - or rather, would have, if she still needed to draw breath. The Black Spot was upon her palm. Blotted in ink that no sorcery or trick could rub dry. The vampire Ludmilla laughed as they began to plunge into the waves, her undead body pressing against Rovana's.

"Monsters we are! Yet monsters we become! Embrace our fate and become masters of our sea. Our domain! Forever! Aha ha ha ha ha!"

As they sunk on the ghost ship into the dark waters, writhing dark shapes moved in the pitch black water on all sides. The two vampires stripped one another and made dark, passionate, animalistic sex, sinking their teeth into one another as Ludmilla's sex penetrated Rovana's again and again. Deeper and deeper they sank, into the great dark maw that awaited them at the bottom of the ocean. Its teeth snapping shut on the ship and silence endured until the call to rise once more above the waves sounded. Then the hunt would begin anew...


---

In the morning, Rovana dressed in haste. The darkness of the night had been replaced only with a slightly less dark, cloudy gray morning. The mists had receded, but could still be seen in the distance at the edges of the forest in the surrounding countryside. The sky was still overcast.

Rovana snuck out of the mansion by herself. As she passed through the hallway, she spied the Lady Jasmina, upon the divan in the study, her leather trousers and underwear discarded and her blouse pulled down to reveal her petite, but perky breasts. A nude and slumbering Ismark, with his leather collar still on his neck, snored gently as he lay on top of her. The elf idly was stroking his blonde hair while his face rested on her bosom. If she noticed Rovana, she made no sign of it, not stopping her at any point.

Before she left, the pirate captain would take some charcoal bits from near the grand fireplace, sticking htem in her belt pouch for the ritual to bring Joe back to life. All she needed now would be a brass bowl and some incense. Both of which she figured she could get at the local church. They always seemed to have nice smelling things like that.

And so she made her way to the church of the morninglord, leaving the rest of these strange, and frankly foolish people behind her. This whole place was looney if they thought anything would change by sitting on their arses and hiding or praying. That was for certain. She needed to shake things up! Just as soon as she had Joe back!

Map:


The burgomeister's mansion is the southern most building on the map. Rovana heads due north to the center of town, then north by northwest, until she reaches the church at the upper left of the map, with a large graveyard behind it.

She arrived at the northwest end of town within a few minutes. Atop a slight rise, against the roots of the pillar stone that supports Castle Ravenloft, stands a gray, sagging edifice of stone and wood. The church has obviously weathered the assaults of evil for centuries on end and is worn and weary. A bell tower rises toward the back, and flickering light shines through holes in the shingled roof. The rafters strain feebly against their load. The heavy wooden doors of the church are covered with I claw marks and scarred by fire.

The doors open to reveal a ten-foot-wide, twenty-footlong hall leading to a brightly lit chapel. The hall is unlit and reeks of mildew. Four doors, two on each side of the hall, lead to adjacent chambers. Rovana can see that the chapel is strewn with debris, and she hears a soft voice from within reciting a prayer. Suddenly, the prayer is blotted out by an inhuman scream that rises up from beneath the wooden floor.



The praying comes from the alter to the north, where a medium build older man in thick robes is praying. The scream seems to be coming from somewhere beneath the church.

There appears to be a brass basin on the alter itself, and the old smell of decayed incense suggests that there would be some nearby, if there were any additional stores of it that haven't been put out recently due to obvious neglect.

The priest at the alter ahead appears to not have heard Rovana come in.

"FATHER!!!! FATHER PLEASE LET ME OUT!!! I AM STARVING!!! FATHEEEEEEEER!!!!!"

A young man's voice calls out desperately from somewhere below. The praying priest shakes his head numbly and continues to pray.
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Burgomasters Mansion -> Church
Tag: DM


(Not responding to dream further, not cause I dun wanna, but, rp-timebubbles and all that. ^^)

Rovana made sure to give the mists in the distance a rude gesture. At this point a response in kind wouldn't have shocked her.

Once she arrived at the Graveyard she gave a suspicious look, but approached without taking her hat off, now if there had been any hanging by the trees infront of the graveyard..

She examined the church, allowing herself a somewhat respectful: "At least they got good doors. Geesh. I really shouldn't be caught alone at night. Then again. You wouldn't sail the seas without a ship, don't stay here without a sturdy roof. I can adapt."

Well, if she knew anything about priesterman it was that they could keep praying for HOURS. So, no taking the Basin without his knowledge. Perhaps she should hold the ritual necessary right here?

Rovanas first instinct was to release the person asking for help, but then she asked herself.. would a holier than thou guy like this one trap a ~human?~ The other priestess had already been stingy enough about roping up someone, so..

"Good morning. I be needing to borrow some of your brazen brassiers for but an hour as well as some of yer incense. I'm a close aquaintance of Sister Esveles of the Morninglord, who will be passing through here to assist in putting the honored Burgeonmaster to rest, Morninglords light guide his soul to better waters." She made sure to hush for a long moment, inwardly counting.. "So you can be assured you shall be compensated soon for any incense that be consumed during my hitherfor to come activities, which are solely to replace what has been lost heroically opposing he whose name I shall not mention upon this holied ground." She informed, stepping up to the altar and the brazier. "I must say, the younger priests aren't made of stronger stuff anymore, to get this loud over a little fasting.." She just couldn't hold in that one.

