DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS: Beneath an Endless Sky (5e quest!)

CHARACTER SHEET
Q-CARD
NAME Bolanhachīhula "Boots" Arkemoulin
SPECIES: Goblin | RACE: Demihuman

DOB: 4/11/594PF | SEX: Male ~Yes~ | CLASS: Warlock

HP: 15/15 | AC: 13 | LUCK: 2 | 630/900 XP
STR: 10 (+0) | DEX: 14 (+2) | CON: 13 (+1) | INT: 14 (+2) | WIS: 11 (+0) | CHA: 17 (+3)
SAVE:+0 +2 +1 +2 +2 +5
PROFF BONUS: [+2]| SPELL DC: 13
SKILLS: Stealth (+4), Arcana (+4), Insight (+2), Persuasion (+5)
TOOLS: ???

BACKGROUND FEATURES
SMALL: Mr. Arkemoulin is approximately 1 meter in height.
NIMBLE: May move through any space of a creature larger.
LUCKY: Re-roll 1s.
SPEED: 5 meters/6 seconds.
DARKVISION: 60ft dark vision.
CLASS FEATURES
KNOWN DEMIPLANAR EXOCORTEX: Mr. Arkemoulin has a parasitic exocortex, source defunct Faewild, 87% Probability Winter Court. Provides Vancian crosstalk along arcane lines, refresh rate 1 hour.
PARASOCIAL FIELD EMISSIONS: Mr. Arkemoulin can as an on turn action force WISAVE/SPELLDC to induce Charmed or Frightened effects for approximately 6 seconds, refresh rate 6 hours.
SPELLCASTING QUALIFICATION: Mr. Arkemoulin can cast spells and is rated at 2 C0 class Vancian/Standard interaction events and 2 L1 class Vancian/Standard interaction events.
PARADIMENSIONAL PERSONAL ILLUSION: Can cast Disguise Self at will.
PARADIMENSIONAL PROJECTED ILLUSION: Can cast Silent Image at will.
SPELLS
C0 CANTRIPS
MULTIFORM UTILITY MAGIC
CT: 1 Action | RANGE: 2 Meters
TARGET: See Effect | COMPONENTS: V/S
DURATION: 1 Hour
EFFECT: Create one of the following paranatural effects. up to three may be maintained at one time.
  • Instant, harmless sensory effect (shower of sparks, puff of wind, musical notes)
  • Light or snuff a fire, including electrical fires, smaller than 1m in diameter.
  • Soil or clean object or person.
  • Chill, Warm, or Flavor 10 cubic centimeters of nonliving matter.
  • Create symbol or marker on surface for duration.
  • Can create small objects or trinkets that fit within the hand and last for 6 seconds.
E-BLAST
CT: 1 Action | RANGE: 24 Meters
TARGET: 1 | COMPONENTS: V/S
DURATION: Instant.
EFFECT: Channels paranatural force from the demiplane of gravity. RANGED ATTACK, 1d10 damage (force.)
L1 SPELLS
ARMOR OF AGATHYS™
CT: 1 Action | RANGE: Self
TARGET: Self | COMPONENTS: V/S/M [0.2 Liters H20 or Appropriate Foci]
DURATION: 1 Hour
EFFECT: Creates paranatural ice suspended in a jacketed probabilistic field with key-triggers on hostility and proximity. +5 temporary hit points, if struck in melee, the enemy takes 5 cold damage.
UNCONCIOUSNESS INDUCTION FIELD
CT: 1 Action | RANGE: 18 Meters
TARGET: 4 Meter Radius | COMPONENTS: V/S/M [1 milligram of silicate dust or 1 Cricket or Appropriate Foci]
DURATION: 60 Seconds
EFFECT: Induces sleep via triggering unwanted Vancian interactions in untrained and unprepared minds. Roll 5d8 - this is the number of HP this effects, targeting creatures in the AOE of your choice, working from lowest HP to highest.
PARACAUSAL RETROCOGNATIVE EMPATHY
CT: 1 Action | RANGE: 10 Meters
TARGET: 1 Person | COMPONENTS: V/S
DURATION: 1 Hour
EFFECT: If the target fails a Wisdom saving throw, they regard you as a friend and boon companion. After the spell ends, they know you charmed them. You may be prosecuted.
EQUIPMENT
Spydraco Autonomy 6 Stainless Steel Switchblade
Attack: +4 | Damage: 1d6+2 (1 on a miss)
Intimidation Modifier: -1
EVA Suit
Helmet: Foldable (-5 to passive perception, can be folded and unfolded as a free action)
Suit: Mechanical Counerpressure Suit (Standard Suit)
Gloves: Standard Gloves (disadvantage to any skill requiring physical finesse, concentration check for spellcasting)
Tank: Standard tank (16 hours standard, modified up or down based on how strenuous)
Attachment 1: RCS Rig (Provides full mobility for 1 hour)
Attachment 2: Foci Mount (Provides advantage to concentration checks in space)
Quirks: Too Many Straps (once per session, in a tight area, the GM may say a strap is caught, losing 1/2 your movement.)
Leather Jacket
AC: 13
Q-CARD
Wyiot: -4 (+0)
Wisehome: -4 (-8)
Specie
31 Gold Coins, 5 Silver Coins
The Somnambulist Sorcerer​
Trade Barque, registered Centarus Colonial Authority 609 PF to CPT. CROAT​
Mortgage: 15 Specie a month to Earth Industries LLC​
50 ton dry weight, 100 ton "wet" weight​
1 G Acceleration, ZEVAR DRIVE EQUIPPED, FEATHER FALL UNIT EQUIPPED​
Handling: +2 | AC: 13 | EW: 3 Locks, 1 Jam​
STRUCTURE [ARMOR]​
10 [4] Engines​
5 Thrusters​
2 [4] C3​
9 [4] Life Support (3 radiators, 2 recycle filter units, 4 cabins)​
59 [3] Externalities​
EXTERNALITIES​
Port Weapons​
S&R Draconic Limited Twin Linked 4cm PDC [1 Space]​
Range: 0 | Damage: 1​
Special: +5 to hit drones and torpedoes, ROF 4d10​
Starboard Weapons​
S&R Draconic Limited Twin Linked 4cm PDC [1 Space]​
Range: 0 | Damage: 1​
Special: +5 to hit drones and torpedoes, ROF 4d10​
Keel Weapons​
S&R Draconic Limited Twin Linked 4cm PDC [1 Space]​
Range: 0 | Damage: 1​
Special: +5 to hit drones and torpedoes, ROF 4d10​
Dorsal Weapons​
S&R Draconic Limited Twin Linked 4cm PDC [1 Space]​
Range: 0 | Damage: 1​
Special: +5 to hit drones and torpedoes, ROF 4d10​
E-War Systems​
Kender Class D/T-ARC System [5 Spaces]​
Cargo Hold​
5 Tons of 4cm armor piercing teflon coated rounds (1 damage)​
CREW STATUS​
Danse: 1/10 Stress
Kel: 1/10 Stress
Boots: 2/10 Stress
Xan: 1/10 Stress

