[HoZ 4e] Heroes on a Sea of Swords - Alvah Nasab's Thread

[Shadow_Elf]

The City of God, Dhuqa the 1st of Atumeq, AF 360
The Hunters prepare to go their separate ways for the day, planning to meet up and debrief the Captain later on in the evening.

OOC: This is the personal thread for your character. If you don't have any immediate private RP to do or questions to ask, you can just continue posting the main IC thread as normal. Feel free to use this thread for Private canonical IC actions as well as OOC questions about the direction you want to take your character's story, etc.

[Dekkah]

Alvah Nasab, voice of thunder

As he the half-marid split up from the group, he head toward the merchant district.
I'd better make sure I am not followed. I'd hate to implicate my friend with those pirate "lords". Thinks the bard.
He goes around the market, staying away from his real destination, but slowly working his way toward it. He stop by many stand and enter various shop providing all kind of service and selling different wares. After half an hour, he stop at a food stand to take a meal. Once he is done eating, he resume his shopping, and once he is satisfied that he isnt followed, he goes to his old friend antiquities shop, keeping the same pattern he did before, going from shop to shop until he is there.

Alvah is going to meet his friend and contact Hermaan

Perception or insight (same bonus, you pick ) : [roll0]



In case you missplaced my background, here it is again.
Name : Alvah "Thunder" Nasab
Race : Half-Marid (Human)
Class : Bard
Paragon : Voice of Thunder
Age : 60
Gender : Male
Height : 6'5''
Weight : 215 lb.
Alignment : N
Deity : None



Alvah was born in the small town of Ziur, located near Luardo city. Alvah never met his father and his mother, Sasha, raised him all by herself. Sasha is a strong and independent woman, who work hard as a pearl fetcher. Alvah's childhood was quite normal and he have great memories about it that time he still cherish. He had a strong personality and made a lot of friends and was quite popular during that period.

But everything changed during his 16th winter. Some change started to happen within him. It was subtle at first, but as time passed, it became more and more evident : Alvah was Numar-Sim, an half-breed between an human and a genie. He quickly lost most of his friends and popularity. At first, most of the people who shunned him were simply afraid and he managed to keep many good friends. But in time, and with peer pressure, most of his friend severed their link with Alvah and he was left mostly alone with his mother.

Still, there was some people who were more open minded and his whole friend circle completely changed in that time. He met a few good people, but became very close to an man named Adul. The man was kind and caring and kept helping Alvah and his mother. Still, it was an harder time in Alvah's life. Because of him, his mother lost many buyers and had more trouble selling her goods. People also ignored and feared her, because of Alvah. After a few years, Alvah decided to leave Ziur. He entrusted his mother care to his new friend Adul and left for Luardo.

In Luardo, he was quick to learn that the city people were not really more welcoming of Numar-Sim, at least not the unknown one. Still, during the few month he lived there, his hope were raise somehow. One day, he saw a group of Half-Genie who appear accepted. Not only were they not ignored, feared or sent away, but people were listening to them and their story and accepting them. As he listened, he understood that these men were travellers who were reputed and know for their heroic acts and deeds.

At that point, Alvah decided he would forge his own name, like these heroes, and gain respect for himself above the prejudice of his race. The only problem was that he had no idea how he would do that. He started by looking for other individuals like him, but found none who wanted to deal with his race. After some time, he decided to leave the city, hoping to have better luck in an other city. He started to look for some job as sailor, since his own abilities sure would be nice to have aboard a ship. After a few rejection, he found some boat willing to take him in : The Blue Sails.

Alvah spent two decades on the ship. That is where he defined his own life, his true purpose and love : travelling and exploring. He also made a true friend and mentor, the boatswain Hermaan Al'hui. The man introduced Alvah to the bardic principles and taught him everything he knew. Alvah spent two decade with the crew, until the captain decided to retire and let his first mate, the young Sal'im Soulah, become the new captain. That man was very unfriendly with Alvah and Hermaan, so they decided to leave the crew.

