#zepher hood

[carables]

Seattle Enclosed Renovation ideas for a sizable transitional galley kitchen with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, a peninsula, and white countertops.

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: Space Australia 2.0

( Don’t forget to come see my on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord ) Zepher VI is classified as a industrial world far past the gamma nebula along the border of the rimward expanse. Nearly every inch of its surface had been converted into industrial complexes, warehouses, refineries, and living quarters for the nearly 3.5 billion inhabitants until the entire planet was nothing but a giant city. The Thule people called Zepher VI their home, though many who currently lived there would never say such a thing with pride.

A hardy people, the Thule were a humanoid species in many ways similar humans and one could even mistake them for being one were it not for their hands. Instead of a single hand with five fingers, the Thule had five separate tentacles at the wrist that would wrap around themselves and could imitate hands if needed or a variety of other forms.

The first Thule settlers to Zepher VI were in fact penial colonists sent from their home worlds prisons when over population became increasingly problematic. As more and more prisoners were sent to the penial colony the wardens and administrators began finding insidious ways to profit off their correctional workforce; sometimes even going so far as to sell some prisoners off to private entities or corporations as a slave labor force.

Eventually the roles of wardens and administrators shifted and became governors and secretaries, but the shady practices continued. All space travel was controlled through the central authority and no one could leave the world without their permission. Entire new generations of Thule citizens were born and classified as criminals from the moment of their birth as being born on Zepher VI was made illegal, thus ensuring the planet's population would be forever bound to the world.

In such decerped settings it was more than common for sub cultures to form beneath the surface of the horrendous society of Zepher VI.  Initially it was small groups, often several prisoners from the same assembly lines banding together for protection. Not long after it was the entire shift group banding together, the entire factory blocks, and then even entire sectors joining together.

A myriad of factions, territory, and history seethed beneath the surface and wared with each other for whatever control they could claim. The overseers were well aware of these events and were not blind to them; but as they saw it the scattered factions were always at each others throats leaving them unable to unify and become a credible threat to the central authority. That was until one year a new prisoner was brought to Zepher VI.

A prisoner whose crime paled in comparison to those around them.

A prisoner whose frail body made them the butt of jokes at every gathering.

A prisoner whose soft tone made them sound like a bird in a coal mine.

A prisoner who would one day inspire a planet wide revolution that would shock the Thule society for generations to come. A prisoner......who was human. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the rusting remains of district 3-13 the only sounds that could be heard were that of the wind sweeping through abandoned machine shops and the groans of rusting machinery.

Even on a mega city world such as Zepher VI it was not uncommon for large areas to become abandoned. When some districts were improved with technical improvements  workers from surrounding districts would often pulled over and made to work in the advanced district. The surrounding districts would become increasingly run down and decerped and would remain as such until an overseer saw the need to improve a district and thus repeat the process all over again.

Through the rusting causeways and overpasses several hooded figures hurried. From building to building they darted, halting only when the leading figure stopped and cocked their head to the side every now and then. Even though the district had largely depopulated that did not mean it was entirely empty. As the group rounded a corner the lead held up a hand and motioned for the group to hide.  The hooded figures dove into the shadows of nearby buildings just as a bright light came down the street.

A sensor drone passed over the area in a rotating motion as its search light ran up and down the streets. The figures dove even deeper into the shadows of their temporary refuge as the light reached ever closer to them. Just as it was about to reach one of them the sensor drone stopped and continued down the street resuming its search.

The figures rose from their hiding places and continued down the passageways with renewed fervor until finally they reached their destination inside the crumbling remains of a foundry.

Traveling deeper inside the foundry the group finally found a large metallic door near the basement level and pounded five times, then three times, and then six times. Creaking loudly the door then opened and the huddle group were ushered inside.

As Raphi removed his hood he took stock of those already present.

In the corner of the room he saw Multak and his metal breakers. They still wore their heat repelling suits and stood together facing outward. Metal breakers in general were some of the most paranoid of the Thule, but when you work with materials that could melt your flesh in a flash it came with the job. Multak wasn't the oldest of the metal workers, but he was built up as the largest and most muscular of them and under his watch accidental deaths had significantly dropped.