"Either that, or if I not be mistaken.. AVAST DOWN THERE ME HEARTY! WHAT BE YOU STARVING TO EAT? One option be that you have gone mad, to lock up a fellow countryman and worshipper. However, his voice be mighty strong for a man starving." Rovana observed.
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Father Donavich
Village Church
Tag: Rovana


The older, beleaguered priest shakily raises his haggard and hooded eyes to see the pirate woman striding into the debris-strewn wreckage of the church hall.

"G-g-good dawn t-to you, petitioner. I-I am Father Donavich" The priest unsteadily makes the sign of the morninglord, though he falters at the end and presses his hands upon the alter. He seems fairly weak and in desperate need of sleep.

"In these dark times, I suppose if my humble church could be of use to someone in need in some small way, then that would be good. Yes... good. Use this brazier... a-and... and the incense I think there is some... some in s-store..."

"FATHER!!!!!" the scream echoed again, inciting Rovana to ask her loud questions of the voice from below.

"T-that is no priest down there. He is my son. Doru. He... he... is not himself. I..."

Tears welled up in Donavich's tired eyes and he buried his face in his hands, wracked in a sob.

"A year ago... that mage.... that arrogant man! He convinced my son and others to confront the devil in his dark castle of Ravenloft. Perhaps if they were all as masterful as the mage, they could have succeeded but my boy! My dear sweet boy... he wasn't a warrior or a wizard... just driven for vengeance for the death of his mother... my wife. S-Strahd... killed her and then... he killed my boy!... Oh Doru... he wasn't satisfied just to end your life. He sent you back as something else!"

Donavich seemed for a moment to have forgotten that he was speaking to Rovana, but he blinked and beheld the pirate again. He then sniffed and wiped his messy eyes and red nose.

"My Doru he... he desires the blood of the living. I-I know he is a monster, but he is my son! I have locked him in the undercroft, and I will keep him there, where he can harm no one. One day, the Morninglord will provide a way to free my son from this curse... I cannot bear to lose him you see... He was all that I had left... all that I *have* left. Oh Doru..."

"I AM STARVING FATHER! FATHER WHY DO YOU FORSAKE ME! JUST A DROP! A drop... a drop... A DROP OF BLOOD, FATHER! WHY DO YOU NOT FEED ME!?"
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Burgomasters Mansion -> Church
Tag: DM


Rovana mimicked the sign. Not that she had any devotion, she was just following the motions. She grinned at the prospect of getting what she wanted, but shifted uncomfortably at the sudden sobbing. "Oh geesh. I mean, I be a heartless rascal, but if you kill and demoralize people too much they can't fear you proper." Rovana decided to reason.

"Well, that explains yer low spirit." Rovana remarked calmly, picking up the brazier, fishing the coal from her pokets, and, after plundering the storage for some incense sighed.

"Can nay man concentrate with this complain'in"

-(Paragon)'Do not forsake hope'
-(Renegade)'Your son was weak.'

-(Pirate)"'I have an offer...'

"I have an offer for you.. lead me to the entrance, I shall soothe your sons troubled spirit. I'm afraid it wont last long but.. I've been seeing men hanging that looked healthier than ye.

Don't worry, you can leave him locked in. A little gap to look him in the eyes or a keyhole is all I be needing, if that can be arranged."
Rovana nodded. "I merely request for you to tell me how you managed to subdue your son when you faced him in the past. How has the devils curse changed him, mind and strength of body?"

Rovana inquired, bowing her head slightly, carrying 'her' brazier along. "Let me talk to him alone for a short while. No soul is truly lost, aye?" If the father did as she requested, she'd approach the door(?) locking in the priests son and proclaim, loud enough for the priest to hear.:

"Doru, hello. My name is Rovana. I am no priestess, but a good storyteller. Let me tell you a tale about the morninglord, if I may." She smiled, then, once a glance of hers had made sure the priest was not peeping (if you do it enough, you know what to watch out for.. she had much more experience spying on things than the priest, she was sure)

"He has good architects and his priests need to be less annoying, the end.
So. Heres how this is going to go. You will stop screaming. You will answer my questions, hushedly. If you do..."
She draw her blade, enough to cut the side of her finger by the edge, a drop of red welling up from within her. "You want it. I have no reason not to give it to you. All you have to do is answer honestly, maybe tell me a little tale. Oh and if you shout loudly for more I'm gonna leave and your father wont let me, or others, down here ever again likely, so think very hard about that, savy?

Now, if we be having a deal, first question: You went with the Archmage to the castle, Aye?"
She waved her bloodied finger up, and took the time to finally take in the apperance of the man... creature before her, as far as that was possible with him locked up.
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

DM (Donavich and Doru)
Village Church
Tag: Rovana

Donavich looked sorrowfully at Rovana.

"My dear woman, I know of no true way to soothe my son's spirit, save to quench his thirst in blood or to attempt to destroy him. That first I have tried, but it is never enough for him. And the later, I cannot contemplate."

Donavich moved unsteadily around the alter, bowed by a great weight upon his spirit.

"I trapped him in the undercroft of the church. There is a trapdoor in the storage room. I locked it, but... I have misplaced the key. Please, talk to him if you wish, try to soothe him. But do not open the trapdoor for any reason. Take of the incense as you wish."

The priest stayed by the altar as Rovana headed to the storage room, which was the first door on the right of the entrance. Time and neglect had punched holes in the ceiling of the moldy room. Piles of broken roof shingles lay about, but nothing of any real value is stored here. A heavy wooden trapdoor, chained shut with a heavy iron padlock resides in the northeast corner of the small 10' by 15' room.

Doru's anguished cries, some unintelligible, and some more of the same ceaseless appeals to his father reverberate through the door. Rovana can see small grooves in the solid oaken boards that she could indeed drip blood through if needed.

