Jannes

Jannes

PLAYER NAME: James Wyatt
CLASS: Thief//IllusionistKIT: Acrobat
LEVEL:5//6RACE: Human (Spanish)ALIGNMENT: CG
SOCIAL CLASS: faux-noblePLACE OF ORIGIN: Corduba, BaeticaDATE BEGAN:
SEX: MHEIGHT: 5' 4"WEIGHT: 132 lbs.AGE: 23BIRTHDATE: 1/6/23
DESCRIPTION: Jannes is a small man, with delicate features. His hair is black, his eyes amber, and his complexion fair. He wears his hair loose and is growing a scruffy beard. His manner is charming and he practically exudes magnetism — he is the sort of person that other people prefer to deal with and are very drawn to. He is also agile and nimble, and moves with an elegant grace.
TRAITS: glibnessDISADVANTAGES:
13

11HIT PROB.0WT. ALLOW.40OPEN DOORS8
15DAM. ADJ.0MAX PRESS170BARS/GATES7%
1615REACTION ADJ.+2MISSILE ADJ.0DEFENSIVE ADJ.-3
17
1111HIT PT. ADJ.0SYS SHOCK75%POISON SAVE0
11RES. SURV.80%REGENERATIONNil
1414# OF LANG4CHANCE TO LEARN SPELL60%MAX # OF SPELLS/LV.9
14SPELL LEVEL7th
99MAG. DEF. ADJ.0BONUS SPELLSCHANCE OF SPELL FAIL.
9
1716MAX. # OF HENCHMEN8LOYALTY BASE+4REACTION ADJ.+7
18
23HIT
POINTS
CONST. ADJ.
0
HIT DIE TYPE
SPECIAL ADJ.
THAC017with weapon in hand4ACFLANK
4
REAR
7
ARMOR: armband of defense (AC 7)
DEX ADJ.: -3
MAG. ADJ.:
WEAPONSType#AttSPTHAC0DamageKnockdownReach/Range
quarterstaffB13171-6 +1d10
shortswordP13171-6/1-8d6
knife (melee)S/P12181-3/1-2d4
(missile)P22181-3/1-2d41-2-3
short bowP27181-6/1-6d65-10-15
Leviathan daggerP1218-?1-4+?/1-3+?d6
COMBAT MODIFIERS: +1 to saves vs. illusions; +2 dex reaction adj.
backstab: +4, x3 damage
tumbling — reduce AC by 4 if no attack
+2 to unarmed combat rolls
+2 to AC vs. hurled missiles
WEAPON PROFICIENCIES:quarterstaff
shortsword
knife
short bow
dagger
NON-PROFICIENCY PENALTY:
SURPRISED: 2 in 10DEX. ADJ.: +2SURPRISE MODIFIERS:
SAVING THROWS
Paralyzation, Poison, Death Magic
12
Rod, Staff, Wand
9
Petrification or Polymorph
11
Breath Weapon
13
Spell
10
SPECIAL ABILITIES/NOTESNONWEAPON PROFICIENCIES
tumbling:
no damage from falls <10'; 1/2 damage from falls <60' — with successful check
+1' on running jumps, +1/2' on standing broad, +1/4' on standing high for no armor
opponents save vs. my illusions at -1
dancing17
etiquette17
jumping17
tumbling19
appraising14
r/w Latin9
sp Latin, Celtic, Greek10
tightrope walk18
spellcraft12
(15 for illusions)
tambourine10
EQUIPMENTLocationWeight
clothing: tunic, soft boots, sash, brooch, breeches, foxfur cloak, gloves5
extra clothes: tunic, 2 shorts, 2 cloaks, sash, nice tunic, hat, toga
sm. belt pouchbelt.5
thieves' pickspouch1
short swordbelt
2 knives in sheathsbelt, boot1
waterskinpouch1
short bow, quiver, 12 arrowsback
quarterstaffhand4
tambourinepouch (padded for silence)2
spellbook (scroll)
Diana (light riding horse) w/ saddle & bags
7 crates full of magical laboratory equipment (fully equipped 2nd level lab — total value 2000gp)
Aklabar's very fine walking staff — at Maretia's
Magical items
ring of free action (plain gold band on right ring finger)
exceptional sword (+1 to hit) — won't rust
continual light rock
leather armband (defense — AC 7)
+1 shod quarterstaff
bone scroll case (holding my spell book & 2 maps)

big iron ring (Nertamarus') on left thumb — 3 kinds of tingles: warmest — priests, middle — psionicists, cold — mages (50' range)

