JÜÍL _
5. Fórmulas explícitas
Advantages: Eisen (R/W), Montaigne (R/W), Commission (Montaigne Navy), Dracheneisen (Breastplate, Arm Guard (1), Gauntlet (1), Leg Guard (1)), Indomitable Will, Noble, Scoundrel, Toughness
Courtier: Dancing 2, Etiquette 3, Fashion 3, Oratory 4, Politics 3, Sincerity 4
Commander: Ambush 3, Cartography 5, Gunnery 5, Incitation 4, Leadership 4, Logistics 5, Strategy 4, Tactics 5
Eisenfaust (Master): Beat (Heavy Weapon) 5, Bind (Panzerhand) 5, Disarm (Panzerhand) 5, Exploit Weakness (Eisenfaust) 5
Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 4, Reload (Firearms) 4
Heavy Weapon: Attack (Heavy Weapon) 5, Parry (Heavy Weapon) 3 several years. The two of them were determined to forge a united Eisen no matter what the cost.
Towards the end of the war, Heinrich began negotiations with a number of other extremely powerful nobles to try to bring about a united peace. Each of them seemed interested solely in their own power and position. Every one of them
wanted a strong united Eisen, but none of them was willing to make the necessary sacrifices.
Heinrich worked desperately to find a solution, but none came. In the end, Castille and Montaigne invaded, Eisen fell apart, and the Imperator hanged himself.
Heinrich was delayed in returning home, and by the time he reached his lord, Sieger had taken steps to ensure that Castille would never claim his lands. He burned his fields and salted the earth of his territory, including the province belonging to Baron von Stutten. This was too much for him.
The bitter fighting and petty squabbling had earned him nothing but heartbreak. He buried his armor and left his lands for whichever faction wanted it. He traveled across Théah as a common mercenary known only as the General.
The Empereur of Montaigne found him as he was serving some minor contract for a local marquis. In a fit of pique, the ruler placed the General in charge of the entire Montaigne navy for the sole purpose of hunting down pirates. The general was shocked, but the money was too good to pass up. If Léon wanted him to be a sailor, a sailor he would be.
Initially, the General hated the pretentious manners of his ridiculous officers and the preposterous name for his flagship. He took out his frustrations on his crew, who learned to hate him with an unbridled passion. As time went on, however, his attitude slowly changed. He found himself respecting the crew for the honor and nobility they displayed despite their circumstances. For their part, they slowly began to see through his cruelty to the keen military mind beneath Together, they formed a formidable team, and under his direction, the fleet became a potent force in a very short time. He was remarkably successful against the Avalon Sea Dogs and other common pirates. He had turned his attention to the Brotherhood of the Coast, who had just made a daring raid of a Montaigne noble’s home when the Castillian Armada attacked. The Montaigne blockade — undermanned since l’Empereur’s command to “hunt pirates” — simply dissolved before the powerful attack. Before the day was out, Admiral Valoix had taken command of the navy, and restricted the General’s command to a single boat.
Then the Inquisition found him. They offered him a chestful of guilders if he would betray the crew of his ship. In deep despair over the loss of his command and feeling betrayed by his
But by the time of the meeting, he had changed his mind. Months in the navy had reawakened the spark of his old honor, and he would not betray the loyal men beneath him. He loaded up the chestful of guilders into a cannon and fired it at Orduño’s galleon. Orduño was so impressed by the man’s honor and courage that he refused to give chase. The Inquisition needed a scapegoat for their plan’s failure and they chose Orduño.
The General was not done, however. With a newfound sense of purpose and a desire to repay Orduño’s gesture, he reclaimed his armor and set out a call to his old crew to rejoin him. Not only did many Montaigne sailors return to his side, but the Eisen soldiers beneath his command pledged themselves to his cause as well.
With the return of his men, his armor and his lost honor, accepted a plea from the Orduño’s wife to rescue the Admiral from the clutches of the Inquisition. His plan was daring and audacious, resulting both in the recovery of Orduño and the disappearance of the General’s ship into a massive Porté hole (detailed in Chapter One). He has not been seen since, but those who know him do not believe that he is dead. Nothing is impossible for one such as he.