Hermaan was old at that point and simply retired. He now live in the City of the Gods and own an antiquities show. Alvah was to young to retire, and too ambitious, so Hermaan use his contacts and introduced him to some other adventurers who loved to explore and discover new places.

Alvah spend two more decades with these adventurers, who became know as the Landwalkers. They travelled all around Siraaj and gained some fame, but as the years passed, Alvah friends grew old. He was the only one blessed with a long lifespan, and in time, they all decided to retire.

At that point, Alvah kept travelling and returned to his old love, sailing. He spent a few years working with the crew of The Midnight Mirage. Even though he miss the thrill of the exploration, the change of pace was good. Recently, he received words that his mother was dying, so he decided to leave the crew to see her. He returned to Ziur too late. Still he buried her and spend a few weeks there with Adul to learn more about her life. He then returned to Luardo and found out that luck was with him, as the Midnight Mirage was in port.


Significants NPC :

Hermaan Al'hui (Ally/Friend) :
Hermaan is now quite old (67). He still own his antiquities business, but it expended over the years and act more like a manager now. He is a connected person in the City of God. Alvah kept contact and meet him every time he pass by Muarzibet.


Captain Sal'im Soulah (Enemy) :
Sal'im is still the captain of the Blue Sail. He turned his ship to piracy a few years ago. He kept his merchant status as cover. It was Alvah who recognized Sal'im description and linked him to the pirates attacks on some merchants to the north. When the Midnight Mirage found Sal'im, he nearly managed to flee with his ship, but Alvah manage to stop him from doing so, by piercing the ship hulk, sinking it. Sal'im managed to escape jail last year and his free, surely wanting revenge.

Mira, retired Adventurer (Friend) :
Mira now live in Sabur. He is the last living member of The Landwalkers, beside Alvah. Alvah keep in touch with him, but doesn’t see him too often. He manages reputed forges in the city. Last time he heard of him, Mira was expending his business because of the new find of Zahir in the area. He managed to get contract for most of the ore that will be extracted.


Secrets :

Known by Alvah :
A few years back, Alvah found at the bottom of the Shaqad Bay, some ancient ruins. Its proximity and position with the City of God, make him believe that these ruins might be linked with the city somehow. He never explored them, as he didn’t had time, nor strong the allies and they appeared inhabited by something.

Known By Dekkah :
Captain Shaur al-Farid and Alvah share the same father (none of them knows).

[Shadow_Elf]

Hermaan
As Alvah enters the antiquities shop, which has grown a little more organized since his last visit, he spots the older man's familiar face immediately, showing a new hire the ropes near the back of the sales floor. When the chime attached to the door jingles, it immediately snares the old human's attention. A younger kobold woman moves to intercept Alvah with a salesperson's smile on her reptilian snout, but Hermaan waves her off.

"Alvah, my dear friend! What a pleasant surprise!" he exclaims, smiling ear to ear. He looks at the kobold. "Minnie, you have the floor. I'll be in the back with Alvah here," he says, putting a broad arm around Alvah's shoulders and steering him towards his parlour in the back.

Alvah does not believe he was followed from the harbour district.

[Dekkah]

ALvah Nasab, Voice of thunder
The bard smile at the old man.
"It's good to see you as well my friend. HOw have been buisness?"
The bard keep the discussion to small talk until they are alone in Hermaan's sitting room.
"Well I have been busy myself. I found myself a place among some more adventures!"
The half-marid smile and start to explain the late events of his life, having very little restraints in the presence of his friend. Once he finish his tale, he ask, "Do you know anything that can be useful to us about those cipher? Maybe you even have the last part we are missing in your backstore! As I told my allies, if someone know, it would be you!"