Leviathan dagger — useful vs. sea creatures, glows in the dark (5' radius), pearl of the sirines in handle (lets me breathe water)

Vlad's ring, Kelsey's emerald ring, battleaxe
Wealth
333 gp 21 sp 277 cp
Other treasure
3 gems @ 50gp ea 11 gems — 3000gp total 5 jewelry — 2000gp total diamond ring — 1200gp gold crown — 2500 gp gold chain — 500 gp glass tiara — 75 gp 2 silver bracelets — 25 gp ea. string of ceramic beads — 20 gp silver casket — 500 gp
MVBase moveSpecial moveWeight carriedBulk carriedEncumbrance
12
EXPERIENCE: 54,153 (60,000) (thief 10,021)+__%
THIEVING SKILLS
Pick Pockets45Read Languages10ADJS.:PP kit +5, armor +5 OL kit -5 R/FT kit -5 MS kit +5, balance +5 HS armor +5; CW kit +5, armor +10
Open Locks15Detect Magic
Find/Remove Traps15Detect Illusion
Move Silently73Bribe
Hide in Shadows65Tunnelling
Hear Noise35Escape Bonds
Climb Walls82Scroll Use
Spell Points:Maximum Spell Level:Max. Spells/Level:
MEMORIZED SPELLS
5-3-3detect magic
--LEVEL 1----LEVEL 3--
phantasmal force--LEVEL 2--spectral force
audible glamerinvisibilityhaste
sleepMelf's acid arrowwraithform
sleepmirror image
SPELLS IN BOOK
--LEVEL 1--Engagement (1)--LEVEL 2--Whispering Wind (2)
Acquaintance (4)J's Impressive Demeanor (3)Continual Light (5)
Allure (3)Olfactory Illusion (6)Deafness (2)--LEVEL 3--
Anaesthesia (1)Phantasmal Force (2)False Thoughts (6)Haste (5)
Audible Glamer (3)Phantom Touch (1)Hypnotic Pattern (4)Invisibility, 10' r. (6)
Cantrip (4)Read Magic (6)Improved Phantasmal Force (7)Spectral Force (5)
Change Self (2)Shadow Cloak (4)Invisibility (5)Wraithform (5)
Dancing Lights (1)Sleep (6)Melf's Acid Arrow (7)
Dancing Shadows (5)Spook (3)Mirror Image (3)
Detect Magic (5)Stopscent (5)
FAILED CHECK ON: Necr, Inv/Ev, Abj (3rd) wizard lock, ride the wind (6th) blindness, blur, tongues, blink
PERSONALITY AND MANNERISMS
Charming and courteous manner. Prefers to keep emotional distance. Generally quiet, serene — on the outside. Somewhat insecure (outside his sphere), but can be brash to cover it. Occasionally moody (especially when drunk). Falls in "love" easily but women find him good friend material. * Jannes is feeling buoyed by his new power, but becoming very isolated from people. He misses Ellen a lot. He is more proud than ever, cultivating the look and lifestyle of a barbarian nobleman-in-exile. He's growing up and finding more security in himself.
loves art (beauty)
HATES ogres (killed his father, as well as kidnapping Ellen and eating Runtak), not very fond of dwarves
very nervous around soldiers and guardsmen (& some fighter characters); not a good liar
fiddles with brooch
PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY/BACKGROUND
Jannes was raised in a very poor family, but his father taught him an appreciation of the finer things in life, instilling in him a fine aesthetic sense. This sense pervades everything Jannes does now. He will not do something if it cannot be done beautifully and gracefully — whether a dance, a pickpocketing, or an illusion. He wears fine clothes, and moves always with a graceful speed. * Jannes' family was Celtic nobility long before the Phoenician and Greek colonization of Spain. Their wealth and status declined over the years; all that his father inherited was a single, beautiful ring — which of course disappeared when his father was slain by an ogre. * Jannes' alignment, in the face of a basically Lawful Evil society, in combination with his poverty, has produced a hatred and resentment of Rome which runs deep and colors most of his actions. Jannes feels a strong ethnic identity as a member of a race which has been almost totally assimilated into Rome, yet which is still severely oppressed. He therefore thinks of himself as something of a "freedom fighter", working — with stealth, not force — to whittle away at the oppressive structure of the Empire. Freeing and smuggling slaves, robbing from the rich (Romans) and giving to the poor (provincials), even spying and gun-running for opponents of Rome (German elves, Palestinian Jews?) are the sorts of things he'd be into. * Jannes was never hooked up with a guild, but worked with a series of mentors over the course of his life, including bards, acrobats, circus performers, actors, and the like. His primary identity is as a performer — besides dancing, this talent extends (to some degree) to scams of various sorts. He's been known to work as a freelance bawd of sorts (sometimes in cooperation with some of his many close female friends): guiding the rich and gullible to "entertainments" which leave the poor Roman bastard naked and penniless in the ditch. * These days, Jannes is developing simultaneously a real sense of rebellion and a personal ambition — and he is beginning to think about an actual rebellion against the power of Rome. His goals, then, include beginning to find supporters — gathering, as it were, his own little band of "merry men." * In beginning his study of magic and leaving thieving behind, Jannes has made an unconscious decision to put less emphasis in his life on material things, more on the forces that pervade and control the universe — physical, magical, and political. It is, in a way, a step outside himself, the beginning of a look at structures and principalities, the Big Picture of what's wrong with the world. He's beginning to take seriously the potential of magic (illegal as it is) to cause some serious havoc with the Roman way of doing things. At the same time, illusion offers him enormous opportunity to cause problems within the system, and he's fascinated by that possibility as well.
