Kingdoms of Kalamar: The Sins of the Father

[Paper_Bard]

Welcome to the Academy for the Adventurous Heart!

About 150km Northwest of Dakyno, of the Kingdom of Thybaj in the Wild Lands, lies the small town of El’Vakiir. Nestled in the no-mans land between kingdoms of Thybaj and Tharggy, El'Vakiir is a remote and independat town. Normally, a settlement in such a remote place would be easy prey for humanoids and monsters. The town of El’Vakiir, however, is under the watchful eye of Feledar Mokira, a Kalmaran wizard of considerable power.

The academy is nestled in the norther-western section of the town, and enclosed in a ten foot tall stone wall. Most of the adults remember that wall well, they helped build it.

Mokira and a group of adventurers saved the town of El’Vakiir from a band of humanoids twenty years ago. Weary of their adventures, they settled in the town, taking wives (or a husband, in the case of Lady Datyana) of the local populous.

Two of the adventurers, Pitar Sekiti and Ederbren Landhelve, were not content to simply leave the adventuring lifestyle. While they took wives and each fathered a child, they soon grew restless and left the town for the lands to the south, looking for work. They never returned.

Their wives grew to become best friends, and raised their children in close proximity even though the children were of different genders and races. The children naturally grew to be close friends.

Mokira had the townspeople build several buildings. Calling them ‘The Academy for the Adventurous Heart”, he had them enclose it all in a ten foot tall stone wall. He took several children from both the surrounding area and some foreigners with whom he had met as his students and began to teach them the arts of adventuring.

When Kithra and Melchior reached the age of 12, they were also accepted as students. The mothers were at first reluctant, naturally, but soon realized that their children were destined for greater than the little town could otherwise offer.

Many different kinds of students call Feldar Mokira their master. People of all racea and backgrounds are welcome in the academy, provided they can reach the secluded place, though Mokira has used his magic to transport many foreign and strange students to his school. He has also taught several students fighting/magical styles unknown to most of Tellene. In order to appeal to many different religious beliefs, he has shrines to all the good and neutral gods in his academy.

The townspeople are pretty accepting of the school, as it has helped their economy greatly and serves to protect them from humanoids and monsters. Some of the more superstitious Fhokki and Dejy avoid the place, however, making gestures to ward off evil spirits. The Brandobian couple that run the bakery also complain that the academy attracts 'half-blood bastards' and many of the 'lesser races'.

[Paper_Bard]

The Academy

Not sure of the scale quite yet, but that's not important right now

The academy consists of about 55 students (including the players) [though it is a rare sight indeed when everyone is present at the academy at once].

Student Makeup

Spoiler

Show

Gender: 45 Male, 11 Female
Racially:
30 Humans (11 Fhokki, 10 Dejy, 3 Kalamarans, 3 Reanaarians, 1 Svimohjjian)
5 Halfbreeds (2 Half Elves, 1 Half-Orc, 2 Half-Hobgoblins)
2 Hobgoblins
4 Halflings (2 Lighfoot, 2 Golden)
4 Dwarves (2 Hill, 2 Mountain)
4 Gnomes (2 normal, 2 Forest,)
5 Elves (2 High Elves, 1 Gray, 1 Wood, 1 Wild)
1 Kobold

The academy's major personnel are as such:

Feledar Mokira:

Elderly, kind and wizened, he usually spends most of his time in the administrative building, seeing to the day-to-day affairs and greeting visitors. Despite his arcane competency, he lets his personal apprentice, Hostud, run the tower of magic and teach the arcane arts to the students. He has been known to teach techniques to students who show promise (Kithra being one of them).
Race: Human (Kalamaran)
Age: 73

Hostud:

Despite his large stature and even larger hands, Hostud has taken to magic like a fish to water. Aside from Mokira, he is the most powerful mage in the academy. Not much is known about his past, but it is rumoured that his superstitious parents broke all ties to their son after taking him to the academy.
Race: Human (Fokki)
Age: 29

Bajyr:

The world-wise Dejy teaches survival techniques and general wilderness lore. He is also a master of stealth, and has offered 20 gold pieces to the student who can sneak up on him and take the eagle's feather in his hair. No one has succeeded, but a skilled halfling got awfully close. He takes students off on hunting trips now and again. He is also an exceptional archer, and sometimes helps Kurgazz teach archery. He is also the patriarch of the first men's dormitory.
Race: Human (Dejy)
Age: 43

Kurgazz Malzurek:

Strong and proud, this large hobgoblin claims to have served Prince Koron Gabrazel as a personal bodyguard. While many doubt this claim, no one doubts his skill with the blade. And the axe. And just about every martial weapon devised. He teaches the ways of the warrior, combat training, as well as military leadership and other martial skills. He is also the patriarch of the second men's dormitory.
Race: Hobgoblin (Kargi)
Age: 37

