RE: Wings of Fury 2
12-08-2021, 08:49 PM
(This post was last modified: 12-09-2021, 02:10 AM by Galloglasses.)
[Posting this here for posterity]
Name: N'Darr Stringstorm (Merchant name is Johnny Longfellow for his less dodgy enterprises in civilized ports)
Species: Yarr matey (Human)
Song: Third Song - The Song of Emotion and Being
Age: 27
Origin: N'Darr hails from the island of Gamtreeny. Specifically its main port city of Godsfavour.
Home: Gamtreeny was founded by the original settlers of what would later be its capital city of Godsfavour, named such in gratitude for surviving the unprecedented storm that had obliterated a Taagan naval flotilla a few centuries ago. Ever since then its been a port of call of just about everyone shit out of luck in the Sea of Galliel, a place of refuge and desperate last chances before one pulled the pin and jumped at whatever last desperate opportunity presented itself to them. As such it more or less collected virtually everyone imaginable over the centuries and its somewhat dodgy reputation despite being a civilized port of call in the Sea of Galliel. Thus it has gained it a reputation of being a Grey market where the upright world interacts with the seedy underbelly of the seas, a gobetween place for merchants, fences, thieves, assassins, privateers, naval admirals, nobles and yes, even the occasional pirate if they behave. An open secret to anyone who knows about the place and something of which its confident and cocksure natives are frustratingly proud about. Gamtreeny is ruled by a council of guilds and extracts 'tax' from the various illegal settlements and winter quarters that constantly pop up across the island, so long as your due was paid, no one gave a shit why your crew was settling in on the far side of the island for. An inefficient and ineffectual government, law is very much a mercenary's game and residents have long since learned to play an efficient game of competitive bidding to buy this or that mercenary company's garrison to police the capital city to keep local gangs in check, with the mercenary bands unfamiliarity with Godsfavour's socio-political ecosystem guaranteeing a degree of capriciousness on the part of the mercs, but also guaranteeing brutal suppression of the gangs they had no reason to fear. Located in the Sea of Galliel, it was mostly safe from the worst of piratical raider and the wrath of the three great naval powers, but not always.
Appearance: Tall and rakishly thin, a man of wiry muscle and sunburnt skin, his sharp featured face framed by long dark hair. He possesses piercing, ice blue eyes that seem wildly out of place on him, an aquiline nose that has been broken and set in place again too many times to count, a long scar running from his chin up to behind his left ear giving a dangerous edge to his perpetual, cocksure grin. A man of expensive tastes hampered by the unfortunately frugal reality of being a ship captain and pirate hunter, he tends towards flashy outfits made from hardspun, tough material that'd never be acceptable in high society but damn does it look good mid-ship battle and more than once it made an otherwise lethal saber slash a mere shallow cut. He even wears a damn eyepatch, albeit, its centre is made of considerably thinner material allowing him to see through it to a limited extent as he has two perfectly functioning eyes. He'd just be damned if he was going to be seen fighting without it.
Personality: N'Darr Stringstorm could never refuse a challenge and that has always been his problem and, quite literally, the only reason he got into the pirate hunting business to begin with. Proud, confident, defiant and ever hungry for greater glory, about the only thing one could really rely on him for was keeping his word, which he always did with an almost religious fervor. Fully believing it was what really set him apart from the scum he more than happily washes from the face of the ocean. Albeit scum he has, on more than one occasion worked for or with, depending on the job, the pay and wether he was free that month or not. His reputation being what it is, he could be relied upon to fulfill his side of any given contract if it were possible.
