Shadowed Charger

Shadowed Charger
Class:	galleon
Look:	a massive black four-masted galleon with a snarling panther figurehead named the Shadowed Charger
Rooms:	8
Pilot:	Kattae
Captain:	Kintalia
Crew:	Gotinx
Extras:	telescope, fishing supplies
Source:	Feast of Eluned II Token Auction

Rooms

[The Shadowed Charger, Bow]
The walkway constricts sharply, allowing minimal traveling space in order to accommodate the large bowsprit and conglomeration of ropes fastened to the foremast. At the corner of the bow, a jackstaff flies a fraying black flag embroidered with a silvery crest. Surrounded by the lines used to trim the sails, the foremast rises in its web of standing rigging. The foremast stay, supporting the jib, runs from high overhead to the bowsprit. You also see the flying jib, the fore course, a midnight black mistwood hatch with a polished silver nightingale handle, the fore mast and the fore topsail.
Ship paths: aft.

• LOOK at hatch:

Small flecks of diamond litter the matte black backdrop like tiny twinkling stars in Phelim's night sky. The streaking silver and green veins of the mistwood create the illusion of colored lights dancing across the heavens. The intricately etched handle resembles a nightingale posed as if in flight, the polish accentuating every feathery detail along the outstretched wings.
It is open.

[The Shadowed Charger, Cabin]
Glossy mistwood paneling stretches from ceiling to floor along each wall, providing a luxurious backdrop for the furniture arranged carefully around the cabin. Filigreed sconces are affixed on each panel to provide subtle illumination for the silvery veins flowing through the mistwood. A plush Musparan silk rug enwreathed in silver tassels stretches from wall to wall, and the slight hint of incense drifts on the air. You also see an ample mistwood bed covered in watered silk sheets and pillows with a nightshade dream pillow on it, a mistwood table displaying a large map of Elanthia's oceans with an exotic felwood tea hamper topped with a bouquet of pale faesoul blossoms on it and a varnished mistwood door with an elegantly scrolled animite lock and handle.
Ship paths: none.

• LOOK at door:

The deep black door's animite hinges match the scrollwork bracketing the lock and handle. Three animite hooks shaped like ship's anchors are aligned in a column down the center of the unblemished wood.
It is open.

• LOOK at table:

Nearly as long as the wall is wide, the table's surface provides adequate space for a parchment map detailing ship routes and known landmarks throughout the seas. Hazy oceans and intricate sea creatures decorate the unknown expanses beyond. A compass and protractor are used as paperweights in two of the corners, while an ink jar stabilizes a third. The fourth corner is secured by a silver incense holder covered in soot, the still-smoking nub of fragrance sticking out of upward-facing prongs.

• LOOK on table:

on a mistwood table displaying a large map of Elanthia's oceans you see an exotic felwood tea hamper topped with a bouquet of pale faesoul blossoms.

• LOOK behind table:

behind a mistwood table displaying a large map of Elanthia's oceans you see a lady-in-waiting's diary bound in raw silk, a thick guidebook covered in sun-bright glitter and a thick sailor's book bound in worn oilcloth.

• LOOK under table:

under a mistwood table displaying a large map of Elanthia's oceans you see a small marble fountain, a glazed ceramic wash basin with a fluted brim and a plain linen laundry bag.

• LOOK at bed:

Large enough to suit three people comfortably, the strong mistwood frame has a broad headboard carved with nightingales in various natural postures. A sumptuous down mattress is swathed in grey watered silk sheets with dozens of plump pillows in matching cases.

• LOOK on bed:

on an ample mistwood bed covered in watered silk sheets and pillows you see a nightshade dream pillow.

• LOOK behind bed:

behind an ample mistwood bed covered in watered silk sheets and pillows you see some unfinished love letters, a pink quilted dressing gown and a flowered nightcap with lacy edges.