Opposite the metal workers were two different groups deep in a heated discussion. On one hand Raphi saw the threaders and their leader Jip, and the organic farmers and their leader Kelp. He couldn't hear them perfectly but from what Raphi could hear was that the Jip was expressing some displeasure over the lack of materials while Kelp was stating the threaders demands could not be met by their current livestock.

There were several other scatter groups in the basement but none of them had as much strength as the others, nor the member count to have enough influence to have an impact outside of their district.

Raphi and his group were known as the Saviors and handled all the medical needs for at least five different districts.

"We shouldn't be here."

Raphi turned as Lilt spoke, his eyes darting back and forth between the groups.

"You scare to easily brother, be calm." Hal's reply was calm but soft spoken.

Raphi had brought the brothers with him for their individual skill sets. Hal was strong and capable of holding his own in the event of violence, while Lilt was sharp minded and could make out the finer points.

When he first received the summons for the get together he wasn't sure what he was walking in to, but he knew that he'd need the brothers if he was going to come out of it in one piece.

"Which one of you called this?"

Raphi was drawn away from his thoughts by the cold voice of Multak.

When no one answered Multak slapped his knee and stood up. "If there is no answer, then there is no need to be here." He made to leave the room and his fellow metal breakers followed him but were stopped by a voice just before they reached the door.

"I am the one who gathered you." Multak turned as did everyone else at the voice and from the opposite side of the room a lone figure stepped out of the shadows. They were cloaked in a brown rag that looked like a patchwork of clothing held together by the thinnest string but any other features were well hidden beneath it.

"Who are you?" Raphi's said as he faced the newcomer, "And why does your voice sound strange?"

The stranger pulled over a crate and calmly sat down on it; the wood creaking underneath him.

"Who I am is of little importance compared to what I can offer." They said. "As for the voice, well;" they pulled back their hood and to everyone's surprise the speaker was not a Thule at all, "I am not from around here."

"I will not listen to alien filth!" Jip's tone was thick with disgust.

The human chuckled and raised his hands to Jip. "You don't even know what I have to offer. "

"A human has nothing to offer us." Despite their previous arguments Kelp seemed to at least agree with Jip on this and both made to leave.

"Even if what I have to offer is your freedom?"

Jip and Kelp stopped.

"You have a way off planet?" Raphi was surprised when he spoke before his mind could even catch up with him.

The human shook his head. "No, but I can help you take this world for your own."

It was a long silence before anyone spoke. The human's statement so confusing that it somehow shut down the mind of everyone present as easily as one would turn off a light. Hal broke that silence with his booming laughter.

"Why is this such a strange concept for you?"

The laughter died out once Hal saw how serious the human was.

"Because we are a penal colony." Lilt said as if pointing out the obvious.

"At one time you were," the human conceded, "but now your people cover this entire world with your industry; you are now no mere colony."

"The overseers have too much power." Multak spoke.

"Power is in the eye of the beholder my friend." The human countered.

He waved his arms around the gathered members. "If we are to talk of power, then I would say the people here in this room hold more power than any overseer or governor on this world."

He pointed at Multak. "Your metal breakers form the backbone of this world. You repair and forge everything needed to keep the machines running."

He turned to Jip and Kelp. "You both control the economic exports of this world that bring in its profit."

He then faced Raphi next. "And you, without you the health and well being of every soul in your district would be put into daily peril."

The assembled Thule seemed more emboldened now that the human had pointed out the differences. While they thought it over the human continued.

"Let me tell you a story; a story of my world from long long ago."

"There was once a great empire that dominated the seas of my world; whose grasp reached from one end of the globe to the other."

"Yet as you can imagine, it too eventually swelled with criminals and felons with no where to put them. So what did they do? They sent them to a far away land."

"Humans had penal colonies of their own?" Raphi asked, surprised to learn such a barbaric practice was not exclusive to his own people.

The human nodded. "They functioned in much a similar way to here."

He continued. "As time went on more and more convicts were sent to this colony until eventually there were more of them then the guards."

"What happened to this colony?" Lilt asked.

"Why, it gained its independence and became one of the leading nations of my world."

"A nation of criminals...respected?" Raphi couldn't believe his ears.

Again the human nodded. "What makes you think that your overseers or your governs are more deserving than you? He motioned to all those gathered. "Is there one among you that honestly believes that they are somehow superior to you?"