Advantages: Avalon, Castille (R/W), Montaigne (R/W), Théah (R/W), Commission (Montaigne Navy), Keen Senses, Montaigne Accent (South), Noble
Courtier: Dancing 2, Diplomacy 5, Etiquette 4, Fashion 5, Gaming 4, Gossip 4, Mooch 5, Oratory 5, Sincerity 5
Criminal: Gambling 5, Quack 1, Shadowing 2, Stealth 4
Performer: Acting 3, Cold Read 5, Dancing 2, Oratory 5, Singing 2, Storytelling 5
Sailor: Balance 4, Climbing 3, Knotwork 2, Navigation 4, Pilot 4, Rigging 2
Athlete: Climbing 3, Footwork 4, Sidestep 4, Sprinting 2, Swimming 4, Throwing 3
Captain: Ambush 3, Bribery 4, Incitation 4, Logistics 3, Strategy 4, Tactics 4
A year ago, Alazais Valoix Praisse du Rachetisse III was the High Admiral of the Montaigne Fleet and one of the most desirable guests at any party hosted in Charouse. He was an excellent gambler, a good dancer and a pleasant companion. His tales of swashbuckling and glowing reports of naval supremacy gained him friends among the nobles and ensured his position. A book of short stories had just been published collecting many of his more exotic tales, including one which described how he won the High Admiralship of the Fleet in a games of Squares with l’Empereur. His only concern was the time limit that l’Empereur had set him: rid Montaigne waters of piracy by 1670 or die (the order seemed particularly foolish considering that Montaigne was at war with Castille and the navy was engaged in a tenuous blockade at the same time). Still Alazais was living a high life of prestige and privilege and loving every moment of it.
That all ended when Enrique Orduño set out with his Armada from the Castillian harbor of San Felipe. Under cover of fog, they crept up to the Montaigne blockade and attacked without warning. Alazais’s first warning came from dozens of Porté sorcerers appearing in the naval offices covered in blood and screaming of an attack. By then it was too late. The finest communications network in Théah enabled Alazais to save the fleet, but the blockade was lost and the ships were scattered across the sea.
His head still reeling with the swiftness of the attack, Alazais received a midnight visit in his apartments from Remy du Montaigne, l’Empereur’s personal bodyguard. Remy ripped open a bloody, screaming Porté opening, then grabbed Alazais’
hand and pulled him in.
Alazais himself had no Porté powers, and always found traveling by Porté a discomforting experience. Once inside the Portal, it was everything he remembered: the cold, clammy feel of blood upon his limbs. The unearthly screams from all around. The necessity to keep his eyes sealed shut. The knowledge that something terrible happened to those who opened their eyes.
Alazais had traveled by Portal before. But he had never felt the sorcerer’s hand slip away from his own.
The screams around him rose in intensity and he felt something brush up against him. Blood
fought the urge to open his eyes. Things began caressing him and promising him unholy pleasures if he would only look upon them. The cold, clammy blood seeped through his lacy clothes and into his skin. He laughed hysterically.
He screamed. He promised his soul to unholy powers. But still he kept his eyes screwed shut.
After an eternity of this, he felt something grab him around the wrist and pull him forward. Then the screams ended and light fell upon his face.
He was covered head to toe in the unnatural blood of the Portal and it dripped off of him onto the floor of a Montaigne ship of the line’s cabin.
Remy du Montaigne stood in front of him with a moue of distaste. “L’Empereur trusts that this taste of his displeasure will convince you of his seriousness,” he sniffed. “You will destroy Castille for embarrassing us, or your death will not await 1670. You will find it much sooner.” Then Remy turned, ripped upon another Portal and strode into it. Alazais fell screaming at the sight, which was how the surprised servant found him minutes later. Alazais immediately regained his composure and ordered a bath and a cat o’ nine tails. The servant brought him both. Alazais beat the poor man to death and then bathed.