In response to her proposed deal, there was at first a long silence. Then she heard a shuffling on the other side of the trapdoor followed by a whispered hiss.

"I can smell your blood! Sweet sweet blood. Give me some! Yes, questions questions... questions and blood."

At the threat, Doru whines audibly and loudly.

"It has been so long! So long! I can no longer tell how long! Many months! Years? Who can tell? I have been starving and father won't FEED me! Just a meal would sate me. A proper one! Maybe not a big meal... not a farmer or anything. Just a child perhaps? But not one of those soulless brats! The blood must have a soul! Yes... souls and blood!"

A gentle reminder and prodding about the Archmage yields mixed results. Doru titters.

"The master and the mage. They fought, and then he fell. Down... down... down... kersploosh! Keh keh keh keh! Now feed me! FEED me!"

Rovana gets the impression that Doru is not of sound mind, and it may be difficult to get anything beyond inferences from him. It would be difficult to conduct the ritual inside the church with all the shouting, but she would be able to conduct it elsewhere, now that she has all the components necessary to resummon Joe.
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Church
Tag: DM


Rovana contemplated for a moment, which was an occasion to celebrate for its rarity among pirates. Were there different types of vampires? Clearly Strahd was on top, but whilest.. hungry for Warmth and intimidatingly brutal, Ludmilla had not been nothing but a blood-starved husk. Or perhaps she would become such, if held away from blood long enough? Could even Strahd be driven out of his normal composure by blood? It was something to keep in mind, the pirate was nothing if not crafty.

Rovana extended a hand, letting a first drop and a half fall through one of the grooves in response to the answer of the question. .. she figured he could.. catch the liquid with ease. "Geesh, A soul eh?" She smirked, so one more thing she could test here, then again perhaps he just ment.. "So an alive target to feed upon and clearly ye nay be caring for life anymore, to feed on children so casually." Rovana remarked, deciding to multitask, searching and grabbing some incense.

"Now then. Ye be wanting more than a simple taste, tell me. I'll give ya a few drops if ye tell me the tale, properly, from start to finish, the mage set out with a crew o' villagefolk, and ye beset the castle. Tell me how the battle went. What the master did." Even if the creature was pretty much mad, any hint of Strahds abilities was a weapon she could use.

That said, if the vampire-spawn truly had little useful for her, She was content to leave with just another drop at best to shush him, shrugging regretfully at the father:
"I tried me best, he just keeps screaming for my blood, wanting it more and more, I apologize, the dawns blessing upon ye and all that." Deciding to look for a quiet place to hold her ritual at. She could return to the mansion, but any place where people would likely leave her in place would do.

Unsheathing her blade, she would begin scribbling charcoal runes around the brazier. Some were scribbles, some symbols of arcane power, some symbols of piracy, working in their own way for her. That done, she threw the incense into the brazier, clanking her blade along its rhym to produce enough sparks to set it ablaze, leaning forward and deeply inhaling the produced smoke. "Oh fuck Yeah, bleedin mermaids thats the stuff.." She grinned, a bit dopey eyed, stumbling slightly before sitting down cross-leggedly. "Arrrrrr.. Aye be chantin' to tharr beyond.. Ye wouldn't be keepin a bird as this, aye? Hoooh, hold on.." She took another whiff, stabbing her sword into the ground, before beginning to mumble silently but incoherrently, words of power.
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

DM
The Church of the Morninglord, Barovia
Tag: Rovana


The creature she assumed was Doru made an eager hissing sound as Rovana's blood trickled down through the crack, and lascvicious, sloppy licking sounds ensued, followed swiftly by a meager whine as the blood flow stopped.

"Why cling to life? Why cherish something that brings only suffering in this... hnhg... eternal night? Life is only here to feed and amuse the master. And to feed his servants. A child's blood... one with a soul, is sweet and innocent."

Doru trailed off as Rovana renewed her offer for more blood in return for tales of the battle. Doru was not a good tale teller, but between the numerous appeals for blood, he told her some things...

"The mage in grey and gold - the confident one with the beard and the big book and the fiery staff. Oh yes... powerful and confident. The master was most pleased to fight him! Disappointed when he killed him! Kersploosh! Flying through the air, but could not outfly the master's steed! With a grip and a rip and a heave ho! Down... down... down... into dark waters and mist! Broken staff. Torn book. Dead mage! And me... oh master! Why did you send me away! Away to starve beneath my father! I will be good! Oh kind lady! I shall be good! I s-swear! Let me out, and I shall not eat the little children! No! I shall be good! I shall run into the woods. Feed on forest beasts. Stay away from master. You'll see! Oh yes! Free me! Free me so I might feed! Oh, more blood!"

Doru would lap up whatever droplets fell through the trapdoor, and grow more desperate and angry when Rovana left, demanding to be let free and slamming with powerful force against the trapdoor, though it held.

The priest, Donavich, looked numbly at the trapdoor from the hallway as the pirate left the church. She would find the tavern to be empty, save for the barkeep, who remained remarkably taciturn and unobtrusive when the pirate entered. Even when she laid out her bowl of incense and charcoal and produced a cloud of smoke and sparks in the establishment.

After a short ritual, there was a whoosh and a puff of smoke, and emerging from the brazier was Joe the parrot, wearing his eyepatch and squawking. Joe looked like his old self, save that he was somewhat more gaunt than usual, and some of his feathers were missing here and there.

"Rawwwrk! Down to the deeps! Wee Woo!"

