<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">The Esmeralda</div><div class="spoiler_body">The <em>Esmeralda</em><br/><strong>Cost </strong>10,000 gp<br/><strong>Speed </strong>2 mph<br/><strong>Crew</strong> 20<br/><strong>Passengers </strong>20<br/><strong>Cargo </strong>100 tons<br/><strong>AC </strong>15   <strong>HP </strong>300   <strong>Damage Threshold</strong> 15<br/><br/>The Esmeralda is a standard sailing ship, though at this point it has been refitted to suit the needs of the party. It is run by a skeleton crew, in fact less sailors than required to maintain and operate the ship, so the characters are counted as members of the crew as well and are required to work either on or below deck while on voyages. This gives the party something to do in their offtime, but they can find and recruit more crew later excuse themselves from duty, finding other activities between inland adventures and sea voyages. <br/>Currently there are no passengers on the ship, but it has capacity to ferry a number of people not required to operate and maintain the vessel. The cargo deck is usually packed with some manner of goods, carrying cargo from port to port, making minimal profits as most income is used to pay for the upkeep of the ship and the remaining sailors.<br/>Armor class and hit points aside, the ship also has a stat called damage threshold. This number indicates the minimum damage the vehicle can take. Anythin below this is ignored and considered superficial damage, and damage equaling or exceeding this number is applied in full.<br/><br/>Current crew: 16 sailors +4 player characters</div></div><br/>The Esmeralda was rocking gently, riding the waves peacefully towards her destination. By now the motion ceased to cause seasickness in even the most cringy of land-dwellers, and was only noted as a soothing, constant motion. Soothing compared to what was going on during storms at least.<br/><br/>Before they set out on their current voyage, there have been rumors and leads they investigated and once pooling them, they decided on what to follow up.<br/><br/>Norton of course knew some basics about the three sacred treasures... the artifacts of light scattered around the world, treasured by different cultures. He didn't know their exact nature or function, but he learned about their names at least.<br/><br/>The<em>Song of the Shining Lady</em>, supposedly held by elves of Llyny Vale, deep inland of the landmass far from the main continent. It was supposedly a mostly forested land governed by the long lived race, and and held many ruins of ancient cultures and religions, with its only major port being Llandy, also called the City of Citadels, a grandiose city built by the high elves.<br/><br/>What the called the<em>Visage of the Radiant One</em>was a jealously guarded treasure of desert dwelling folk of Elossis, southwest of Latun, living on a landmass completely surrounded by water, yet desert and covered by sand more so as one moved inland from the shores. The only large city was named after the island itself, Elossis was a port city where the rich thrived in luxurious palaces and estates, while the poor were roaming the cramped streets filled with merchants bazaar.<br/><br/>The<em>Embrace of the Lightmother</em>was the third and final artifact, was supposedly somewhere in Wihleah the City of Oaths, a once proud island nation bound by its code of honor and ruled by a paladin king... in the last few decades society here has grown corrupt and greedy, not caring for the rest of the world while it shut its gates to others pleading for help.<br/><br/>All three of these were supposedly true leads, but none could point at the location of the artifacts precisely. Each port would have its own challenges, its own adventure before the relics could be located and uncovered...<br/><br/>Of course there was also the question of allies, benefactors and people who might know more about fighting shadow, or seeking light. There were powerful individuals in the world, who while commanded great forces and respect, were ultimately powerless against the god of darkness, unable to wield the light of the Radiant Lady.<br/><br/>Thalya when facing the consequences of using her magic before others, often heard whispers of the Masked Mage, a mysterious archwizard dwelling in his tower, the sole structure standing on Ledon Island. While no one knew the identity of this master of magic, it was a solid rumor that he was seeking to master arcane magic and take it away from servants of darkness, making it a tool anyone could use. Some even whispered that this wizard was so old, they were the teacher of the first mages, and the original one grasp the fundamentals of using arcane magic through study and not dark pacts or soul taints. Perhaps such an individual would hold knowledge and powerful treasures that could be useful in the long journey, also making a valuable ally... Though knowledge and magic never come without a price.<br/><br/>Alyssa, during her travels often heard from wandering knights and warriors legends of what they called Weepingstone. First she thought it was a rock people cried over, but she turned out to be mistaken. Belaim Weepingstone was a master dwarven smith, taking up the name after forging his lifework, an axe so incredible it could split a stone the size of a dwarf in twain, making the rock weep in pain after the strike. The story was clearly exaggerating, but a master dwarven smith could be a valuable ally, and his crafts could prove essential in a war against the humanoid and monstrous creatures that were Tenebrax's minions.<br/><br/>Finally, Al'Rhayel had knowledge of town called Bremoor, living in the shadow of the mountain range deep in the main continent. Supposedly, a great beast comes down from the mountains every half year, and the locals present their largest ox as tribute in exchange for its protection, and a young maiden every four years to win the beast's favor as the guardian of town for another four years. Stories like this were fairly uncommon, but monster attacks in Bremoor's vicinity were almost unheard of. Perhaps the town did possess some kind of guardian beast, one that was willing to negotiate and lend its power to the people?<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Pick one of these leads to follow up on, determining the destination of the party ship. You can proceed interacting and roleplaying before we advance the story :)</div></div>