Ladies' Night at the Travelers Rest Inn
An elven woman in black and a female paladin sat drinking at a table in the Traveler's Rest Inn. It was 3 in the morning and the tavern was nearly empty. Just as the elf, whose name was Jo, leaned back comfortably in her chair, a scream rang out and a man came flying down the stairs that led to the rooms for rent. He landed on the floor and lay there, unmoving. A young girl appeared at the top of the stairs wearing a torn dress, sobbing.
The paladin jumped up on unsteady legs and grabbed the man by the shirt. "How dare you," she cried.
"Rebecca, don't! It's ok," said the girl as she came down the stairs, "It was my fault. I shouldn't have gone with him to his room. I thought he just wanted to show me his sword. All he really did was rip my dress. I can get a new one."
"Get up and de...fffend yourself, you bastard," ordered Rebecca.
Jo walked over to the man sprawled on the floor and looked at him. "Come on, Rebecca, calm down. It looks like Crysta can take care of herself. She doesn't need a knight errant to do it for her, let alone a drunk one. Besides, the guy's comatose," she said.
"I don't suppose one of you ladies could remove that rabble from the floor of my tavern," said Thomkin Ballyforth, the owner, from his place at the bar.
"Yea, Thom, I got him," said the elf as she leaned over and grabbed the man under the arms. "Hey, stupid, try not to bleed on my leather, okay? We're going outside now. Jeez, Crysta. What'd you hit him with? An anvil?" she said as she dragged him out the door.
"No, just my fist," sniffed Crysta.
Rebecca staggered after Jo and the man, "Get out of the way, Jo. Stand up, you pig!" she cried as she followed them out the door.
"Come on Crysta, we're leaving," Jo said as she came back into the tavern, "I don't like the clientele around here anymore. No offense, Thom."
"None taken," answered the halfling. "You'll be back," he muttered under his breath.
"Okay, Jo, I'll go change and get my stuff," Crysta said as she wiped her eyes and headed back up the stairs.
"Get Rebecca's gear, too," said Jo, "She's already outside. She might as well stay there."
Rebecca could be heard shouting outside. "I said, STAND UP, you street rat!!! Have at you!!!"
"I'm never letting that paladin touch another drop of wine again. She can't handle it," said Jo as she followed Crysta up the stairs to retrieve her things.
"Well then, you shouldn't have insisted she have some," said Crysta over her shoulder.
"I did not. I merely suggested..." argued Jo.
"Yes, you did," interrupted Crysta.
"No, I didn't," said Jo as they walked up the stairs together.
Rebecca of Tyr
Lawful Good, 5th Level Cavalier Paladin of Tyr
Human Female, 29 years old
5' 11", 133 lbs.
Str 15 Con 16 THAC0 16 Wis 13 Dex 17 Hp 40 Int 10 Cha 17 AC -1
Weapon Proficiencies: Bastard Sword (2-handed), Dagger, Horseman's Mace, Lance (Heavy War), Long Sword
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Animal Handling, Endurance, Etiquette, Reading/Writing Common, Riding (Land-Based)
Languages: Common, Elven
Equipment: Platemail +1, 2-handed Bastard Sword, Long Sword (Flame Tongue +1), Heavy War Lance, Longtooth Dagger +2, Large Shield, Heavy War Horse, backpack, 2 small sacks, 50' rope (hemp), 1 week of iron rations, 2 oil flasks, cloak (good cloth), gloves, boots (high, hard), breeches, tunic, belt, gown, sandals, water skin, 5 torches, flint and steel, soap, perfume, continual light coin, 20 gp
Magic Items: Platemail +1, Flame Tongue +1 (see DMG for other pluses to hit and damage), Longtooth dagger +2 (see DMG for other features)
Comments:
Rebecca comes from the city of Elturel, and belongs to the temple of Tyr there. She is the only child of a wealthy merchant and his wife. She joined the temple and devoted herself to Tyr mostly because her parents expected it of her. Her parents, pious followers of Tyr, always assumed that she would devote her life to the god. They had expected to be the proud parents of a priestess, however, not a paladin.