Joe perched in front of Rovana, bobbing his head and pecking at the air in front of her.
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Church
Tag: DM


Well, Rovana had gotten one useful piece of information. Apparently Strahd didn't know that the mage was still alive, so his powers were limited and he was prone to underestimating opponents. Well, seeing how he did not respect Rovana, that much was obvious already. Rovana had no ear for the pleads of the vampire.. whilest she very much valued freedom, for one, he was a pawn of an enemy, but for two, she wasn't sure if he even counted as human.

"Shiver me timbers, you look like crap Joe... glad to have you back. So yeah, one more think the vampire thinks dead wrongly." She remarked, offering her shoulder to the parrot. "Eh, crackers for you later, for now, we got more work to do. What purpose was your sacrifice if no one saw it and therefor praised my nautical genius on your behalf!" Rovana mused, standing up and returning to the mansion.. her hope was to meet with her part time crew member, ideally avoiding any goodbyes and religious ceremonies.

"Heya." She remarked. "Excuse the delay, one wine-bottle to the stocks and I'll be ready to head out towards that seer lady. You take the lead, either stealthy or loudly, whatever works better in these lands. " She nodded, then, perhaps already on the way, would add in two questions along the way:

"So, the mage, you said he was alive, if mad? Also I got to wonder, why help me? Not that I be criticizing your decision, I be handsome, freasome, thensome, furthermore looking at the standard set by the people I've seen around here so far, I actually wish to survive this whole endeavour.
...
But other than helping out your .. guys sister.. and the handsome part.. theres little reason to go along with this just for me. What do you want? Something you want at the Vistanis place, without straight, narrow and well hung noticing, or rather something to do with me?"
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Barovia Village

Joe flutters and rawrks a bit, but hops onto Rovana's shoulder when offered. She gets the sense that Joe didn't appreciate dying, but captain's orders were captain's orders. That and he seems confident that Rovana would always resummon him.

Making her way across the town green, Rovana notices behind her the party of four as Ismark, Vita, Ireena, and Esvele head on towards the church, conveniently missing her as she exits the tavern. She is able to make it back to the mansion, where a calm Lady Jasmina sips some tea in the study. She muses over a spare map, and doesn't immediately look up as Rovana starts to talk to her.


"You should look at this map. Just in case we get split up out there," the elf suggests, off-handedly, as though she were a touch bored. "We'll be headed on the northern path up to the Tser Pool. That is where the Vistani are encamped, and where you will find the Seer."

She sips her tea and at last eyes the pirate and her parrot after listening to the question of the mage and the various follow up questions.

"Well, there is certainly someone wandering out there, looking like a wizard, casting spells. Take that for whatever it is worth. As for why I am helping you?"

She pauses and takes another long sip of her tea.

"Because I believe that if I didn't accompany you to the seer, my dear girl, then you would die a rather ignoble and forgettable death. I mean... really, do you even know how to use that thing at your hip?" She indicates the cutlass, and her voice is sinuous and daring.

"The creatures here do not fight fair. A pack of wolves could take you, traveling alone on foot. Not to mention the dead things that walk, aye, even during the day. Handsome you are, I grant you. Thensome, even. But fearsome? That remains to be seen. Don't get me wrong, I'd dearly like to see it, but I'll not consider you ready unless you could best me, blade to blade, girl."

Jasmina stands up from her chair, resting a hand on her sword hilt, grinning deeply.

"If you can draw first blood, I'll tell you why I'm really helping you. If not, or if you refuse my challenge, you'll just have to accept that I've got my reasons and leave it at that. Savvy?"

Jasmina challenges Rovana to a duel to first blood. The first to deal 10HP of damage would be considered to have won.
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Church
Tag: DM


(parrot Rovana restored!)

"Hmn.." Rovana said, picking up the map, looking at it with professional calmth, for a change. "In the shadow of the Castle? Why?" She narrowed her eyes at Jasmina at the open provocation. A narrowing that turned into a worried expression.

"Alright, alright, ya got me. I'm not really a fighter." She sighed, letting her shoulders slump. "But, hey, ya have to admit, the act is good. Lots of people actually believe me a pirate and I can enrich myself, without even havin' to fight, ya savy? How about you err.. show me the way and.." She waved her empty hands in a universal gesture of 'not wanting to fuck with you as Jasmina stood up before her, stumbling back slightly.

And in so stumbling, pushed forward one of her legs, as if to balance herself, but instead, she hooked her foot into the chair right behind Jasmina, seeking to pull it to hit the back of her knees and unbalance her, as her wild flailing, smoothly, transitioned into her drawing her blade, to try a dangerous, if nonlethal (no point damaging her guide overly!) cut, transitioning her momentum of pretend falling into an offensive cut.

Wether or not that was sucessful, she continued in her momentum and jumped back acrobatically, a dangerous smirk on her lips as, in one swift motion, she also drew a loaded crossbow, aiming it at Jasmina. "Yarrr. I be damned and bedeviled, if the creatures here nay be fighting fair, I reckon I'll show them a better gambler."

(Apropriate rollz:
Rovana tries to use deception to appear unwilling to fight/be understimated and get in a suprise attack:
Roll(1d20)+4:
8,+4
Total:12

Initative:
Roll(1d20)+5:
2,+5
Total:7

Attack roll:
Roll(1d20)+5:
13,+5
Total:18
(pfew was worrying the pirate luck had left me. :p

Sneak attack, with her cutlass:
Roll(2d6)+3:
3,4,+3
Total:10
+ Roll(1d8)+0:
3,+0
Total:3
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

In the Burgomaster's Study

The elven noble caught on to the pirate's gambit, at the last moment side-stepping the hooked chair and letting it clatter harmlessly against one leg while her other was planted firmly underneath her. In the same motion, Jasmina drew her longsword. The cutlass sang through the air as the longblade flashed in an arc to parry. Steel clashed together with a spark, and the blow seemed to just go wide of the noble's shoulder.