Reollain Vaotal:

This small rotund man is an unusual sight in the Wild Lands. With his soft brown eyes, olive skin, and beaming smile, Reollain is a very likable person, if a bit exotic. He wears brightly collared priestly vestments, seemingly a patchwork of seven different deities' colors. It is impossible to discern his true faith, for he claims to worship all the goodly and neutral deities. He certainly shows respect to all the shrines in the Hall of the Gods. He also has a significant library full of religious manuscripts and cannon.
Race: Human (Reanaarian)
Age: 31

Lady Datyanna:

Matron of the women's dormitories, Lady Datyana is one of the original adventurers, the only one aside from Mokira still at the academy. She runs the general-purpose library in the administrative building, and has also chosen to tutor several women in the ways of 'civilized society'. "Just because a woman is a warrior or what have you, does not mean she cannot be ladylike at times." Being of nobility herself, albeit minor, she is well informed of the customs and cultures of many different societies. Despite her age she is still rather beautiful, and always wears noble attire. She is married to a local Dejy man, who despite his lack of noble upbringing, is a very intelligent and civilized man. He often visits the academy, bringing their two daughters with him.
Race: Human (Kalamaran).
Age: 43

Klass Gramdal:

A master craftswoman, Klass creates most of the weapons and armor the students at the academy use. While gruff, she has a good heart. Grass has taken a hobgoblin as an apprentice and despite their races' animosity, gets along well with him.
Race: Dwarven (Hill)
Age: 78

Firthren:

Firthren is the patriarch of the third men's dormitory as well as a teacher of the agile arts. At least, that's what he calls it. Firthren is a bard, and often can be seen 'singing for his supper' at the mess hall. He teaches thievery and music, as well as the social arts (diplomacy, bluff, etc.)
Race: Half Elf (High elf/Dejy)
Age: 45

Currtie Flirnbough:

This small, plump halfling woman runs the mess hall and teaches cooking, cleaning, and domestic crafting. She is well liked by everyone due to her generous helpings. She, her husband, and their numerous children work in the kitchen together, refusing any help from either the staff or the students.
Race: Halfling (Lighftoot)
Age: 49

Matrons and Patriarchs are kind of like 'camp counsellors'. They're somewhat in charge of the students sleeping in their dormitory. They also help keep track of everyone under their care's comings and goings.

[Paper_Bard]

El'Vakiir
Population: 3000 people. (50% Fhokki, 45% Dejy, smatterings of other races and demihumans)
El'Vakiir is run by a council of elders, who are elected in by the townspeople. Technically Mokira is a council member, but he rarely attends, having much on his plate with the academy.
El'Vakiir's main revenue is the academy. Jobs and Marks completed by the students at the academy act as a cash cow. The academy takes 75% of all its students earnings (the tuition is light, after all), 50% of which is paid to the city as a tax. Mokira has no wish for material wealth, and only uses his share to keep the school running. Some of the students have grumbled at their small share, but since they're being trained anyway, most are content to wait until they graduate to make more money.
The students rarely go into town, as few shops or services in town cater to their adventurous lifestyle. Still, the Lamb's Rest tavern receives quite a few patrons after a hard days training at the academy.

[Paper_Bard]

Just a note on the dormitories: Mokira plans to be able to handle a lot more students in the future. Therefore, there are a lot of empty bunks (especially in the men's dormitories), though the students have been relatively evenly spaced out among the dormitories.

The men's dormitories are built like Fhokki longhouses, made of logs imported from the Rokk Wood in eastern Thybajj.
The women's dormitory is made more like a cottage, made of more refined wood and set on a foundation of stone.

It Begins!

All of you wake up to the sounds of birds chirping. It is Fireday the 15th of Mid-Season Harvest, and the warmth of the summer sun streaming through the windows warms your face.

You stretch slowly and without haste, your eyes still closed. There are no lessons this entire week, as the Adventurer Exams will be coming up at the end of the next week. While many of the students use this time for training, you'd much rather use it to relax and unwind. At least for today. You can always train tomorrow.

The smell of breakfast wafts through the window and your stomachs grumble. you don't know how long you've been sleaping, but its probably already 4 bells before noon. (Each hour, the bell at the top of town hall rings, which people use to tell time. The loud ringing even carries to the academy) [so its probably 8am. Since you usually wake up at 6am for your classes, you've all slept in.]

Ysalar is in the first dormitory with Bajyr as his patriarch.
Bragi, Haldor, and Aes are in the second dormitory with Kurgazz as their patriarch.
Melchior and Tatzlwurm are in the third dormitory with Firthren as their patriarch. (Tatzlwurm was officially recognized as a student by Mokira a week ago. He was given a bunk in the dormitory instead of servants quarters in the administrative building).
Kithra, of course, is in the women's dormitory, with Lady Datyana as her matron.