• LOOK under bed:

under an ample mistwood bed covered in watered silk sheets and pillows you see a thin grey book titled "The Art of Civilized Behavior".

[The Shadowed Charger, Fore Waist]
The main mast dominates the spacious beam of the galleon, rising to a dizzying height supported by a network of standing rigging where passing seabirds often rest and occasionally deposit small gifts before departing, seemingly in spite of the fierce swearing of the swabbies on board. You also see the main mast, the main course, a large seagull, the main lower topsail and the main upper topsail. Ship paths: forward, aft.

• LOOK at seagull:

A large seagull stares intently at you from above and suddenly dives! Before you have time to consider what it might do, it has flown straight at you, barely missing your head as it pulls sharply up again -- but not before mischievously depositing a memento of its visit on your person.
You tap some seagull droppings that you are wearing.
You carefully remove some seagull droppings.
Ship paths: forward, aft.

[The Shadowed Charger, Aft Waist]
Burnished ironwood planks cover the deck, swabbed periodically by a young lad clothed in sailcloth breeches. Crated goods from exotic locales are secured with sturdy hemp rope and stacked against the rear of the ship, with particular attention paid to the barrels labeled "wine" and "ale". Creaks and shouting from the rigging high descend toward the deck, occasionally peppered with loud guffaws in response or the snapping sound of wind on sail. You also see The Crossing, the mizzen lower topsail, the mizzen mast, the mizzen upper topsail, the crossjack and a young sailor lad.
Ship paths: forward, aft, down.

• LOOK at lad:

The young lad's hands are rather scrubby and covered in soap suds. Despite his status as deckhand, he is rather well dressed. He smiles cheerfully as he continues his chore of scrubbing the deck.

[The Shadowed Charger, Ship's Hold]
The noisy tumult of waves against wood harmonizes with the scratches of shifting goods throughout the cramped space housing much of the ship's cargo and necessities. Bulky crates webbed in thick rope line the walls, with only a few cleared paths snaking between the heavy containers. The pungent aroma of soured beer lingers in the air, likely emanating from the corner where a shattered barrel slowly leaks its contents onto the floor. You also see a dark dragonwood trunk padded with a thick layer of fleece, a stately flamewood chest with rich golden accents, a basket of normal fishing line, a barrel of fishing poles, a cargo net, a barrel of fish bait, a bucket of hooks, a gold-etched brass coffer and a gold-etched oaken crate.
Ship paths: forward, up.

• LOOK at chest:

Bright whorls furl and unfurl in the gleaming wood that form the side panels and domed lid, with thick gold banding securing and strengthening each joint. A solid gold padlock hangs from the clasp, unable to properly secure the contents ever again. A slim black dagger is forcefully wedged into the keyhole, rendering the mechanism useless, and dangles just above a hastily scratched word along the front of the chest: "Thief."
There appears to be something written on it.

• READ chest:

A stately flamewood chest reads:
"Crafted for Sir Darius, noble Paladin and upstanding gentleman. May you be exempt from Botolf's treachery, and may Rutilor guide you along the lighted path."

• LOOK at trunk:

Soft light from a nearby torch serves to accentuate the characteristic serpentine pattern within the grain, not unlike how the setting sun reflects the smooth scales of a dragon in flight. The sturdy wood is matched by a protective interior lining dyed the somber grey hue of an ancient granite gravestone.
There appears to be something written on it.

• READ trunk:

A dark dragonwood trunk reads:
"Crafted for Sir Darius, noble Paladin and upstanding gentleman. May you be exempt from Botolf's treachery, and may Rutilor guide you along the lighted path."

[The Shadowed Charger, Ship's Galley]
Cradled in the belly of the ship, the kitchen area has no portholes for natural lighting. The galley crew works amidst meager illumination exuding from huge golden lanterns suspended from the ceiling, the metal and glass darkened from years of smoke exposure. Dim shadows flicker across cutting boards, resulting in occasional yelps from the workers as wayward fingers are punished by fast-moving knives. You also see a sturdy bloodwood bench reinforced with dingy steel banding, a massive bloodwood table set with iron brackets and screws with several things on it and an immense black stove belching heat with several things on it.
Ship paths: aft.