With an acrobatic tumble backwards, Rovana withdrew to the farside of the room, already speaking as she went and drawing her handcrossbow to give herself the ranged advantage - or so she thought. The elven fighter had moved quickly as well - perhaps not with as much rakish audacity and panache as the pirate, but with a determined and athletic grace that closed the distance between them in too short a time for the crossbow to get any bearing upon the foe before her blade was upon her.

"A tricky one, aye! But your skill is no match for mine!" the elf said with a grin, her blade slicing, forcing Rovana to her limit, making parries left and right with increasing desperation, until her blade was pushed aside and the tip of the longsword leveled against her shoulder. There was a pause, as it seemed that Jasmina had clearly won the duel.

Then her eyebrows flinched and narrowed, and she looked to her right arm. Rovana's eyes were already there, and had spotted the small bloom of red, and the slight cut in the sleeve of the elf noble's arm. The cutlass had nicked her and spilt blood after all!

For a moment, it seemed Jasmina was genuinely stunned. Then she threw back her head in laughter. She lowered her sword and put her gloved hand to her eyes as her shoulders shook with amusement.

"Oh ho ho ho~ To think that you managed that? That is priceless! Ah, Rovana. Truly you are as fearsome as you are ravishing! Ah. Well done, you sea nymph. Fairly done, as any warrior could ask for in Barovia. The duel and the forfeit are yours. I shall tell you of my purpose."

Jasmina rolls a natural 1 for initiative. Rovana's attack is enough to hit and deal the appropriate damage.

Jasmina had three follow up attacks. The first missed. The second two hit, for 20+ damage, however, she deliberately withheld her blows, so you suffer no HP loss. She then concedes the duel.

The elf sheathes her sword and moves to the desk, bending down a little to support herself as she still chuckles, amused. Her slim, yet bubble butted posterior shakes a little in Rovana's direction, before the elf turns around and sets her emerald gaze upon you.

"The Seer told me one other thing, the last time I met her. She said 'my ambitions would be realized when a drowned woman of the sea came to Barovia.' I would need to follow this woman, and the path for my ascendancy would reveal itself to me. Now... I desire nothing more than to be free of this accursed place, second only perhaps to my desire for revenge upon Strahd. If the later is impossible though, I shall settle for the former. I believe that you might be that woman, for a pirate you are by your own accord, and the sea is your home, and to it you swear to return. If I am meant to follow you, or to guide you, so that I too might escape, then that is what I shall do. That boy, Ismark, is a pretty thing and quite a man, but he will not leave this place, and I must return to my home - so I shall let him guide his sister with the others, while I search for an exit with you.... Tell me. Have you ever come close to drowning?"

If Rovana searched her memories, she would of course be reminded of that moment when she awoke, clinging weakly to some flotsam upon the sea, with her cutlass in hand for the very first time. She had never known exactly what had transpired between the wreck of her ship in the great swirling storm and her awakening, but she had certainly felt as though she'd been through Davy Jones' locker. And that ghost following her around had all but proved it.
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Burgeomasters mansion -> Heading out
Tag: DM


Rovana panted and grinned. "Haah.. doom and shipwrecks, ye know I held back the first strike, no point striking down me guide, but I had to belay that. If this had been a fight of endurance over swiftness I'd been singing with the fishes. Then again, all this duelling ain't for me. A good fight ye win by simply threatening to draw yer blade." Rovana panted, half sheating her blade, but hesitating as she listened on.

She drew her blade, unleashing a gust of wind, pushing small object in the room backwards and rustling the elfs hair. "I was not a pirate, but I longed to be. Living with no earthly cares, my mates and me... I was but a wee lass, running away from home, no skills to me name.. heck, no name as I have now. Only had me wits and looks.. the former many is so rare people don't know what to do with it, the latter only earns ye keep in one profession. " She sheated her weapon again.

"But.. I did nay care. If no ship would take me, I'd make me own. I stole a tiny boat, removed me grannys sweater, and painted the Jolly roger upon it with birdshite, and sang the songs of pirates.
Of course it didn't work, as when I came upon the first storm, me ship filled up with water. There I cursed any gods I could remember and told them no one be getting me soul other than the sea and mayhaps the finest lass I'd meet along the way. I cried and shouted and the last thing I remember, before waking up drifting on a piece of wood that I swear nay had the size to be of me little ship, an island in sight and every breath of air burns me lungs with the devils fire.
Now, this may all be lucky happenstance, but when I awoke, one of me hands held onto this for dear life, a sword to rule the winds and seas.. little use it is on land. All I can do is push around a lil' mist."
She growled, annoyedly, but also shot over an appreciative glance to the elfs bottom. One had to know to value the important things in life even in times of struggle, of course.

"Either way. I wake up, my hand hurts from clinging to this sword for dear life, my lungs hurt like a hogboblin had used them as a blowpipe, my head hurts, and first thing I hear is this." She jerked her thumb at Joe.

"Never left me ever since... but a parrot be good company to keep a pirate sane. I be needing to feed him a healthy diet of rum and berries, he looks like crap since that damn vampire blasted him. Anyway..." She tipped her chin.