ADVENTURES (17)
Cragleth
Date: 26 October 44 to 5 November 44
The Malaca Party
Date: 26 December 44 to 1 January 45
Troll Trouble
Date: 11 July 45 to 26 July 45
Jannes Gets Scrod
Date: 27 July 45 to 5 August 45
Ogre, She's Gone
Date: 10 August 45 to 26 August 45
Arrow Quest I
Date: 31 August 45 to 10 September 45
Arrow Quest II
Date: 10 September 45 to 14 September 45
Arrow Quest III
Date: 14 September 45 to 29 September 45
Image Problems
Date: 4 October 45 to 11 October 45
A Night With Chevrinius
Date: 10 November 45 to 11 November 45
Face Value
Date: 12 November 45 to 16 November 45
Asian Axe (Avera)
Date: 18 March 46 to 5 April 46
Firedrake
Date: 12 June 46 to 22 June 46
Amazon Women On The Dune
Date: 23 June 46 to 26 June 46
Nbod's Room
Date: 13 September 46 to 20 September 46
Enemies
Date: 29 September 46 to 5 October 46
Spellbook Masquerade
Date: 1 November 46 to 1 November 46
DIARY
Directions 3/5/95: I wrote to Paul:
* I mentioned "some of his many close female friends," and I've always identified him as someone whom women find to be "good friend material." He hasn't dealt with those friends at all in the campaign, with the exception of Ellen (a new friend, and possibly more than that — he falls in "love" easily, remember), whom he hasn't seen since the Arrow Quest (3 1/2 years real-time, almost a year game time). I gave Chala a "network" in Alexandria (of course I did, I'm the NPC king!); it would be nice to have the same sort of thing for Jannes. Who does he know? Do you want me to tell you about some of his old girlfriends?
* The "merry men" idea I think started blossoming when he and Maura were close, planning to build their inn. That idea has petered out, but the basic concept is still a good one — he's getting to the point in his life (and the level, natch) where some henchman-type people might be appropriate. Although what I'm thinking of is more like followers, but of course wizards don't get followers. Obviously he's not going to be able to gather a gang of PCs (never gonna happen), but he sure would like to think about gathering a gang on NPCs.
* Have I ever mentioned that I hate playing thief PCs? :) This is coming up as I start thinking once again about Jannes as a roguish rebel type (though now he uses wizard spells). I have this terrible anxiety about them (thief PCs, generally) getting caught. It's awful. I can't stand to think about them being on the run, being a fugitive. Maybe you should do that to me. You'd be guaranteed to have my attention. Of course, if I start hanging out with pixies . . . (Did you see Mother Goose and Grimm in today's funnies? Bartender: "Funny, I just swatted a firefly in a little green swimsuit" while Peter Pan's eyes bug out of his head.)
* He's heading to Rome hoping to find Ellen. (And Aelius.) Probably in the back of his mind is learning something about the enemy, going to the capital. I could see him settling there, right in the main artery of Roman life, hoping to find just the right place to plunge his dagger. Or just the right politician to influence . . . Up to a Roman campaign?
* I know you were thinking about the drow in connection with this adventure. Jannes, of course, wasn't on the Trio of Troubles when you first showed their white-haired heads. I can actually imagine him trying to spy on the drow, figure out what they're up to and whether they might be useful allies (of sorts) in opposition to Rome.
Drow stuff: Marcus Ovinius —
This Latin tongue is not as difficult or as ugly as they say.
The human woman has finally been apprehended; this should mean that the real surface work can start very soon. I hope the delay hasn't damaged the Stherakar's chances in the Succession, but they took a huge chance in challenging without their own Thresh, and should perhaps have planned a less elaborate plot.
I will do my best to ensure the human's cooperation; the candles are already burning. She is strong, though, and it will take time. The tales tell of powerful humans, but I had not believed them. You lead such short lives! How do you reach such deep understanding of the Art?
We will have broken her in two more weeks, and can arrive one week later (we must risk going overland, because Rhyven are already suspicious of my travels — they almost found me here in Narbo). How are your preparations? The area must be cleared by the time we arrive.
I will leave the threats to Stherakar.
Beloch
Second Noble
Family Eshekrin