CURRENT TRADE INFORMATION​
Wisehome
Buying: Commercial Goods (2 Gold, 3 Silver per ton)
Sellling: Biological Goods (3 Gold per ton, perishable), Manufactured Goods (1 gold, 8 silver per ton)
 
Last edited:
[X] my blast is a deadly laser
[X] Agonizing blast (+Cha to EB

[X] Repelling Blast (can blast enemies backwards 2 squares on hitting them!)
Pushing people back is awesome and chr to damage is awesomer
 
[X] Plan: Eyes That See, Ears That Hear
-[x] Eyes of the Rune Keeper (can read all writing - including encrypted text!)
-[x] Eldrich Sight (cast detect magic at will)
-[x] Comprehend Languages

Utility for the Hacker/Magineer In The Party, plus Comp Lang is a Ritual, which means Boots can spend ten minutes with the right regents to cast it without using a spell slot! If I remember what Ritual means.

Gazzer, thank you. I love the fact that the first voting momentum wasn't focusing on agonizing blast, repelling blast, or Devil's Sight (though DC is missing that Devil's Sight is doubled range, sees in magical darkness, and is always in color, I appreciate it being locked out as a choice at this time.) I am very much an advocate for the idea that the under performers in DnD aren't viable or strong, but rather common picks for them are average picks.