"I first thought it an emberassment to almost drown as pirate, but, well, people whispering of yer being spit back out by the sea itself because yer soul was too grisly can be quite the tale to bring fear to the hearts of yer enemies. Half of the tales I be telling of me even be true. I am fearless and fearsome in fight because I truly believe I can't die by anyone, else either I've already been to Davy Johnes locker and returned for whatever reason, or, if ye so believe in the fickleness of fate, my demise be preset under the waves already. Though, just as an added assurance I seek to avoid being killed by things on principle, savy?

Ever since I've been on the pursue by an apparition, a woman, like a drowned one, but whenever I think I spy her face, she.. Aye, but I been telling enough. There be many more tales, and all of them with a core of truth even, but we have no time to waste now.
What be you meaning with ascension? Well.. I guess now I know yer reasons, I can trust yer, ye can trust me to keep me crew safe, following the code.

So long story short, if the seer told yarr to be looking out for a drowned woman walking, I'll be as close as you're gonna get. Now, how about we get going, I be keen on seeing this woman.. I promise not to stab anyone without proper provocative prelude from their side."
Rovana nodded, shifting, ready to head out, if the elf was too.
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Over the River and Through the Woods

"I see. Humble birth, but you have ambition. I respect ambition. I am bored by those without it. Ismark, for all his good looks, is a content fellow, prone to brooding about living up to his father's expectations. He has never been more attractive in my eyes than in these past nights since his father's death and showing a desire to actually do something. Would that he had always had your flare for action."

Jasmina took some bandaging from a shelf and wrapped it around the cut on her arm.

"Still, had I been you, and wanted to go to the sea, I'd have first signed aboard with a veteran pirate captain, earned their trust, displayed my competency, and kept a weather eye on an opportunity for my own proper ship. One has to assume that there will always be storms and other obstacles that you cannot -talk- your way out of."

The elf eyed the cutlass thoughtfully after having seen its power demonstrated and its story told.

"That is an interesting weapon you have there. Not elven make, but fine enough smithing so as to be beyond the skill of most humans. The choice of a cutlass... it must have been a commission. I've heard of no smith that specializes in blades meant for battles in below deck fighting. And it has magic?"

She traced a finger along the flat of the cutlass. Her brow arched, and she made musing sounds in her throat.

"Raaawwrk! Fifteen men on a dead man's chest! Raaaawwrk! Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum! Wee Woo!" Joe broke the silence with a flutter of his wings and a raspy verse of the well-known tune.

Jasmina flicked an eye to the bird and then removed her finger away from the blade.

"It is high time we got moving. I'd advise you take note of your bird's appearance after his brush with death in this domain. What dies might not stay dead, but if it should come back, there will be changes. Your policy of not testing out that legend you have concocted for yourself is a wise one. Stay alive."

The pair of women and the bird head for the door to the mansion, open it, and close it behind them. Their journey will apparently be on foot. They follow the road to the village green, then turn left on it, following the Old Svalich Road out of the southwest end of town. Heading towards the Ivlis River.

"As for myself," Jasmina said after a while, "I was born into a life of privilege and destiny. It was my birthright to rule the woods of my domain and to inherit the wealth that had been put aside for me. My lineage is one that has been bestowed with tribute since the lands themselves were young. But I was cheated of my ascension to my rule. My land's most priceless treasure was stolen and my sire slain. While my siblings bickered about who would be most appropriate to rule, I could not sit idly by with our inheritance in the hands of a murdering thief. I left my woods and pursued the assassin. Then the roads grew misty, and I ended up in this place. And for more than a hundred years I have dwelt here, undoubtedly thought for dead and unmissed by my brethren, and my inheritance still here, but undiscovered, and Strahd... I had to be his unwilling consort just to survive. He delights in the stinging blows to my pride, but I see his mind. If I were to ever stop feeling that pain, he would grow bored and end me. Or turn me into his servant. I won't have that. When I escape this place, it will be with my inheritance in hand, and I shall return, stronger than ever, to ascend to my rightful place as monarch of my homeland."

The road is a long one. The elven guide mentions that Vallaki is 21 miles away by the road, which winds upwards through the foothills and into the mountain where Ravenloft looms. The first part of the journey takes you through the farmland that surrounds the village. Poor earth shows many fallow and wild fields, along with many a ruined farmhouse. However, there are a few still standing smallholdings, and signs of habitation as far as a mile away from the village. Farms are well reinforced and boarded up, and Rovana can see a few peasants tending to their small plots. When they see someone coming up the road, they grab their tools and hurry away indoors. A survival instinct perhaps.

After the farmland, Rovana comes to the stone bridge that spans across a narrow section of the River Ivlis. The river cuts through the valley like a line of cool, winter sky. It is on average 50 feet across, and looks relatively shallow. Fish can be seen swimming in its running water. The companions cross the bridge to the other side, where the grassland gives way to the looming and misty Svalich Woods. They press on for what must be another mile, steadily heading upwards in elevation.

Suddenly, in the middle of the road, the mists coalesce. There is a faint echo of laughter in the air, and the pirate believes that for just the barest of seconds, the mist weaves into the shape of a hand making the middle finger, before the mist itself is parted by the enormous snarling face of a wolf passing through it.

This is no normal wolf, however. It is the size of a horse, and its maw is jagged and drooling. Its eyes blaze with a cruel intelligence.