Beloch —
I've got the job going. It will cost an extra 20 gold to make sure that it gets done in time. I can cover it until you send the funds. I'm glad you warned me to watch out for the Rhyven, I saw two of them here in Massilia. They didn't see me, though.
I'll return Bet next week as soon as I'm done with this phase; Meka will have it. I'm going to complete the cycle now, and begin the orientation;

14 September 46
Dear Ynir,
Events are moving quickly. I have been attacked several times in the past two days by the dark elves. So far they have not shown much power, but I wonder if they are simply delaying me until they can bring in reserves. I am investigating the dark elf ghost's old domain; Paga gleaned from her that it has been deserted since she closed it. I fear that other dark elves are searching for it, and may use what is in there to wreak havoc, both above and under the earth's surface. In particular, Paga sensed that a terrible power still exists there, and I must make sure that it does not get discovered. The dear dwarf had one of his spells, though, and cannot remember much of what the power is, other than that it involves some form of possession.
I expect that I will need help; both you and Jannes must make haste to come here. Paga returned to Carthage after we defeated the ghost.
I am staying in Narbo at the Frosted Goblet. I will leave word with the proprietor where I am going each day; his wife is active and independent, so he thinks nothing of my odd wilderness treks. I look forward to seeing you two.
-Maracia

Eshekrin: minor drow house
Stherakar: major power, takeover bid
Rhyven: major rival for power
Thresh: powerful wizard
Lotharian — dark elf ghost, former thresh for Stherakar. died in the Great Rift centuries ago, which wiped out most of the drow houses. L. closed connections between Stherakar stronghold and other houses.
Beloch found Lotharian's old domain, spells to use to possess another wizard to make her a Thresh . . .
Maretia's letter: Jannes —
I "persuaded" my doctor to tell my husband that I need to take a vacation for my health. I will be in Spain investigating the problem I told you about (emanating from Carthage). It seems that the problem is not as immediate as I suspected. I assume you will want some space for your lab; I have cleared a storeroom for you. Ask Ynir for help in moving. She is the only one who knows of my powers, and is my apprentice as well. Please don't delay your investigation for too long.
— Maretia
P.S. The problem involved a "binding" on a great evil — I was not strong enough to find out much more, although forces are working on both sides of the conflict. We are not alone, and from what I have seen you will play a part in resolving the struggle. Watch for companions, and watch your back.
Nbod's Room: I went on vacation to Gades (in Baetica) where, unbeknowst to me, there was a major annual festival going on. So I set about trying to get a room, with very little success — until I was directed to Javius' place, the Old Sea Dog. A room there is always vacant — Nbod's room. Nbod was a pirate who died 4 or 5 years ago now, but still seems to linger around his room. I heard stories of other brave young men who thought they could handle the challenge, and of strange happenings in and around the room (things moving, the sounds of drumming, people talking, etc.). I started poking around.