Alazais has not returned to land since the night the blockade was destroyed. He has thrown himself into personal command of the Montaigne Fleet with a passion. He stripped the General of command and transferred all of his men to other boats. He has ordered the bombing of every Castillian church or noble’s home. He has sent messengers bearing fingers of loved ones to those who oppose him. He has pressed into service every beggar, lunatic or criminal he could find. He is determined to defeat the Castillians at any cost.
He has beaten every man who contradicted him in even small matters. Several powerful nobles were outraged to be struck with a whip, but the madness in the Admiral’s eyes kept them transfixed.
His madness holds him in an unyielding grip.
The only time a portal opened within his sight, he curled into a ball and whimpered for almost half an hour before arising. Every night he returns to his private bedroom and scrubs himself with boiling water by the light of a dozen lanterns. He still sees blood on every inch of his body and it won’t come off no matter how much he scrubs.
His skin is red and cracked from this abuse, but he doesn’t feel any of the pain, only the clammy feel of blood trickling through his hair.
Alazais has been completely broken. He will do anything to prevent ever being punished again.
He will destroy all of Castille one man at a time to ensure never passing through another Portal. So far, l’Empereur has not responded to any of his actions, although the fleet has enjoyed a fair amount of success under his crazed ministrations.
Only time will tell what becomes of the madman, and whether he will ever free himself from the horrible punishment his lord has inflicted.
Advantages: Montaigne, Commission (Lieutenant)
Criminal: Ambush 3, Gambling 1, Pickpocket 3, Prestidigitation 4, Quack 1, Scrounging 4, Shadowing 4, Stealth 4
Sailor: Balance 2, Knotwork 3, Navigation 4, Rigging 2, Swimming 3
Servant: Etiquette 1, Fashion 1, Haggling 4, Menial Tasks 3, Unobtrusive 4
Spy: Conceal 3, Poison 2
Streetwise: Socializing 1, Street Navigation 4, Underworld Lore 3
Athlete: Climbing 2, Footwork 2, Sprinting 2, Throwing 3
Dirty Fighting: Attack 4, Attack (Improvised Weapon) 3, Eye-gouge 3, Parry (Improvised Weapon) 4
Porté (Master): Attunement 5, Blooding 5, Bring 5, Pocket 5, Walk 5
Timothy le Beau has no idea who he is. He grew up on the streets of Charouse as an orphan, and survived mostly due to his Porté talent. He took on the name “le Beau” as a badge of honor, having survived life on the streets with nary a scratch to show for it. At the tender age of fifteen, he joined the navy, and his wits, willpower, and amazing skill with the Portal helped him rise rapidly through the ranks. When the General was stripped of his commission, Timothy was transferred to Admiral Valoix. L’Admiral soon
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found that Timothy was as sly, ruthless, and cunning as himself, and made him his first mate.
Unfortunately for Valoix, le Beau’s Porté abilities made him exceedingly uneasy, and the clever sorcerer soon realized that his commander was as mad as a march hare. He returned to the General as soon as was possible, and helped the Eisen engineer Orduño’s rescue.
What Timothy does not know is that he is the illegitimate son of Remy du Montaigne (see the Montaigne sourcebook). His mother, a noblewoman of surpassing beauty, died during childbirth, and Timothy was left to the mercy of the streets. He is probably the strongest Porté sorcerer in three generations. He has inherited all of his father’s speed and grace, and Remy’s softness from a life of luxury is completely absent in Timothy. While he could probably train to be as good a swordsman as his father, he has never had any instruction, and has only recently begun formal learning.
Timothy is young, barely nineteen, but you would not know it to look at him. Any traces of softness or sympathy he might have had as a child are long erased, replaced by a cold and efficient sorcerer. He is not villainous so much as callous.
Timothy is, more than anything else, a survivor, and intends to stay alive for as long as possible.
Everything else is secondary to him.