(Make a perception check! and roll for initiative!)
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Burgeomasters mansion -> Heading out
Tag: DM


"Oh, the veteran pirate captain came later. He taught me all about the code, about what seperates a pirate from a wetter kind of robber." Rovana looked at the weapon for a moment. "I ne'er gave much thought to its design. It has never abandoned me and looks sufficent for a captain to wield, all I cared about. Sure, I questioned what it was, but I rarely saw it wise to share this story with others in an unembelished form. Consider it a sign o' trust. Most of me crew believed I stole it from a drowned king. .. Which is of course nonsense, most Kings have prettier, less functional weaponry on them." Rovana nodded, innocently.

She eyed Joe.. "Bah, nonsense. He be ruffled on a few edges. I too got a scar or two, part of the profession.." She insisted, bagging the map if Jasmina did not want it. She listened to the elfs story curiously.

"A noble, huh? Where I come from nobels are overweight and fall over when ye glare them in the eye with a crossbow pointed at 'em, no offense, but putting to consideration the standard set between you and Strahd, I prefer these kinds, though I guess right now I should be grateful."

Rovana listened curiously, casting a glance over the shallow river. If she remembered the elfs story right, this river could be just as good a hiding place as a fortified mansion.. "A story for a story then, tell me what yer heirloom was and I shall continue mine story. I wont lie, I see some kinship in the Baron. A pirate rules through fear but.. even though there be little in the code to oppose him, it just ain't feeling fullsome apropriate, ya keen. What point is there in robbing those that have nothing to begin with? It'd be a waste of good piratin', Captain Crow'd say..." Rovana eyed the coalescing mists with an annoyed worry, reflexively responding to the rude gesture in kind. Jasmina could meanwhile observe an interesting change up close. The pirate was clearly intimidated. Worried for her life, infact, there was even small, hopeful glance over to her. 'She can fight better than I. She can take this wolf down for me' she must be thinking. But that barely lasted a moment, without being close to her, no, for most humans perception, too fast to even notice. It was as if Rovana noticed her own fear, got annoyed by it, and turned it around to wield it as a weapon against her enemies.

"Upon me life, how big do ye grow the mutts these parts!" She hesitated right after, looking at the beast, reaching for her cutlass. "Good." Drawing her weapon, she grinned at the beast, pulling out her cutlass, lowering it to scrape its tip over the ground.. beginning to hum, seeming to almost relish the encounter before her.

"Means ye'll be hard for the missing. A'ight mutt, you seem smarter than this." She growled at the beast, her sword hand twitching. "Ya want any of this for dinner, ye be ready ta pay the prize." She raised her blade, pointing at the wolfs head. "Soon as ya come a step closer, I'll be taking yer eye." She threatened the wolf, making it clear that she was more angry and annoyed than afraid of it, the glittering of her blades edge matching that in her eyes.

Perception: Roll(1d20)-1:
9,-1
Total:8

Initative:
Roll(1d20)+5:
4,+5
Total:9

Intimidation:
Roll(1d20)+5:
19,+5
Total:24
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Old Svalich Road

"You'll have to explain this code of yours to me at some point then, for a wetter kind of robber is quite what I think a pirate is," Jasmina says unapologetically. "And I appreciate the lack of embellishment in your story. Tall tales grow wearisome when there are worse realities looming around every corner. Still, fine steel doesn't just wash up from the sea everyday."

---

On the road, Jasmina snorts as Rovana talked about her opinion of what a noble was meant to be. Her expression is one of wry amusement.

"You mean you prefer rich, easy targets and are loathe to go up against rulers who have the power and means to personally back up their right to rule?"

Jasmina looks about the woods, squinting as Rovana continues to discuss Strahd and her appraisal of him.

"He introduces himself as a Count. Calling him a baron would be something akin to referring to you as a... erm... first mate or a boatswain. Though you say you see a bit of yourself in him? Haha... pirates and nobles aren't so different as you think. Most of them are just puffed up idiots with not much substance behind their style, but those who know how to wield all their weapons properly - blades, armies, diplomacy - those are ones to be feared.

"But Strahd is different. He doesn't need wealth. What is coin to him? He has unrivaled power without it. Necromancy, sorcery, immortality - what would you do with such things if you were gifted with them? He is a sadist. He chooses to allow hope to trickle into his realm, just enough so that he might extinguish it. It is what he did when he called that mage to his realm. Strahd wanted the wizard to give the people hope. All the better to sweeten their despair with the magic-user's defeat."


Rovana asks her question about Jasmina's heirloom, but at that point the elf again looks around the woods, concern more evident in her glowing, haunted eyes. Then the mists form and reveal the slavering direwolf.

It growls as Rovana makes her threats, perhaps not having noticed the split second of genuine fear in the pirate's visage, for at the conclusion of her speech it shies away just for a split second. Seeing this, Jasmina unsheathes her sword and dives forward, slashing her blade before her.

The direwolf is unsteady and caught on the backfoot. It ducks the first slice, but this was a feint, and the elf warrior bites into its matted fur with a criss-cross cut from her longsword. The wolf howls and backs away another half step, giving Rovana an opening if she wants to take it.

[Rovana acts before the wolf]
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Old Svalich Road, Misty trouble
Tag: DM


"Well, truly with you as temporary crewmember it is your right and duty to hear of the code. It was quite the effort not to embelish any stories soforth. There nay be an issue with easy targets! Though, Nobles may wield diplomacy, us pirates wield bravado and intimidation. As for him introducing himelf as count.. I know." Rovana grinned slightly. She actually did not, but did not mind being a bit insulting to the Count either.

"What would I do with such things? The same I've always been doing, forever! Though I reckon I could get a fancier ship.. Nothing wrong with the Reaver that is to say, but its a bit of a wreck right now, on account of having been wrecked in a.. diplomatic incident" Rovana mused, but was shaken out of these musings by the Dire wolfs apperance.