Still, you know me and that means I've got to roll my own way. Your vote is still *chef's kiss* though

[X] Plan Mind Is Matter
-[X] Mask of Many Faces (can cast disguise self at will)
-[X] Misty Images (can cast silent image at will!)
-[X] Charm Person

So, why? Because Disguise Self and Silent Image are normally spells that are middling when they require a spell slot due to duration limits, but we can get them at will for no cost killing those limits and turning something situational into powerful all the time.

Let's start with Disguise Self, spell description spoilered here:
You make yourself--including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person--look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it. You can seem 1 foot shorter or taller and can appear thin, fat, or in between. You can't change your body type, so you must adopt a form that has the same basic arrangement of limbs. Otherwise, the extent of the illusion is up to you.

The changes wrought by this spell fail to hold up to physical inspection. For example, if you use this spell to add a hat to your outfit, objects pass through the hat, and anyone who touches it would feel nothing or would feel your head and hair. If you use this spell to appear thinner than you are, the hand of someone who reaches out to touch you would bump into you while it was seemingly still in midair.

To discern that you are disguised, a creature can use its action to inspect your appearance and must succeed on an Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC.

So what is important from that block of text is right at the start: "You make yourself--including your clothing, armor, weapons, and other belongings on your person--look different until the spell ends or until you use your action to dismiss it." It is not a concentration spell so we have zero reason not to have it on all the time, the changes can be minor (new hair color) or major (being a halfling), and most importantly affect all belongings we have on us. Normally this spell is more limited by being small sized since it cannot change your size category- however due to this setting it is bumped up a few notches in power instead:

This is because items in this setting have different legality and intimidation ratings AND because racism exists. We can not only make ourselves look different to get around the authorities when they are looking for us (or have them looking for someone that doesn't exist) but we can also make ourselves look like a Halfling to get around problems caused by said racism. Other reasons are being able to hide things stolen on our body safely no matter the size, and likewise where nearly everyone is going to have a stressful time bringing a 3 meter anti-material rifle anywhere we can just walk down mainstreet with it on our backs and no one would know.

This is because the spell requires an action to determine if the caster is under the effect of an illusion, an investigation check vs the spell DC to succeed, and requires physical contact as part of the investigation. Succeeding there only lets them know there is an illusion at play, not what is under the illusion or lets them see through it.

Second, Silent Image:
You create the image of an object, a creature, or some other visible phenomenon that is no larger than a 15-foot cube. The image appears at a spot within range and lasts for the duration. The image is purely visual; it isn't accompanied by sound, smell, or other sensory effects.

You can use your action to cause the image to move to any spot within range. As the image changes location, you can alter its appearance so that its movements appear natural for the image. For example, if you create an image of a creature and move it, you can alter the image so that it appears to be walking.

Physical interaction with the image reveals it to be an illusion, because things can pass through it. A creature that uses its action to examine the image can determine that it is an illusion with a successful Intelligence (Investigation) check against your spell save DC. If a creature discerns the illusion for what it is, the creature can see through the image.

So starting at the end, same requirements for detecting the illusion as Disguise Self save that success means they can see through the illusion. We can make an illusion up to a 15ft cube in size so long as it is within 60ft of us. We can spend our action to control the illusion to animate it and make it seem real. It is a concentration spell.

This is huge. The more creative you are with this spell the better, we can do something as petty as cheat on cards or something as major as making it look like the bridge is blown out on our ship and that our ship is listing/helpless. We can quickly hide something as a set of normal crates, or change the contents of those crates. This spell is a staple normally only limited by a spell slot, without that it's effectively a free no save way to fool the senses of anyone we want.

Finally, Charm Person because as explained before this is normally a middling power spell because Folks aren't normally the focus of a setting for adversaries. BAES is different in that it focuses heavily on interaction and complication between the Folk races and factions, bringing the entire line of X Person spells up in power to the point they punch above their weight.