Biography: N'Darr Stringstorm was a dime a dozen story if ever there was one in Godsfavour. A street urchin who made his way up in life with oddjobs, the occasional burst of criminality and, eventually, as a deckhand on passing ships. A devotee of the Third Song, N'Darr was a popular bard and performer amongst the various crews of passing ships and patrons of the watering holes of Godsfavour, equal parts skilled in various instruments as well as illusions. This soon translated to him being more than capable of putting on miniature stageplays starring just himself and whatever props a tavern could spare. Of course being one man shows, these were often short affairs of bawdy character and crude humour which more than suited his clientele's tastes. And when it didn't, well, he had to learn how to fight somewhere, what better place to start at the ripe old age of 16 when he mocked a particularly piratical captain's farcical history and promptly got the absolute shitkicking of his life delivered to him?
Had that been all there was to it, he would have taken his beating like a man and moved on, but oh no. Said captain, a one 'Jumping Jos'en', made the mistake of spitting on the beaten youth and telling him he could never hope to half the legend Jumpin Jos'en was.
So of course N'Darr took that personally.
Taking his savings and begin applying himself not only to the Third Song but learning the trade of seafaring more seriously beyond his own experiences as a deckhand. N'Darr Stringstorm begin learning the art of cannon and blade from all and sundry who'd deign to teach him. Many of whom would gladly do so for, quite literally, the price of a song hyping up their own reputations. It wasn't long before N'Darr started getting into more fights, sometimes over something as stupid as drink and coin, and sometimes very deliberately when he didn't quite like the cut of someone's jib. He learned fast and learned hard, learning how to mix in his own talents of the third song for misdirection and illusion to assist him in his battles, growing more prideful with every victory and more willful with every time he had to drag himself, spitting from the mud of defeat.
It took some time, four years to be exact but who's counting, but eventually, by hook or by crook, he had his first ship, a light sloop by the name of the Fern Farer, apparently it had once belonged to a druid but it'd be lost by the end of N'Darr's first successful hunt. N'Darr and his erstwhile crew of close friends boarded the ship of Jumping Jos'en, an audacious act given it was a week at sea, at night, and N'Darr himself had nearly killed himself disguising the ship as simple heathaze on the horizon when on approach for days on end. They had taken the pirates by surprise, dispatching the night crew and promptly taking both captain and Quartermaster captive, before the sleeping pirates below deck had time to put their boots on, N'Darr's mastery of the Third Song, pushing his allies to greater heights of daring and slowing the response and efficacy of the pirates.
By week's end, N'Darr had claimed the ship as a prize and the pirate Captain and his crew had been delivered into the hands of the Onaran republic. And as he and his crew celebrated the gold bounty and the new ship, N'Darr found he liked the taste of glory and gold, the infamy and challenge of bushwhacking the bandit lords of the high seas, and singing the songs of victory over rum and sherry. Spending the next seven years of his life surpassing Jos'en's legend with his own, carving a bloody swath through the various pirates and privateers of the open seas.
What more could he want?
Important Skills: N'Darr can play almost any instrument you put in front of him but he prefers the fiddle and flute, fitting for a bard. But more importantly, N'Darr has extensive skills in navigation, logistics, ship maintenance, carpentry and basic blacksmithing. All skills useful when you run a ship small enough to demand all hands attend to its needs, including the captain's. A skilled swordsman, N'Darr prefers fighting with a saber in one hand and a dagger in the other, preferring to catch and disarm his opponents and the advantages of parrying the dagger gives him.
A skilled negotiator and charmer, he could talk his way out of most situations. He just chooses not to. Preferring instead the path of aggressive confidence in all things, an approach that has gotten him into a lot of trouble but more often than not, resulted in him getting deals and concessions he otherwise would never have gotten had he not been as forceful a personality.
Needless to say, Stringstorm is a very strong swimmer, as it pays to be when you're a sailor, and greatly enjoys excursions beneath the waves whenever they stop by new places. Thoroughly believing you could tell the character and omens of an island by studying the sea life near its coast with your own eyes. A superstition he picked up some time ago but he could not tell you when or where.