Rovana grins at the elfs powerful attack.. shame shes just a temporary crewmember, she notes, before dashing forwards, her own cutlass drawn. That said, she feels kind of bad for hitting the creature, now that its already injured and backing off, so her swing is less to hit the creature, more to nonlethally shoo it away. (total attack roll of 7, thats not gonna hit. ^^)
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Old Svalich Road

The wolf stumbles backwards, snarling, unhappy at being overwhelmed. It howls loudly, dodging Rovana's attack but slinking away and withdrawing further down the road, its black fur now dripping with dark blood.

"You don't get away that easily!" Jasmina cackles, a mad light of battle thirst glowing in her eyes. The noble elf, upon the cusp of victory, looks more animalistic and feral than her otherwise well-to-do bearing suggests. Gripping her blade in both hands, she hacks wildly in a fury of blows, missing once, then twice, but on the third time whirling around and slicing the creature across its neck, causing a cascade of blood to flow down the front of its body as it falls, half decapitated to the earth.

Jasmina looks exalted and grins widely back at Rovana.

"And that is why you can't be too careful on these --!!"

A second dire wolf, as large as the first, leaps out of the foliage on the right of the path and dives into the elf, catching her off guard. She has time only to raise her off hand and grimace in pain as the wolf bites down hard on the leather armguard, its momentum carrying the elf into the far side of path, past the treeline. She stumbles, but manages to keep her footing and avoid falling prone.

A crashing sound from her left alerts Rovana to another danger, as a third dire wolf heads straight for her, charging. It is about 15 feet away from her and closing fast. The pirate knows that the other wolf is keeping Jasmina busy, and that she may have to deal with this one on her own, but at least she wasn't surprised and has time to react!
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Old Svalich Road, Misty trouble


"Well you showed that one me hearty, such a mutt is no threat to the great Captain Rovana and her crew, ..." Rovana grinned but shifted, then jerked back when a second wolf pounced the elf, who was now occupied, leaving Rovana to face a third.

She took one look at the horse-sized canine, a look over to her companion, then she eeped, and rushed away from the beast charging after her. "On second thought, they can be somewhat threatening." Rovana reached out towards the nearest tree mid run, hooking her blade into it and using her own momentum to twirl around the tree trunk, coming back out on the other side with a grin and her loaded crossbow drawn. "Time to housebreak you." She commented, before letting loose a bolt.

Move and bonus move action to move behind an obstacle and get some distance, then, attack for:

Roll(1d20)+5:
14,+5
Total:19

For Damage:
Roll(3d6)+3:
5,1,2,+3
Total:11
 
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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)

Off the path, Svalich Woods

The wolf comes bounding after Rovana quickly, its jaws slavering. The pirate legs it off the road on the opposite side, putting as much distance as she can between her and the beast while unhooking her hand crossbow. As she hears the beast coming up behind her she sticks out her left hand and transitions her forward momentum into a circular trajectory, revolving around the trunk of a young beech fir - though the rough bark is painful and splintery as she spins on it. Her crossbow held out in a locked arm position, she fires and lets loose a bolt into the wolf. The beast howls pitifully as the missile hits home, but the creature is strong enough to endure it.

Its quick speed allows it to catch up with Rovana, but the pirate did create enough of an opportunity to get in another action before it tries to sink its teeth into her.

In order to put as much distance as possible between you and the wolf, you head 60ft into the woods. The terrain is rocky and difficult if you go much further into the woods as they get quite thick.

The wolf is five feet from you, in between yourself and the way back to the road. It looks hurt.
 

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Re: A Pirate's (Un)Life for me! (Rovana)


Captain Rovana
Old Svalich Road, Big bad wolf meeting


"With a hii hii hoo and a hii hii hey!" Rovana hummed, twirling her blade. "We're hoisting the flag to be free" She cut at the wolfs eye, smirking with determination. "We will steal the show, Jolly Rogers go" She dropped her crossbow, instead reaching out for a low hanging branch, trying to swing herself up on the tree, while thinking 'Can wolves climb? I think They can't' and going on with a triumphant grin towards the wolf: "We are wolves of the sea!"

( song inspiration! )

(Them rolls:
Attack roll:
Roll(1d20)+5:
20,+5
Total:25
oook.

Damage critical then:
Roll(4d6)+0:
4,6,5,1,+0
Total:16
plus
Roll(2d8)+0:
2,8,+0
Total:10
+3
Total 29 Damage

Double move action plus acrobatics to climb the tree:
Roll(1d20)+5:
19,+5
Total:24

Aww.. and losing to the wolf could have been kinky. Oh well, they need to sent a tougher, more well hun.. errr.. challenging wolf then! Wait, I have an idea.. presuming the wolf got heavily injured, but not killded yet. ^^

Rovana reached out to draw a light dagger, aiming to throw it and take out her wolfish antagonist when she realized that she had actually hit that creature rather nastily. "That be it ye slovenly landlubbers?" She taunted the mists that had spat out the first wolf before her. "A bunch of overgrown mutts? My hair must look quite cottoney today, for someone to think I'd be scared by such!" She focused back on the wolf, aiming at it.

"Piracy rules be simple, many a men has to understand them, some men be barely as smart as ye I reckon. So I make this simple." She raised her voice and focused on the wolf, pointing, with all the authority of a pirate captain: "DOWN, boy, or DIE!"

(Charisma in place of handle animal: )
Roll(1d20)+2:
9,+2
Total:11
 
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