Warlock Spells for level 1 and 2 are always hard anyways because the Warlock Spell List for level 1 spells is kinda bad overall filled with incredibly situational picks- which makes the patron choice all the more important as patrons add to the spell list. Other decent options not mentioned by people so far are Faerie Fire and Protection From Good/Evil.
 
Last edited:
[X] Plan: Eyes That See, Ears That Hear
-[x] Eyes of the Rune Keeper (can read all writing - including encrypted text!)
-[x] Eldrich Sight (cast detect magic at will)
-[x] Comprehend Languages
 
[X] Plan Mind Is Matter

There were some very compelling arguments for this one...but one that wasn't presented that I want to mention. This is the hornier option.
 
Okay!

It's been a long rest and your Q-Card bills are in. Please roll me a 1d6-12 (I forgot the food and board costs) and we'll see how bad things are!
 
Last edited:
Chapter Two: Under a Tideless Sea (1.2)
You grin, then stand up, turning to face the reclining Xan. You snapped your fingers and seemed to grow - stretching up a whole thirty centimeters as your skin darkened and your ears shortened and...you spread your arms, standing before Xan as a rather short but still quite drowish drow lady. "Tada!" You said, cheerfully, then focused and glowed and shifted to a halfling. "Tada times two!"

"Oh holy shit!" Xan said, beaming as she sat up, taking her sunglasses down to reveal her glittering eyes. "Holllly shit!'

"I can do ranged illusions too!" You say, then wiggled your fingers. "Look at my hand. Now look at your hand. Now back to my hand!" You flared your fingers out, and tossed an illusory bouquet of flowers to Xan. "Flowers!

She tried to catch them, but they fell through her fingers.

"Eyyy, gotcha!"

***
After the beach party, all of you met back at the Sorc - the one communal area that was free of charge - and your warm happy glow with shore leave...ran straight into the bill.

"Sooooo," Danse said. "I don't want to name any names, but..." He drummed his fingers on the table. "We've run up a bit of a bill. Now it comes to how to we pay it."

"it can't be that bad," Xan said, casually.

"We owe five thousand six hundred and twenty seven Republican credits," Danse said.

Kel, who had been drinking from a cup of water, choked on it.

"Okay, maybe it's that bad," Xan said, coughing.

"Is...that a lot?" You ask. "How is that in, like, real money?"

"Current exchange rate puts it at five gold," Danse said, scratching his jaw. He hadn't shaved today, so he was looking pleasantly scratchy, even if it was just dark blond fuzz.

"...okay, how is that in real money?" you ask. "Like, I...I don't know how much a gold coin is worth, I am used to thinking in dollars."

Kel, who was coughing softly, shook herself. "Uh, okay, uh...specie is basically, we use gold coins, real gold, to buy and sell big ticket items. It's about...a thousand dollars Laturran right now?" She nodded. "Like, this whole ship was about a hundred gold coins total - our monthly mortgage to the Colonials for buying it? That's fifteen gold."

"Ooooh," you say.

"So, we have a choice: We either try and get five thousand republican credits here on Gallion somehow," Danse said, tapping his fingers against the table. "Or we fork over five gold coins from our purse." He rubbed his finger against the inside of his eye. "But the thing is, that gold buys our cargo. That cargo pays for the mortgage."

"How much do we have in the purse?" you ask.

"Thirty one gold coins and some silver," Kel says.

"Okay!" you say. "Easy, so..." You did some mental brain thinking. It was...a week into...the...you nod. "So, by the time we arrive at another port, we'll owe fifteen gold, then five gold to the Republic, that leaves...eleven gold for the cargo..."

"We haven't launched with a full hold in almost a year, we're in a bloody death spiral at this rate," Xan said, putting her palms to her face, rubbing her cheeks. "I think we need to bite the bullet and get a job here."

"Cool. How?" Kels asked.

You grinned, cheerfully. "Where every adventurer finds their quest hooks in all the books and movies! The Tavern!"

***
"This is fucking stupid," Xan says as she leans on your seat's back, making it squeak. You're tapping away at the keyboard and trying to ignore the fact Danse and Kel are clustering around just as tightly on the other sides as well, and watching the Forum slinks sliding by. You found that your hunch had been right, the Tavern had its own f-site here too! You grinned as you pulled it up, the little flickering illustrations of torches on the corners, the floating gemstones to indicate the magicalness of the place, and the bright green and yellow text all showing you'd found the f-site you were looking for.