Rebecca does believe in and enjoy the duties she performs for her temple, but she doesn't share her family all-consuming zeal. However, she would never admit this to anyone, not even herself.
Crysta of Harrowdale
Neutral Good, 2nd Level Ranger (Peasant Hero)
Half-Elven Female, 19 years old
5' 1", 109 lbs.
Str 18 (83%) Con 15 THAC0 17 Wis 15 Dex 13 Hp 19 Int 11 Cha 9 AC 7
Weapon Proficiencies: Long Sword (2-weapon fighting style), Long Bow, Hand Axe
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Tracking, Alertness, Hunting, Bowyer/Fletcher, Direction Sense, Rope Use, Fishing, Weather Sense
Hated Creature: Goblins
Languages: Common
Equipment: Long Bow, 10 Sheaf Arrows, 2 Long Swords, 2 Hand Axes, Studded Leather Armor, backpack, tunic, breeches, belt, stockings, boots (soft), riding horse, equipment frame, rucksack, 2 small sacks, mess kit, water skin, bed roll, 50' silk rope, flint and steel, bull's-eye lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 2 flasks of greek fire, mint and rosehip tea herbs, 1 week iron rations, 1 loaf elven bread, fishing tackle, hunting knives, bowyer/fletcher supplies and a cloth doll carefully wrapped in paper.
Comments:
Crysta was born in Deepingdale. Both of her parents were half-elven but she never knew them because they died when she was very young. The doll she carries with her is her only link to them.
She was adopted by humans from a small village outside Harrowdale. Needless to say, she knows little of her elven heritage but is open to learning.
Her's was a happy childhood. The villagers accepted her and treated her just as they would treat anyone else. She, in return, is very devoted to them, and has come to appreciate them even more since she has begun to travel. She had never known about bigotry until she left home, and she is frankly confused by the negative reactions she gets to her mixed heritage.
Joanne (Jo) Freitag
Neutral Good, 5th Level Thief (Investigator)
Elven Female, 75 years old
4' 8", 86 lbs.
Str 10 Con 16 THAC0 18 Wis 10 Dex 18 Hp 31 Int 17 Cha 10 AC 3 Thief Abilities Pick Pockets 30% Find/Remove Traps 55% Hide in Shadows 60% Climb Walls 60% Open Locks 60% Move Silently 60% Detect Noise 35% Read Languages 0%
Weapon Proficiencies: Long Sword, Short Bow, Lasso
Nonweapon Proficiencies: Information Gathering, Observation, Appraising, Rope Use.
Languages: Common, Elf, Halfling, Gnome, Orc, Read/Write Common
Equipment: Short Bow, 10 Flight Arrows, Long Sword, Leather Armor, Boots of Carrying, Ring of Protection +1, backpack, 2 belt pouches, tunic, breeches, belt, stockings, boots (soft), silk bodysuit, deluxe thief's tools, caltrops, listening cone, oil and funnel, spikes, deluxe grappling hook, crampons, 50' hemp rope, charcoal, weaponblack, 2 torches, water skin, 1 week of iron rations, loaf of elven bread, coffee, blanket, water skin, riding horse
Magic Items: Boots of Carrying, Ring of Protection +1
Comments:
Jo Freitag's home base is in the city of Raven's Bluff. Like Crysta, she originally comes from Deepingdale and is also an orphan. Unfortunately, the rest of her story is not as happy as Crysta's. Her family was killed by members of the Eyeless Masks during a trip to Saerloon when she was a girl. She was abducted by the organization, who then started training her for a life of crime. She escaped from the thieves' guild as soon as she could, but not before she had learned a few things.
Jo's not a thief. She gets very upset whenever anyone calls her one. She's a thief-catcher. She and Rebecca have very similar feelings about crime and justice. However, Jo sees nothing wrong in using the roguish skills she learned to accomplish her goals. She enjoys the irony of it. She does try, however, not to flaunt her methods in front of Rebecca needlessly.
(c) 1995 by Erica Woollums