Your respective leaders are not currently in the dormitories, having already eaten and are probably in the administrative building talking with Mokira.

You can RP your way to the mess hall, I'll post then.

[Illiander]

Haldor

*Yaawn* Haldor stretches, and slowly rolls out of his bunk, digs a set of clean clothes out of his pack, and starts getting dressed.
"Mornin´ all"

[Jael_Darkwood]

Melchior

Melchior wakes up, opening his eyes. Lying in bed for a moment, he listens to the noises of the world around himself, enjoying the warmth of his bed. After a moment of peace he jumps out of bed. He turns, rubbing his bedhead-hair, and smiles, looking around the room as he starts rummaging for clean clothes. "Sure is nice to sleep in for once, hey guys"

[Moral Wiz]

Kithra

Yhha...

Kithra stretches long and hard, lying there in that agreeable state between consciousness and sleep. The bed is, perhaps, a bit short for her, but she seems to be fine with it.

Just two more bells....

Two. more. bells?...

Ah, shii... Classes! I'm....

She bolts out of bed in a single movement, and...lands hard on the floor with a bump, her hair spreading out behind her and her staff rolling away before she starts to remember why she was able to sleep in.

Oh. Heh

She speaks aloud for a moment, without thinking. Slowly, she begins to pick herself up, and look around, her remarkable deep blue eyes fuzzy with sleep...

I really should have remembered.

She raps herself lightly on the head, blinking a few more times to clear her vision before scrambling about, quickly and surely, looking for her robes, cloak, staff, pack... everything in short. She doesn't even think to prioritize her clothes, withdrawing her black book before anything else..

Spoiler

Show

More later. Just didn't want to be first to the mess house by quite that margin.

[Paper_Bard]

All your clothes are in chest at the foot of your bed. Your spellbook is inside, wrapped up in the clothes.

As for your staff, its a tthe back of the building, where everybody hangs their weapons and armor when not in use (there are some racks lining the back wall)

The women in your bunk groan, opening their eyes and glaring at you with annoyance. A gruff, hobgoblin women mutters at you in Hobgoblin.

"Stupid wizard... waking us all up like that... just shut up and get out of here so the rest of us can sleep!"

[Moral Wiz]

Kithra

Sorry, sorry...

Kithra answers back, with the quick sharp word repeated, barking out the Hobgoblin almost as well as the irate actual hobgoblin woman, though her current state of light panic leaves the words... oddly accented.

She springs quickly for the trunk, seizes her clothes and dresses quickly, before grabbing her spellbook and quarterstaff and heading out to the (hopefully near deserted) library, aiming to go through with the daily ritual of memorization

The mess hall is tempting... but a wizard with no spells is no wizard atall. She reflects to herself, using a favorite and often repeated saying of Master Hostud's.

[Illiander]

Haldor

*Hmph, Looks like they´re all still asleep* Haldor finishes pulling his shirt over his head, buckles his belt, and pulls on his shoes quietly. Then he starts walking towards the door.

*Hrmm, Food*

[Proteus]

Yslar

Yslar awakes silently from his trance, then slowly moves to get dressed. He moves to his rack, careful not wake others who are sleeping, and dons his armor. Expecting a fight?, his spirit guide hisses. "Not really, but one can never know. This land is still so strange to us, Serhu", Yslar whispers back.

[Killsauce]

Tatzlwurm continues to sleep . He has had a busy night "recovering" for the True. However, most of the other students assume that he was up practicing the techniques taught to him by Bajyr and Firthren. Bajyr!, that's right I meant to try and sneak up on him at mess today.. Tatzlwurm makes his way to the mess hall and attempts to steal the feather if he spots Bajyr.

(1d20-1)[4] <spot if needed
(1d20+8)[25] <hide
(1d20+8)[16] <move silently
(1d20+8)[24] <sleight check to snatch the feather

[Paper_Bard]

OOC: Bajyr and the other staff (except for the smitha nd the cook) are at a meeting with Mokira.

IC:

While the mess hall isn't packed, it certainly has a number of the students there (about twenty or so). Not very many, but enough for there to be a reason for the cooks to be making breakfast.

A portly halfling boy is doling out what looks to be some type of oatmeal from a large pot. A stack of wooden boals lays on an empty table beside him. A slightly older halfling girl is cutting slices from several loafs of bread and handing them to people after they've gotten their oatmeal. The main cook, you presume, is in the back, behind the partition, making mroe food for the later risers.