"You knew about this before ever running off?" Danse asked.

"I liked looking at the postings," you say, ears heating. "Lets see...dire rats loose in arcane laboratory, pays five decicredits a head..."

"No," Kel says, immediately.

You frown, then scroll through more postings. "Hmm...ah, here's one!" You point. "The MinDuction for the city Industar has a request for someone to clear out a factory complex - their gelatinous cubes have escaped." You grin slightly. "Who keeps a bunch of gelatinous cubes in a factory?"

"Recycling," Danse says, casually.

"Oh," you say. "But yeah, that pays two thousand credits upfront, another two once you complete, with bonuses for materials salvaged and components left undamaged."

"We'll put it on the maybe pile," Xan says. Then she points. "What's that?"

"Uhhhh," you tap, then read. "Chuul village oxygen emitter has been stolen by sea pirates." Your brow furrows. "What the hell is a Chuul?"

"They were servants of the Aboleths, left behind when they fucked off right before the Fall," Xan says. "They got some eggs offworld during the Exodus, and someone got them to Gallion. Most of them died because the oceans don't have oxygen - so if this village doesn't have an oxygen emitter, they can't swim outside without suffocating."

You nod, slightly. "Well, they're offering a five K reward - plus anything from the pirates." You sigh. "Buuuuut we'd need a submarine to even find the pirates." You pause. "Wait, Gallion has pirates?"

"It's a moon with a hundred and seventy million people on it, spread across dozens of cities with a lot of ocean," Danse says, his voice quiet and grim.

"Point. Taken." You sigh. "...do you ever think about how, like, there's more people alive now than there were ever alive on Laturr, even before the Fall? Like, populations were all medieval back then - cities were big if they had a hundred thousand people. Do you ever think how fucking whack that is?"

Xan snorts, then bumps the back of your head with her elbow. "Keep searching code gob."

"Bahhh!" you tap away. "Hmm...half of the rest of these are barely disguised strikebreaking gigs. Do people actually take this shit?" You ask, pointing at one. "Wanted, team of sturdy able men able to deal with rioting laborers in factory? Like, is that legal?"

"It's on the site..." Kel says.

"We don't take those jobs," Danse says, firmly. "Ever."

You nod.

You don't want to meet the kind of people who do...

Though.

Maybe you do. Meet them and introduce them to your friend eldrich blast!

---
What job seems most interesting?
[ ] Well, hey...it is your FIRST adventure. Maybe the rats will be more interesting than they seem.
[ ] Cube hunt! Lets clear that factory.
[ ] Those poor Chuul - they need that air processor back!
 
[X] Those poor Chuul - they need that air processor back!
I choose this in the hopes of seeing the shenanigans required to scrounge up a submarine.
 
[X] Plan Mind Is Matter

There were some very compelling arguments for this one...but one that wasn't presented that I want to mention. This is the hornier option.
Haven't read the update yet but I just have got to reply- yes you're right. It is the unspoken benefit that we could wait until the target of our horniness is alone with us then using DS to make them see us in a- compromised- position. Or doing this when with the whole group when only they are paying attention to us.

It is the Teasing Kel Spells.

EDIT:

Now that I have read the update, we need to go a pirate hunting!

[X] Those poor Chuul - they need that air processor back!

YAR HAR DIDDLY DEE BEING A PIRATE IS SO GOOD TO ME!

Though in all seriousness, our new evocations can really mess with them.
 
Last edited:
[X] Those poor Chuul - they need that air processor back!

Isopod friends!
 
Chapter Two: Under a Tideless Sea (1.3)
"Those poor Chuuls!" you exclaim. "They need that air processor back - lets get it back for them."

"Sounds good to me," Danse said.

"How are we going to get a submarine? Or...get down there in the first place?" Kel asks.

"We have spacesuits," you say, giggling quietly. "We don't need submarines - we can just get to where the pirates are and drop down at them with the spacesuits?"

Kel puts her hands over her face, while Xan snickers, then leans and whispers something in your ear.