• LOOK at stove:

The soot-blackened stove hunches against the wall, closely resembling a hulking, angry beast. Its parts rattle noisily, and expulsions of steam from kettles and pots resting tenuously upon the cooking surface threaten to scald the kitchen workers, who are forced to dodge the sporadic bursts of hot air to snatch cookware from the fire. The stove's only redeeming quality is the ever-present aroma of delicious food wafting outward from the otherwise distasteful sight.

• LOOK on stove:

On the black stove you see a squat verdigris coffee pot in the shape of a guava, a large wooden cooking spoon with bite marks, a red enameled tea kettle with a bamboo handle, an iron tart-shaped skillet, an engraved pan with a floral pattern on the handle, a miniature ladle formed from a seashell and a white ceramic salt spoon.

• LOOK in stove:

In the black stove you see some raw dough packed with fruits, some cookie dough, some brownie dough, some golden apple butter on warm toast, some uncooked dough with sliced apples, some tea scone dough,some blackberry cobbler mix, some cornbread mix and some Elven trailbread.

• LOOK at table:

Rectangular iron plates are bolted into the wood to fasten the joints, each embellished with large spikes that hint that the table was not always used for dining. Scars and gouges mar the surface, a few stained to darker shades than the rest of the table.

• LOOK on table:

on a massive bloodwood table set with iron brackets and screws you see an elegant sana'ati heartwood picnic basket etched with delicate Elven ivy, a silversteel spoon bent to form a bracelet, a moonshine jug with five painted X's, a steaming cup of pitch-dark coffee set upon a rose-patterned saucer, a woven jute tablecloth, a willow tea chest lined with floral-patterned silk, a little lilac lunchbox, a galley slave's wooden food bowl, a wrought iron birdcage, an engraved silver teapot attached to a short mahogany handle by a length of chain, a crimson marble jar with an ornate gryphon-shaped stopper, a large hand-painted ceramic bowl, a steaming cup of pitch-dark coffee set upon a rose-patterned saucer, a roughly hewn honey spoon, a large decorative bowl enameled with patterns of swirling snowflakes against treetops and a hard maple rolling pin.

• LOOK behind table:

Behind the bloodwood table you see a very bruised Ilithi peach.

• LOOK under table:

under a massive bloodwood table set with iron brackets and screws you see a baker's cookbook covered in red and white checked fabric, a traveler's liquor cabinet with silverwood panels and gold fittings, a barnacle-encrusted ship's bell, a bulky treasure chest reinforced with pockmarked iron bands, a flimsy wooden apple crate labeled "Lady's Apple" and a canvas pastry chef's bag embroidered with fruits and cakes.

• LOOK at bench:

Austere and unadorned, the sanded bloodwood bench is strengthened around the legs to support the weight of several burly sailors should the need arise.

[The Shadowed Charger, Quarterdeck]
The piercing shriek of gulls assaults the air while the occasional salty sea breeze whips about the shrouds and rigging. Four substantial ironwood masts jut into the sky, each supporting three dusky crimson sails that ripple in the wind like the ocean's waves at sundown. The ship's engraved platinum bell reverberates with every rock of the vessel. The pilot surveys the expanse with watchful eyes, standing at the ready behind the ship's wheel. You also see a darkened steel telescope etched along one side with a crouching panther, Pilot Kattae, the upper spanker, an imposing adderwood wheel impaled with slim black daggers along the rim, a platinum ship's bell engraved with Albarian scenes, the spanker mast, the lower spanker, a flawless flamewood hatch carved to represent Damaris and his aspects and the gaff topsail.
Ship paths: forward.