Multak smashed his fist into nearby barrels and sent them clanging across the floor.

"Those fat sacks of flesh would not last a minute in my forges."

The human approached him and looked up into his scorched face. "Then why do you think they are better than you?"

Multak leaned down and spoke each word slowly. "They.Are.Not.Better."

smiling, the human turned to Kelp and Jip. "And do you think that you are not capable of making this planet wealthy beyond the governors wildest visions?"

Jip seemed to take offense to that. "I could make in a month what that fat oaf makes in a year." Kelp didn't say anything but nodded in agreement.

Finally he turned to Raphi.

"And most importantly of all....do you think that your people do not deserve a better life than living off the scraps they give you to survive?"

Raphi had seen the worst of the overseers treatment come into his medical rooms. He had seen the neglect, the carelessness, the wonton disregard for basic life...

"They deserve...better."

The human placed his hand on Raphi's shoulder.

"Of course they do, and together all of us can make that vision a reality."

Multak scoffed. "I assume you have a plan then?

The human grinned. "I've one or two ideas that might work."

[ravenclawlitza]

❛  zepher haphet, human entertainer assassin rogue

                   original character for DUNGEONS & DRAGONS fifth edition

      STR  10 / +0 / +0   •   DEX  18 / +4 / +6*   •   CON  10 / +0 / +0       INT  17 / +3 / +5*   •   WIS  11 / +0 / +0   •   CHA  18 / +4 / +4

      HP:  8   •   AC:  15   •   LEVEL:  1   •   HD:  1d8   •   INIT:  +4       SPEED:  30ft   •   PROF:  +2   •   ARMOR:  leather       LANGUAGES:  common, draconic, thieves’ cant

skills:

STR:  +0 athletics

DEX:  +6 acrobatics*  •  +6 sleight of hand*  •  +8 stealth**

INT:  +3 arcana  •  +3 history  •  +7 investigation**  •  +3 nature  •  +3 religion

WIS:  +0 animal h.  •  +0 insight  •  +0 medicine  •  +0 perception  •  +0 survival

CHA:  +6 deception*  •  +4 intimidation  •  +6 performance*  •  +6 persuasion*

feats:

DUNGEON DELVER:  you have advantage on perception and investigation checks made to detect the presence of secret doors.  you have advantage on saving throws made to avoid or resist traps.  you have resistance to the damage dealt by traps.  you can search for traps while traveling at a normal pace, instead of only at a slow pace.

rogue abilities:

EXPERTISE:  you add double your proficiency bonus to stealth and investigation checks.  

SNEAK ATTACK:  once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack using a ranged or finesse weapon if you have advantage or if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it and you don’t have disadvantage.

weapons:

RAPIER:  +5 to hit, 1d8+3 piercing, finesse

SHORTBOW:  +5 to hit, 1d6+3 piercing, range 80/320

2 DAGGERS:  +5 to hit, 1d4+3 piercing, light, finesse, thrown 20/60

equipment:

CLOTHING:  costume, leather armor

PACK:  a bag of 1000 ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days rations, tinderbox, waterskin, thieves’ tools*, a pungi* (instrument), a love letter,  50 feet hempen rope, 15 gold

background:

ENTERTAINER:  she is an exotic dancer, distracting and charming patrons of all kinds before sneaking into their rooms and stealing their valuables, collecting damning information for her employers to use against them, or poisoning their wineskins.

FEATURE:  she can always find a place to perform, usually in an inn or tavern but possibly with a circus, at a theatre, or even in a noble’s court.  at such a place, she receives free lodging and food of a modest or comfortable standard as long as she performs each night.  her performance makes her something of a local figure, and strangers who recognize her tend to take a liking to her.  she must therefore take extra caution to be in disguise when she goes snooping, lest she get caught or be spotted and recognized.

PROFICIENCIES:  disguise kit, one musical instrument (pungi)

PERSONALITY:  she always has a plan for what to do when things go wrong.  the first thing she does in a new place is note the locations of everything valuable and all possible exits.

IDEAL:  power.  the strongest are the ones who survive.

BOND:  something important was taken from her, and she’s determined to find it and steal it back.

FLAW:  she’d rather kill someone in their sleep than fight fair.  people who can’t take care of themselves get what they deserve.