Important People: Greencandle - For as long as he knew her, Greencandle only ever went by her moniker. A dour human woman, it was her logistical know-how that guaranteed the success of his first pirate hunt, so he convinced her to stay on as their ship's quartermaster. A fantastic bookkeeper and her stern glare unnerves any of the more unruly deckhand who think they can pull a fast one on her. N'Darr has tried his damndest to include her in the crew's various revelries and try to get her to smile for once in her damn life. He hasn't succeeded, however. - First Song wielder.
Doken 'Doc' Doxtrikt - A remarkably skilled Goblin surgeon, Doken was originally a literal butcher before fate threw him into the hands of N'Darr's crew when he failed to pay his extortionate protection fee to a local gang one too many times. Possessing absolutely no formal education and most certainly no talent with the Second Song whatsoever, he is, nevertheless, disturbingly talented at keeping the crew patched together. The less asked about why this is the easier time everyone has sleeping at night. He also pulls double shift as the ship's barber.
Perchee 'Penny Pincher' Fassletoff - A Fourth Song User and the Crew's top marksman. Perchee was part of N'Darr's original crew and his oldest friend, it was his dead eye aim, even in the dead of night that had saved N'Darr's life from an avenging Jos'en who had gotten loss of his bonds when N'Darr had been distracted. Its his judgement the crew trusts when it comes to when and where to fire the first volley of cannonade when it comes time for battle. He has a bad gambling problem and more than once N'Darr has had to bail him out of debtor's prison when they stay ashore too long.
N'Darr is fond of all of his crew, but over the years those three have stuck around the longest, the rest often coming and going.
Inventory: 'The Stormstrider' - The first prize ship N'Darr ever won and a physical embodiment of the challenge he poses to all that crosses his path. A boast that not only will he beat you, he'll take your stuff too. His pride and joy, the ship, originally belonging to Jumping Jos'en, has been heavily modified over the years, lovingly cared for and improved, it is a low profile, extremely fast and maneuverable vessel. What it lacks in overall broadside fire power it makes up for with hull integrity. With thick iron bands bolted to critical junctures to prevent hull collapse when heavily damaged while leaving most of the remaining wood of the ship exposed. A worthwhile compromise between speed and strength allowing the Stormstrider to survive engagements it really shouldn't, and come out on top time and time again.
Name: N'Darr Stringstorm (Merchant name is Johnny Longfellow for his less dodgy enterprises in civilized ports)
Species: Yarr matey (Human)
Song: Third Song - The Song of Emotion and Being
Age: 27
Origin: N'Darr hails from the island of Gamtreeny. Specifically its main port city of Godsfavour.
Home: Gamtreeny was founded by the original settlers of what would later be its capital city of Godsfavour, named such in gratitude for surviving the unprecedented storm that had obliterated a Taagan naval flotilla a few centuries ago. Ever since then its been a port of call of just about everyone shit out of luck in the Sea of Galliel, a place of refuge and desperate last chances before one pulled the pin and jumped at whatever last desperate opportunity presented itself to them. As such it more or less collected virtually everyone imaginable over the centuries and its somewhat dodgy reputation despite being a civilized port of call in the Sea of Galliel. Thus it has gained it a reputation of being a Grey market where the upright world interacts with the seedy underbelly of the seas, a gobetween place for merchants, fences, thieves, assassins, privateers, naval admirals, nobles and yes, even the occasional pirate if they behave. An open secret to anyone who knows about the place and something of which its confident and cocksure natives are frustratingly proud about. Gamtreeny is ruled by a council of guilds and extracts 'tax' from the various illegal settlements and winter quarters that constantly pop up across the island, so long as your due was paid, no one gave a shit why your crew was settling in on the far side of the island for. An inefficient and ineffectual government, law is very much a mercenary's game and residents have long since learned to play an efficient game of competitive bidding to buy this or that mercenary company's garrison to police the capital city to keep local gangs in check, with the mercenary bands unfamiliarity with Godsfavour's socio-political ecosystem guaranteeing a degree of capriciousness on the part of the mercs, but also guaranteeing brutal suppression of the gangs they had no reason to fear. Located in the Sea of Galliel, it was mostly safe from the worst of piratical raider and the wrath of the three great naval powers, but not always.