• LOOK at tele:

Gleaming platinum rims have a faint pattern of flying shrikes etched along them. The body of the telescope is engraved with a panther crouched as if to strike, a single dark emerald serving as its eye.

• LOOK at wheel:

The adderwood wheel shows the rudder is centered amidships.
A motley collection of light edged weapons are stabbed firmly into the outer rim of adderwood to serve as the hand-pegs used to turn the wheel. Elaborate images carved into the spokes depict scenes typical of a thief's life. Above each image, a silver plate engraved with a name wraps around the top of the shaft just before connecting to the rim. The spokes taper inwards to skewer a blackened silver skull above an embossed steel plate in the wheel's center.

• LOOK at bell:

Mounted on a bloodwood plaque, the ship's bell is truly a showpiece. A wraparound scene is intricately engraved in the rounded sides, capturing an artist's rendition of Albaria. Small crystal snowflakes are embedded in the highly polished platinum sky, each true to nature in being slightly different from the last. Suspended from a chain inside the bell, an inverted platinum dagger replaces the traditional clapper.
Small letters are engraved around the rim of the platinum bell.

• READ bell:

Made with loving care by Beelnee Cuilanar.

• LOOK at hatch:

Meticulously molded eyes of the three life-sized immortals stare silently as if with appraising looks at each person to approach the entrance to the Captain's cabin. Appropriately, Damaris is the focal point supported by Phelim on his right and Dergati on his left, with stunning depictions of the panther, nightingale, and shrike sitting vigilantly in front of their respective gods. Each animal is rendered in painstaking detail, their sinuous lines appearing nearly lifelike.
It is open.

[The Shadowed Charger, Captain's Cabin]
Polished flamewood panels enclose a spacious room, the richly hued grain gleaming under the light of elaborate fire-gilded sconces mounted at regular intervals. Handsome flamewood furniture, including a professional scroll-top desk and chair, is secured to the floor and walls to keep it in place even on the roughest waters. A regal four-poster bed with a translucent firesilk canopy is secured opposite an impressive collection of armaments. You also see a towering statue of a hooded figure with a recessed mirror on it, a decorative stained glass porthole detailing multiple shadowy images, a sleek obsidian panther with a lustrous platinum collar and a heavy flamewood door affixed with a defiled portrait of a general.
Ship paths: none.

• LOOK at desk:

Mock tribal etchings of panthers in various poses along the edges of the desk's surface add an artistic motif to the otherwise practical design. Half-empty ink jars filled with a smattering of dreary colors line the rear wall, and a small wire cup holds assorted quills with sharpened nibs. Slots on one side house letters and ledgers, and deep tracks on the outside curve allow the desktop to be tugged down to conceal the captain's business.
There appears to be something written on it.

• READ desk:

A roll-top desk reads:
"TERC WUZ HERE"

• LOOK on desk:

on a professional roll-top desk carved with stylized panthers you see a tall covellite desk lamp with an ornate hickory base, a mug of strongly-brewed dark roast coffee, a ship captain's logbook bound in sharkskin, a sleek aganylosh'a writing quill tipped with a long apricot plume, a worn atlas with wrinkled pages and an elegant alerce tea tote lined with checkered silk.

• LOOK behind desk:

behind a professional roll-top desk carved with stylized panthers you see a creamy white seashell painted with a Cha'Walkas landscape, a plain linen laundry bag, a sleek ebony liquor cabinet with a polished silversteel lock and a glazed ceramic wash basin with a fluted brim.

• LOOK under desk:

under a professional roll-top desk carved with stylized panthers you see a suede cartographer's atlas, a cartographer's eyepiece rimmed in bronze, a cartographer's geometry compass trimmed in silver leaf and a stately silverwillow pipe with a cocobolo stem.