In an extradimensional pocket behind a portrait of Nbod I found navigational items, a shovel, torches, and a box with balls of soft wax in it. Poking around the desk, I found some sea charts and books on navigation. In a hidden drawer, with some help from Nbod (I had won his favor, I guess, by knocking at the door before I entered) I found a strange dagger, with a wavy blade, an ivory handle carved in the shape of a whale, and a large pearl in the pommel.
But no key to the big sea chest with the lock shaped like a screaming face. So I used wraithform to get into the chest, and the floor opened beneath me. I found myself on an island beach, the sound of drumming coming from inland. Following the sound, I saw some people dancing, an old man drumming, and a great big octopus coming up out of the lagoon to eat some of the dancing men. I tried to help with no success.
I talked to the drumming man, a wizard (?) by the name of Kaylin, who was an old friend of Nbod's. He told me a lot of stuff: about Nbod's treasure, hidden in a cave under the Singing Cliffs, of the birds who mesmerize one with their song along those cliffs, of Nbod's ships, the Conundrum and the Maybelle, and of Nbod's mysterious death. I resolved to find Nbod's treasure and somehow help to lay him to rest. I walked along the atoll to the end of the island I was on, then (using the Leviathan dagger and my ring of free action) walked underwater until I found the cave entrance. I slept the sea hag who was trying to get her dagger back, buried Nbod's bones (along with some of his treasure), and went back to Nbod's room through another portal with a lot of loot. I ended up in the bathtub this time, which I think was the Maybelle portal (the one in the chest is Conundrum).
I thought I was done. I went to sleep. But I woke up in the middle of the night with a strange man rummaging under my bed for the dagger, which he found before I could bash him. I tried to bash him, but he ran out of the room through the wardrobe. I followed him, bashed a brute (Thim) who was trying to wrestle me, slept a bunch of people worshipping a gross fish-god, and ran in terror when the strange man — a priest — cast a spell on me (just after I turned invisible). I returned (still invisible), followed the priest out of the temple, up through a seedy tavern, out into the streets, then ran around in front of him and bashed him with my staff. He ran away, but I made a phantasmal force in front of him that looked just like me, and he bashed it (and vice versa) for a while. Finally, the illusion got in a good hit and the priest fell unconscious. I took the dagger back and (stupidly) left him alive.
The next day I tried to get some information about this priest. I found out his name (Zoon), the name of Nbod's third ship (Grindstaff — the command word for the portal in the wardrobe), and not much else. Four more worshipers came looking for me, but I slept them and dumped them through the portal in the chest for Kaylin and the headhunters to deal with. Finally, invisible once more, I went back through the wardrobe and attacked again. I failed to blind Zoon with a continual light spell, slept some more worshipers, and fought Zoon and the remaining worshiper one more time. A hypnotic pattern won me enough time (getting the worshiper out of the way) to bash Zoon good and finally, slit his throat, and get out of there in wraithform. I finally noticed the shark (?) pool between the temple area and the portal to the wardrobe, and the dead body hanging in a cage above it, and had no more qualms about killing the priest (I should probably have killed them all). Then I unbolted the furniture from the floor, mashed up the back of the wardrobe and the bottoms of the chest and the tub, and rested in bed for three more days. Haunting and portals are removed once and for all.