"I knew that!" you exclaim, cheeks flushing. "Stupid water. Having...actual mass." You glare at the wall, and the water waiting beyond it. Well, not water. The Sorc is parked in the long term storage area of the spaceport, so you're actually surrounded by pressurized ice caves. But you can imagine water. Being all stupid and...having mass...

"Lets see what we can rent," Danse said. "You can search up a submarine renting thing?"

You crack your knuckles. "Lets see what I can do."

***
Crazy Edotchlan's Discount Submarine Emporium was not your first choice. However, it was also the first choice in Wisehome that would take direct exchange from Q-Cards without needing an ID, so the crew of the Sorc arrived via the tram-system and walked up and up to the upper-crust region of one of Wisehome's oldest spires. The rooms here were made of slablike metal so old that rust was gathering on the corners, and the air tasted faintly of damp and mold. There was a huge moonpool room built into the lower crust of the ice sheet, meaning the air was cold and you had to all bundle up in ship jackets.

Which, by the way, the Sorc had! Huge, thick, bright orange emergency jackets with little electric heaters running through them, designed for if the ship ever started getting really, really cold due to some catastrophic power failure. They were crinkly, and they had a logo on their back for something called Earth Industries, who's logo was a cartoony Earth elemental giving a big thumbs up while holding out a package.

"What the fuck is with the jackets?" you whispered to Xan as the four of you walked through the hatch and into Crazy Edotchlan's Discount Submarine Emporium. The moon pool was full of old and clanky looking submarines - thick cans with propellers and hatches and such built onto them. Crazy Edotchlan was an old looking dwarf with a shaved face, short frizzy afro, and dark black skin, who was sitting back on a lawn chair, sleeveless in this weather, watching a TV show.

He burst out laughing as the four of you walked in - and you could faintly hear manic cackling from the TV.

"Hello?" Danse calls out, and Edotchlan jerked his head from the TV.

"Ah, customers," he said, then leaned forward to turn off the TV. "You're here to rent a sub?"

"Yup!" Danse said.

Edotchlan glanced you over, looking at Danse's longsword, and the varied nature of Danse's companions - you, the goblin, Kel, the tiefling, Xan, the drow - and he snorted loudly.

"Got it," he says. "Well, we got some old beauts from back during the Second Age..." He started to stump forward as you whispered to Xan.

"Isn't that a hundred years ago?"

"Ehhh...more like a hundred and fifty," she whispered back.

The submarines do look like they were built to last - and as Edotchlan rattles off names and companies and specifications, you realize that you're basically looking at a choice between three extremes. There was the shooty ones - "Oh yeah, those are harpoon guns, build for back before the Magisters unified, but after we killed the First Magister, heavy duty anti-armor harpoons, they should still work" - the slow and tanky ones - "polar explorers, where the ice-falls are more common and you need to be able to take a few dings, if ya know what I mean, heh heh heh!" - and the fast ones - "ah, that's a Silverfin 2,000, they don't make them like that anymore. No computers, just pure mechanical excellence. Turns for shit, but they go, what, eighty knots?"

"What's a knot?" Kel whispers.

"Which one do you think?" Danse asked.

You frown, rubbing your chin.

"Well, I don't like the look of that old harpoon gun," Kel says, frowning. "That thing looks like it hasn't been fired since, like...at least a hundred years before the Mardok War."

You point at it. "Klazia Zano Koro Vanto!"

The rust cleaned off with a hiss of abraiding metal, leaving it shining, gleaming and new.

You beamed at them. "See? Rust is just dirt. From a certain point of view."

"You don't get a discount for that!" Edotchlan said, hurriedly. "This is already the lowest rate I can part of these things."

"...I still don't like the looks of it," Kel says, biting her lip.

---
Which sub to take?
[ ] The SeaDrake mk II Attack Sub - harpoons included!
[ ] The Tunnel TrawlerPolar Exploration Vehicle
[ ] The Silverfin 2,000 - fastest ship in the water!
 
[X] The SeaDrake mk II Attack Sub - harpoons included

One of these days we will go with my desire to be the shooties at something. Maybe today is this day?
 
Back
Top