[chaos89]

Upon hearing the clamor of other students as they make their way to the mess hall Bragi slowly awakens blinking the tired from his eyes. He sits in quiet reflection for a few minutes then proceeds to don his holy symbol around his neck and tucks it inside of his tunic. Feeling the effects of not eating within the last 10 hours Bragi hurries to the mess hall.

[chaos89]

I have new character sheet now yay

[Illiander]

Haldor

Haldor steps out of the dormitory, blinking slightly in the light.
"Ahh, what a beautiful day to not be doing any strenuous training!" Grinning, clapping his hands, and rubbing them together, he heads straight for the mess hall, eager to have breakfast.

[serow]

Aes slowly gets up and sits on the bed, as he tries to recall that dream he was having. Something to do with... two flying scimitars, a carpet and a plant with too many leaves. Yucks. But he's feeling pretty comfortable now, in that just-awake state of his. He sits there for a few more minutes, before ruffling his hair and gets off his bed. He moves over to his small table and starts getting dressed. Another day, another day...

Fifteen minutes later, Aes Ah'zeen, young warrior to be, is up, ready and hungry for breakfast. He heads to the mess for that essential first meal of the day.

[Jael_Darkwood]

Melchior

Stomach grumbling, Melchior finishes dressing and heads to the mess for breakfast. Rushing in, he piles a truly awe-inspiring amount of food onto a plate, then finds an open spot and starts eating. Melchior eats slowly (for him), only using one fork.

[Paper_Bard]

Kithra: As you head to the library, you notice several people milling towards the mess hall, but you are too intent on readying your spells to bother recognizing any of them.

As you enter the tower you see the familiar scribe, Fulmor Gozer, a gnomish man, flipping through his ledger. He raises his eyes above his spectacles, takes a moment scanning you, than a look of recognition crosses his face. "Ahh... Kithra my dear. Nice to have you... hope you slept well. Anyway... your customary spot by the window is open as usual... it's on the third floor in case you forgot. The daisies are in bloom this season, you should be able to see them if you look through the window..."

He smiles jovially, waits for a reply, and goes back to his ledger (after reply or if no reply is given).

[Proteus]

Yslar

Yslar leaves the dormitory and makes for the mess hall. Upon arrival, he gets his food from the two halflings, and finds a secluded seat by a window. He eats in silence gazing outside.

[Moral Wiz]

Kithra

Thank you, Master Gozer. But am I that forgetful? Truly?

After winking at the gnome, Kithra departed, clumping up the stares to her window side spot. The sun always just caught it perfectly in the mornings. She was a little late for her morning "ritual", but it was still a throughly pleasant spot to be at.

Smiling as ever, she took up the meditative position that Master Hostud had recommended. However, in a spot of light defiance to the powerful Fholki, she allowed a few of her own thoughts to run through her mind, as the majority of it focused on the arcane.

Ah, now this is perfect. The wood beneath me, the rustle of parchment behind, oh so slight, but enough to mark this place for what it is,... and the smell of the daisies drifting in through the window.

Harmony. There's quite a lot to be said for it, in the end.

Spoiler

Show

Kithra's out of action for an hour or two. I'll come back then

[Killsauce]

Tatzl looks around and then sighs in defeat as he notices that all the admins are missing. In particular, Bajyr.
Dang! It's like he can smell an ambush coming!

[Illiander]

Haldor

Leaning back towards Tatz, letting his head roll back so he´s facing the ceiling:

" *heh* Probably can if you´re going after them. <grin> So, who were you planning to jump today?"

[Killsauce]

Bajyr. I was going for the feather. It's mostly a pride issue. I've done less work for more valuable things, for sure. But still, I won't stop him if he rewards 20gp.

[Illiander]

Haldor

Turning round in his chair now.

"You think you´re up to that!? That´ll take some serious luck, planning and skill. What was your plan?"

[Killsauce]

My plan was to blend in with the crowd of students and sneak up on him when he was reaching for some food. I figured I would go with the "keep it simple stupid" method

[Illiander]

Always a good idea. Seeing as he´s not here, why don´t you grab some food?

[chaos89]

Bragi



Upon entering the mess hall Bragi struts up to the two halflings serving food and takes a nice dwarven size helping. Turning around he scopes out the room and decides to take a seat next to Haldor and Tatzl.

[Jael_Darkwood]

Melchior

Finishing his meal, he goes back in line, selecting a small loaf of bread an apple and some cheese. Humming slightly to himself, he heads to the library, fairly certain that Kithra will be neglecting breakfast again.

*walks to library, eventually finds Kithra on the second floor or is directed to her by the librarian, is seen by her approaching with food and a friendly grin*

[Killsauce]

Hail and well met Bragi..

Tatzlwurm continues to enjoy his toast.