Appearance: Tall and rakishly thin, a man of wiry muscle and sunburnt skin, his sharp featured face framed by long dark hair. He possesses piercing, ice blue eyes that seem wildly out of place on him, an aquiline nose that has been broken and set in place again too many times to count, a long scar running from his chin up to behind his left ear giving a dangerous edge to his perpetual, cocksure grin. A man of expensive tastes hampered by the unfortunately frugal reality of being a ship captain and pirate hunter, he tends towards flashy outfits made from hardspun, tough material that'd never be acceptable in high society but damn does it look good mid-ship battle and more than once it made an otherwise lethal saber slash a mere shallow cut. He even wears a damn eyepatch, albeit, its centre is made of considerably thinner material allowing him to see through it to a limited extent as he has two perfectly functioning eyes. He'd just be damned if he was going to be seen fighting without it.
Personality: N'Darr Stringstorm could never refuse a challenge and that has always been his problem and, quite literally, the only reason he got into the pirate hunting business to begin with. Proud, confident, defiant and ever hungry for greater glory, about the only thing one could really rely on him for was keeping his word, which he always did with an almost religious fervor. Fully believing it was what really set him apart from the scum he more than happily washes from the face of the ocean. Albeit scum he has, on more than one occasion worked for or with, depending on the job, the pay and wether he was free that month or not. His reputation being what it is, he could be relied upon to fulfill his side of any given contract if it were possible.
Biography: N'Darr Stringstorm was a dime a dozen story if ever there was one in Godsfavour. A street urchin who made his way up in life with oddjobs, the occasional burst of criminality and, eventually, as a deckhand on passing ships. A devotee of the Third Song, N'Darr was a popular bard and performer amongst the various crews of passing ships and patrons of the watering holes of Godsfavour, equal parts skilled in various instruments as well as illusions. This soon translated to him being more than capable of putting on miniature stageplays starring just himself and whatever props a tavern could spare. Of course being one man shows, these were often short affairs of bawdy character and crude humour which more than suited his clientele's tastes. And when it didn't, well, he had to learn how to fight somewhere, what better place to start at the ripe old age of 16 when he mocked a particularly piratical captain's farcical history and promptly got the absolute shitkicking of his life delivered to him?
Had that been all there was to it, he would have taken his beating like a man and moved on, but oh no. Said captain, a one 'Jumping Jos'en', made the mistake of spitting on the beaten youth and telling him he could never hope to half the legend Jumpin Jos'en was.
So of course N'Darr took that personally.
Taking his savings and begin applying himself not only to the Third Song but learning the trade of seafaring more seriously beyond his own experiences as a deckhand. N'Darr Stringstorm begin learning the art of cannon and blade from all and sundry who'd deign to teach him. Many of whom would gladly do so for, quite literally, the price of a song hyping up their own reputations. It wasn't long before N'Darr started getting into more fights, sometimes over something as stupid as drink and coin, and sometimes very deliberately when he didn't quite like the cut of someone's jib. He learned fast and learned hard, learning how to mix in his own talents of the third song for misdirection and illusion to assist him in his battles, growing more prideful with every victory and more willful with every time he had to drag himself, spitting from the mud of defeat.
It took some time, four years to be exact but who's counting, but eventually, by hook or by crook, he had his first ship, a light sloop by the name of the Fern Farer, apparently it had once belonged to a druid but it'd be lost by the end of N'Darr's first successful hunt. N'Darr and his erstwhile crew of close friends boarded the ship of Jumping Jos'en, an audacious act given it was a week at sea, at night, and N'Darr himself had nearly killed himself disguising the ship as simple heathaze on the horizon when on approach for days on end. They had taken the pirates by surprise, dispatching the night crew and promptly taking both captain and Quartermaster captive, before the sleeping pirates below deck had time to put their boots on, N'Darr's mastery of the Third Song, pushing his allies to greater heights of daring and slowing the response and efficacy of the pirates.