• LOOK at bed:

Richly stained to emphasize the grain, smooth flamewood comprises the frame, headboard, and posts of the extravagantly ample bed. Diaphanous firesilk encases the occupant in a seductive illusion of shimmering embers adrift on a breeze due to streaks of brilliant red threads used in the warp of the loom. The comfortable down mattress and several fluffy pillows are covered in pristine white firesilk, both of which attractively compliment the bed's soft golden coverlet of the same material.

• LOOK on bed:

on a regal four-poster bed with a translucent firesilk canopy you see a flame rose dream pillow

• LOOK behind bed:

behind a regal four-poster bed with a translucent firesilk canopy you see some unfinished love letters.

• LOOK under bed:

under a regal four-poster bed with a translucent firesilk canopy you see a polished sana'ati tree comb with dangling malachite leaves and a simple diary marked by a narrow black velvet bookmark.

• LOOK at door:

Dozens of deep penetrations of varying lengths mar the general's face, apparently a bull's-eye for target practice with sharp objects. The many punctures conceal his identity, though the rank is clear. One throwing dagger is buried deeply in the door, its diamond-encrusted hilt protruding from the portrait's left eye. The weapon is wedged firmly enough to act as a makeshift handle for opening and closing.
It is open.

• LOOK at panther:

The menacing black panther sits regally erect with his head lowered, appearing amazingly lifelike and ready to pounce. With sharp ivory fangs slightly bared, the large pearly eyes seem to glimmer with suspicion when soft light reflects across the panther's face. White diamond nightingales and black diamond shrikes stud the movable metal collar, which when aligned correctly along the neck reveals a secret safe within the statue.

• LOOK behind panther:

behind a sleek obsidian panther with a lustrous platinum collar you see a thin sheet of snow-white paper dusted with shimmering glitter.

• LOOK at porthole:

Intricate patterns outlined in lead are set into the multifaceted window. An obsidian panther with emerald green eyes dominates the top panel, its gaze directed downward. In the middle, a Kaldaran male crouches in the murky shadows, his eyes ever watchful as he skillfully balances a lockpick on the back of his hand. An iridescent nightingale with moonstone eyes rests in the bottom panel, her beak inquisitively poking through a pouch filled with sparkling gold and platinum coins.

Pilot

Petite and muscular, the lovely brunette wears supple leather armor that clings to her enticingly, providing nearly enough distraction to disguise the glint of weapons tucked into the leather. Her waist-length hair dances in any breeze. Hazel eyes glittering with intelligence, passion for her work, and a flirtatious twinkle constantly assess the condition of the ship and its crew. Though alluring as a siren's call, the tone of her voice ensures no arguments from her crew as they hastily obey her orders.

Captain's Ring

Current

TAP: an exquisite icesteel lady's ring bearing the Silvermist family crest

LOOK: Gracefully crafted to resemble a band of sun-warmed Elven ivy that wraps daintily around the finger, the translucent metal is gilded with a stately emblem in the shape of a cluster of delicate moonflowers wreathed in stylized flames. Along the edges of the fine flowers, glimmering, frost-blue icesteel creates the impression of frozen dew upon each diminutive leaf. A shimmering layer of riverstone dust adds a luminous, dew-like enhancement to the ornate periphery.

Previous

TAP: a sculpted platinum ring with a panther's gaping jaws imprisoning a huge opal cameo

LOOK: Designed to curl around the finger, the predator's head is positioned to rest comfortably on the hand with the tail coiled around its paws. Faceted emeralds serve as eyes, while open jaws clench an opal cameo with sharp animite fangs. The image of a multi-masted galleon on roiling seas is masterfully carved into the opal, with glints of rich royal blue and sea-green accenting the band. An occasional flash of red or gold lends a fiery element, making the ocean appear to dance with flames.

Notes

• As of 2015, currently captained by Kintalia with Gotinx serving as command crew
• Originally commissioned by Tercsyn, the winner of the Feast of Eluned II Token Auction
• This vessel has been completely customized from top to bottom. It also includes a telescope and fishing supplies