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Note: This stat block uses material from the core rulebooks as well as the “Water Creature” template from Unearthed Arcana. Andora Captain Andora, Lady of Lies Background: Andora was born nine months to the day after her barmaid-turned-prostitute mother bedded down with the strangest sailor she had ever met. He had hair the color of the blue-green sea and the deepest blue eyes she had seen. Though she slept with many men at that time, she never had any doubt as to who was Andora’s father. When she was old enough to carry a pitcher, Andora was put to work helping her mother and the other barmaids. She grew up fast, quickly growing accustomed to life among sailors, cutthroats and other less than honorable types. When she wasn’t working with her mother, Andora was swimming in the ocean, watching ships come into port or pestering sailors for stories of their travels. As she grew into young womanhood, Andora realized that all her good looks were going to buy her was a lifetime of being groped by drunken bar patrons. When she heard that a ship in port was looking for a cabin boy, she bound her breasts with bandages, donned loose boys’ clothing and a hat, cut her hair short and signed on as cabin boy of the Selkie’s Gold under the name “Andy.” After only a month at sea, Selkie’s Gold was chased and boarded by pirates…and not just any pirates. This was captain Bonny Blackbird of the Raven’s Swoop, the most notorious and ruthless woman pirate captain on this side of the world. Andora, knowing she was going to die, faced her killer with dignity, and was thus surprised when Captain Blackbird burst out laughing and proclaimed “You’re no cabin boy…by gods, you’re a girl!” Thus began Andora’s career in piracy. Andora grew up on the Raven’s Swoop, learning the ins and outs of piracy as well as establishing contacts in every port of call she visited. After Bonny almost got her crew killed by foolishly attacking a heavy warship carrying a ridiculous amount of silk, gold and spice, Andora decided things would be better for her if Bonny were to disappear. She bided her time until Bonny ordered the attack of a merchant sloop. As it turned out, the ship was crawling with royal guards…an ambush! Andora cut the riggings, leaving Bonny to be slaughtered, and sailed away without looking back. Her ruthlessness had earned her a ship of her own, which she promptly renamed the Night’s Fury. Personality: Except for very rare circumstances, Andora does not inconvenience herself to help someone unless there is compensation involved, likewise she doesn’t go out of her way to hurt anyone unless there is reward or revenge involved. She’ll gladly trade with anyone from monks to murderers and has no problem working both sides of the fence when it comes to political intrigue. If encountered at sea she’ll treat any ship as a potential mark – boarding it to loot and pillage and killing any who resist. Anyone who looks particularly rich or influential will be taken hostage to question and eventually ransomed back to their family. No one gets to Andora unless they go through the proper channels. Her vast network of spies is always on the lookout for people willing to pay for good information. Anyone caught trying to board the Night’s Fury while in port without a proper escort will encounter extreme resistance and will automatically incur the wrath of Andora and her crew. If they should escape, Andora’s spies will pursue them and she may hire bounty hunters or assassins to deal with them. Goals: Andora has made a name for herself and her crew aboard the Night’s Fury, trading in all manner of stolen merchandise from silks to slaves, but most of all Andora has become notorious in reputation for staying abreast of intrigue and gossip. In many cases it is not only spice or gold, but information that the pirate has scavenged from the unwary travelers of the sea. Gossip about kings, queens and dukes, knowledge of political back-stabbings and underhanded deals made amongst nobility, discreet meetings between prominent members of the community, intimate details about payoffs and bribes among city guards…it is knowledge of details such as these that secure the Night’s Fury a safe and discreet berth in every port she visits. At the height of her vocation, she is known in the alleys as the Lady of Lies and the Witch of Whispers. Over the years her network of spies has grown vast and far-reaching. It’s rumored she has spies in every city up and down the coastline. In many towns her face has never been seen, yet she could tell you what their governor had for breakfast or who among the city guard is taking bribes from the gambling houses to turn their attention elsewhere. It’s rumored that her success at sea comes from a pact with sea creatures and merfolk. Her crew perpetuates their captain’s air of mystique by spinning tales about her conquests at every port they stop in. Combat: If encountered in combat, Andora will at first allow her crew members to attempt to deal with the situation, spending any time available to draw and activate the magical abilities of her weapons and observe the attackers. In combat she will attempt to flank opponents so that she can make full use of her sneak attack ability. She will likewise do her best to be wary and avoid being surrounded, putting her back to a wall or another ally. If a choice in opponents presents itself, Andora’s style is to go directly for the most likely leader of a party. Anyone especially brutish or barbaric she’ll allow her first mate to deal with and she’ll go straight for whoever looks to be the brains of the outfit. Barring a notable leader, she’ll attempt to dispatch any obvious magic users. If a situation looks like it’s taking a turn for the worst, Andora will do everything within her power to escape and live to fight another day. Before allowing herself to be killed, she’ll make an attempt to abandon ship and make her way to the water where she’ll use her exceptional swimming abilities to retreat. If time or opportunity allows, she’ll use her emergency potion of water breathing to further her retreat. If retreat is not possible, Andora will use diplomacy and bluff to try to talk her way out of a bad situation. She’ll try use sense motive to determine the party’s general attitude and negotiate accordingly. If her captors seem receptive to the idea, she’ll offer to trade information or goods for her own immediate release. If her captors have a paladin or other obviously morally bound member among them, she’ll remind them that she’s a wanted criminal with a potentially large reward for her capture and that the appropriate thing to do would be to turn her in to the authorities so that she can face a fair trial. If released in exchange for goods and information, Andora will make good on her promised offer though later she’ll offer a reward for the return of any ‘notable’ items that were used to purchase her freedom. If turned over to authorities she’ll be quietly released in a few days due to bribes made on her behalf by prominent but anonymous citizens. Why is Andora a good BBEG?: Andora has a large network of spies and informants as well as a great deal of blackmail material hanging like the Sword of Damocles over the heads of many powerful nobles and political figures. If the PCs are commissioned to hunt her down, she’ll know they’re coming almost as soon as they do. She has the manpower and resources to keep track of the PCs and, potentially, to stop them as well. PCs on Andora’s trail could be harassed and attacked by blackmailed people that would otherwise not try to stand in their way…up to and including notable politicians, aristocrats and nobles. Additionally, she has the skills and resources to flee, if cornered, thus making her a good option for a returning villain. A game involving Andora could run the gambit from political to hack and slash, and from ship-to-ship combat to undersea adventure. Such a BBEG simply begs for the opportunity to open your game to a wide variety of new possibilities. |