By week's end, N'Darr had claimed the ship as a prize and the pirate Captain and his crew had been delivered into the hands of the Onaran republic. And as he and his crew celebrated the gold bounty and the new ship, N'Darr found he liked the taste of glory and gold, the infamy and challenge of bushwhacking the bandit lords of the high seas, and singing the songs of victory over rum and sherry. Spending the next seven years of his life surpassing Jos'en's legend with his own, carving a bloody swath through the various pirates and privateers of the open seas.
What more could he want?
Important Skills: N'Darr can play almost any instrument you put in front of him but he prefers the fiddle and flute, fitting for a bard. But more importantly, N'Darr has extensive skills in navigation, logistics, ship maintenance, carpentry and basic blacksmithing. All skills useful when you run a ship small enough to demand all hands attend to its needs, including the captain's. A skilled swordsman, N'Darr prefers fighting with a saber in one hand and a dagger in the other, preferring to catch and disarm his opponents and the advantages of parrying the dagger gives him.
A skilled negotiator and charmer, he could talk his way out of most situations. He just chooses not to. Preferring instead the path of aggressive confidence in all things, an approach that has gotten him into a lot of trouble but more often than not, resulted in him getting deals and concessions he otherwise would never have gotten had he not been as forceful a personality.
Needless to say, Stringstorm is a very strong swimmer, as it pays to be when you're a sailor, and greatly enjoys excursions beneath the waves whenever they stop by new places. Thoroughly believing you could tell the character and omens of an island by studying the sea life near its coast with your own eyes. A superstition he picked up some time ago but he could not tell you when or where.
Important People: Greencandle - For as long as he knew her, Greencandle only ever went by her moniker. A dour human woman, it was her logistical know-how that guaranteed the success of his first pirate hunt, so he convinced her to stay on as their ship's quartermaster. A fantastic bookkeeper and her stern glare unnerves any of the more unruly deckhand who think they can pull a fast one on her. N'Darr has tried his damndest to include her in the crew's various revelries and try to get her to smile for once in her damn life. He hasn't succeeded, however. - First Song wielder.
Doken 'Doc' Doxtrikt - A remarkably skilled Goblin surgeon, Doken was originally a literal butcher before fate threw him into the hands of N'Darr's crew when he failed to pay his extortionate protection fee to a local gang one too many times. Possessing absolutely no formal education and most certainly no talent with the Second Song whatsoever, he is, nevertheless, disturbingly talented at keeping the crew patched together. The less asked about why this is the easier time everyone has sleeping at night. He also pulls double shift as the ship's barber.
Perchee 'Penny Pincher' Fassletoff - A Fourth Song User and the Crew's top marksman. Perchee was part of N'Darr's original crew and his oldest friend, it was his dead eye aim, even in the dead of night that had saved N'Darr's life from an avenging Jos'en who had gotten loss of his bonds when N'Darr had been distracted. Its his judgement the crew trusts when it comes to when and where to fire the first volley of cannonade when it comes time for battle. He has a bad gambling problem and more than once N'Darr has had to bail him out of debtor's prison when they stay ashore too long.
N'Darr is fond of all of his crew, but over the years those three have stuck around the longest, the rest often coming and going.
Inventory: 'The Stormstrider' - The first prize ship N'Darr ever won and a physical embodiment of the challenge he poses to all that crosses his path. A boast that not only will he beat you, he'll take your stuff too. His pride and joy, the ship, originally belonging to Jumping Jos'en, has been heavily modified over the years, lovingly cared for and improved, it is a low profile, extremely fast and maneuverable vessel. What it lacks in overall broadside fire power it makes up for with hull integrity. With thick iron bands bolted to critical junctures to prevent hull collapse when heavily damaged while leaving most of the remaining wood of the ship exposed. A worthwhile compromise between speed and strength allowing the Stormstrider to survive engagements it really shouldn't, and come out on top time and time again.