Experience:
2000 for keeping the dagger away from both the hag and Zoon
1400 for killing the sea hag (with a simple sleep spell...)
245 for defeating 7 worshipers
100 for stopping the hauntings
405 for defeating Zoon . . . twice (150% XP award)
65 for bashing the brute
1550 for spells cast (31 spell levels)
1425 for all sorts of good ideas
200 for role-playing

TOTAL: 7390
+20,053 = 27,443
+18,500 for adventures run = 45,943
Praise for my role-playing: Paul wrote:
Here's a example of something related: in our campaign, the party happened upon a dwarven tomb. Jannes, a CG character, had strong feelings against tomb looting; his culture considers burial grounds to be sacred. [James: I'm not sure if this is true; I put it in for effect. Looking back, I probably shouldn't have. Oh, well.] However, after expressing his feelings to the others, he let them loot, waiting outside for them. Their individual choices were more important than his personal opinions, so he didn't absolutely insist that they not take the treasures inside.

(The other two members of the party ended up getting wiped out by an undead protector. One died, and the other (knocked unconscious) was rescued just in time by Jannes, who proceeded to put the treasure back and spend the hurt characters' own money and some substantial magic to get them healed.)

kwac_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu wrote:
Well played! This seems to me like a great interpretation of chaotic good; the character is well-meaning, unwilling to go against his own principles, but unwilling to impose his views on others. And he helps his friends, but allows the consequences of their own actions to impact them. Excellent.
ACQUAINTANCES
Aelius:
Aiveize: Jannes doesn't know he died in Egypt.
Ant: Ant and I met very early in my career, just after I returned from Brittania. We crashed a party in Malaca together, to rescue his sister from captivity and loot what we could while we were there. Great fun. And his sister — geez, I even forget her name. She wanted me, she practically offered herself to me, and I ignored her. What a missed opportunity. I'll probably never see her again. But I was talking about Ant. I ran into him again almost a year later, in Rome, when ShadowDancer got caught up in the sale of that spell book. I guess we've gone our separate ways, but I'm still fond of him, and remember that first party together very fondly.
Athena: A slave in the household of a wealthy family in Massilia. Part of the reason I got in trouble with the law there . . .
Bella: A prostitute in Carthago Nova. We were lovers, but I left her to join the circus.
Bob:
Caliban:
Denis: Temple-robber. Getting him raised brought up a lot of ethical issues for me.
Ellen: I'm refusing to admit to myself how much in love with her I am, basically.
Erin: bard in Augusta Pretoria's Battered Lyre — told story on Arrow Quest
Evric: Evric & I get along well.
Fillard: RIP
Gaea:
Galek:
Geref:
Gilthan: Don't like him
Hal:
Hevos:
Homer:
Ismene: A Greek bard in Corduba I've known since I was about 10; a faithful confidant and friend. We've exchanged occasional letters since I left there, but it's been a while. She's about six years older than me — there was never any romantic attraction, which may have helped preserve the friendship.
Julia: An actress in Corduba I knew in my teenage years. Lost touch several years ago.
Kevin: The vampire we met in Brittania. Oh, he creeped me out! Weird, weird, weird beast. I mean, I make a living out of stalking around in shadows and sneaking up on people, at least I used to, but this . . . this thing did it just for fun! I forget what happened to him, but I hope he found his rest somehow.
Layla: major bitch, high-charisma clash
Livia: An acrobat I worked with while traveling along the Mediterranean coast of Spain and Gaul in the circus. We were very close friends. I got in trouble with the law in Massilia and had to beat it out of there fast; I left without saying goodbye and haven't seen her since. This was about six months before the Cragleth adventure.
Maretia: my patron husband: Evarinius the Orator
Marr'n: confusing
Maura: intriguing
Merrik: respect him a lot
Mola: Works in the Old Sea Dog (Javius' place) in the town in Cyprus where I stopped en route from Alexandria to Rome in July 46 (Nbod's Room adventure). Flirty but shy.
Nik:
Oak:
Quintus Trump:
Raffio: frustrating but interesting
ShadowDancer:
Sir Cristian Talnod: Remember what I said about not being fully comfortable around soldiers (and some fighter characters)? Well, Sir Cristian was the reason for the parenthetical addition. I met him in Brittania on the Cragleth adventure, right at the start of my career, as I figure it. I was on the run from some soldiers in Hispania, and then get stuck in this wild escapade with this paladin. Not a lot of fun, thank you. I won't complain if I never see him again.
Thewyln: too intense — his pain is too recent — but sometimes it's good to be reminded
Zak:
Zoah:
RESEARCHED SPELLS
Comments