I am sorry, I dont have a lot of time these days to go in details here.
Alvah will tell the man everything that happened, including the Pirate lords story that he knows (the one from the past and the similarities with the new group), the dragon meeting, and the warforged he've met, the mission of the ciphers and his new/old relation with the Midnight mirage.

[Shadow_Elf]

Hermaan
The retired adventurer takes in Alvah's story stoically. As a former explorer himself, he doesn't react as surprised as most regular folk might after hearing a tale like that, but Alvah can tell his friend is impressed.

"Well, you've gotten yourself involved in some rather intense stuff, old friend! Glad to hear you're still at it." Hermaan goes on to needle Alvah about the details, making sure the two have covered everything that has happened before he tries to answer Alvah's question. By then, the two have been seated for nearly an hour, and Hermaan rises to fetch some strong spice tea.

Once they are both seated again, Hermaan finally addresses Alvah's question. "I am familiar with the ancient society you think these pirates may be referencing; the artifacts are unclear on what they called themselves, but some tablets from the Age of Kingdoms refer to them as the Horii. They predate even the Admajai, and their magic powers were comparable to those of the True Djinn who emerged at the dawn of the Dark Days. However, they had no ambition, no guile. They dealt fairly, even with those who would do them wrong, and ultimately those that slew them. That doesn't sound like a society that pirates would want to model themselves after... in fact, those Corsairs sound like everything the Horii were not. Perhaps... these villains have learned to harness the power of the dark emotions the Horii discarded? I cannot say for certain, or how it would be possible... but if that is the case, they wield terrible magic. Be careful, my friend."

He adjusts himself in his seat, leaning back and taking a sip of his tea. "As for the Admajai cipher, I am of course familiar with the system they used to encode their magic. I have actually searched for such documents before, but my search turned up nothing but half-decayed parchments and skeletal remains. That you found three intact from so many centuries ago is a miracle, to say the least. Each mage cadre was a matched set, splitting the cipher four ways. Even if you by some miracle found another mage's corpse intact and with the cipher at hand, it could very well just be another copy of the three you have..." he muses, and he smiles here. "Of course, even such a duplicate would be a valuable relic, and I'd pay good coin to have it if you found such a thing."

He shakes his head. "There are few alive today that understand the arcane mysteries enough to decode a spell with only three fourths of the cipher. It is said that the Archmagi of the ancient empire and their immediate suboordinates carried full ciphers on their persons, from which the field copies were produced. The best guarantee would be to find one of them, but Asanam's on the other side of the world, and a dark and deadly place besides. Out of the question."

The old ex-adventurer haruumphs. "The thing with this is, if I'd found a place where I thought I could find an intact cipher, I'd already have it, lad! I'll think on it and do some research, and see if I can't help you find what you're missing. Can't promise anything, though!"

[Dekkah]

ALvah Nasab, Voice of thunder.
Alvah patienly listen to his knowledgable friend.
As the man mention Asanam, a glimmer of excitement can be seen in the half-marid stormy eyes that Hermaan surely recognise as the bard travel lust. Alvah say more to himself than to his friend, "Difficult maybe, but not necessary out of question. We will see."

Lookiong at his friend as the man mention doing research, the bard shake his head as he say,
"I am not sure it is a good idea. I dont want to implicate you with those dreaded pirate lords and I told no one whom I was coming to see. The pirate lords seem to know what we are looking for and they might have some spies in the Midnight Mirage crew. Since they probably know about the ciphers, if you start asking around about that you may catch their eyes. You've already helped me alot."
Knowing his old friend own lust about these kind of things, he add,
"If you still decide to look for more informations, just be very careful. And I'll sure think of you if we decide to sell some of these cipher, or any overstock we might find."

[Shadow_Elf]

Hermaan
The adventurer nods, brought back to reality somewhat by his friend's serious words. "Aye, lad, you're right as usual. I'm not the warrior I once was; that mecha you mentioned would probably have no trouble making me into mincemeat if they saw me as a threat to their plan. I'll be careful, don't worry."