https://www.dgsgames.com/knight-mariner-sea-blade/
When the Falkaaran Navy chases down a pirate, these knights do the enforcing. Knight Mariners are less heavily armored than other knights but make up for it in their defensive skills able to choose between dodging and parrying attacks. They are also crafty attackers, feinting their opponents into committing defensively and then striking them when their guard is down. They are trained to lead sailors and marines on boarding actions and are feared warriors up and down the coast of Falkaar and among its neighboring islands. Falkaaran naval vessels of any size will possess a Knight Mariner lieutenant and several Knights Mariner as well as a contingent of marines.
Parry
| Talent | Effect | Pre-reqs | Paths | Cost |
|---|
| Parry [X] | You may roll MAR and replace your base DEF with that number after being attacked in melee. This is called a Parry test. A successful Parry test results in the attack missing. You may make one test per X per turn. Only one Parry test may be made per enemy attack. You choose which of multiple weapons/MARs to use for each Parry test. A Parry test is treated as an Opposed test with the model employing Parry as the opposer. [R] If you are hit by several attacks at the same point in the combat sequence, you may choose which to try and Parry. You may not wait until later in the sequence and try and come back to Parry an “earlier” hit. If the result is less than your DEF, your DEF is used instead of the result of the roll. Abilities such as Swift may modify the Parry test. If the roll is a Tarch, your DEF for that attack is 1 and cannot be modified. A single attack may not be both Parried and Dodged. Parry may make use of Split Dice. A Parry that makes use of Split Dice is still one Parry. Critical Success on the Parry allows an immediate single attack by you using the MAR/weapon of the Parry, against the enemy that got the original hit result. This is called a Riposte. You may only Riposte models in contact. There may be one such attack per level of Critical Success. | No unwieldy, Limited to Parry [1] unless Sword, Staff | B | 3X |
Dodge
| Talent | Effect | Pre-reqs | Paths | Cost |
|---|
| Dodge [X] | You may attempt to Dodge X number of melee or ranged attacks per turn. To Dodge, make an AGL test and the result is your DEF for that attack. If the result is less than your DEF, your DEF is used instead of the result of the roll. If the roll is a Tarch, your DEF is 1 for that attack. A successful Dodge test results in the attack becoming a miss. A single attack may not be both Parried and Dodged. A single attack may not be Dodged more than once. Dodge may make use of Split Dice. Splitting a Dodge die is still a single Dodge. A Dodge test is treated as an Opposed test with you employing Dodge as the opposer. [R] | - | M | X |
Feint
| Talent | Effect | Pre-reqs | Paths | Cost |
|---|
| Feint | Before any attacks are made, you may force an opposed MAR test on an enemy with which you are engaged and in contact. If you win, the enemy cannot Parry or Dodge your attacks this turn. You may force this test on up to [X] different enemies per turn. [O] | AV4 or less | B | 1 |
Elusive
| Talent | Effect | Pre-reqs | Paths | Cost |
|---|
| Elusive [X] | May designate X enemies with which you are engaged. When you Break Off from those enemies, they are not permitted reaction attacks against you. Enemies so designated by this talent may not be counted towards Piling On. | AV5 or less, no large shield or pavise. | BHM | X |
Accurate Strike
| Talent | Effect | Pre-reqs | Paths | Cost |
|---|
| Accurate Strike [X] | On a TH 3 melee attack, you may choose to treat the target as AV5-X. | MAR d10, DEX d8 | BM | X |
Leaper
| Talent | Effect | Pre-reqs | Paths | Cost |
|---|
| Leaper | You may climb up to or jump down from any height up to 3” without a test. You may jump over any gap or obstacle up to 3” in height or width. The cost in movement is equal to the distance climbed and/or jumped. This may be done while running. | AV4 or less, AGL d12 | M | 1 |
Thievery
| Skill | Effect | Attribute | Action | Paths |
|---|
| Thievery | You employ Thievery to steal items from others. A successful Thievery test permits the involuntary transfer of one non-inherent item from an enemy in contact to yourself. | DEX | S | M |
Amphibious
| Talent | Effect | Pre-reqs | Paths | Cost |
|---|
| Amphibious | You treat Deep Water and Very Rough Watery terrain as Rough, and treat other Watery terrain as if Easy for movement. You are Concealed in Watery terrain. | | W | 0.5 |
The Sea Blade
There are few that know the true name of the Sea Blade. Of those that do, most will not speak
it, for it is a name associated with shame and betrayal. For others, they will not name it for fear, for
the Sea Blade is not a nostalgic person; she has left her past, and she expects it to stay away.
Little is known about the Sea Blade’s origins. She holds her past like a wild animal guards and
nurses a wound. It is known she was born in the Barony of Falthar on Falkaar’s western shore, beyond
that... only a handful know her tale, and they wisely keep their mouths shut. If brave enough to
whisper, they could tell you this: She was the third child of a wealthy seafaring family with ties to the
military and mercantile. From the beginning, it was expected that she would join the Knights Mariner
as her father had before her. Though chafing at the idea she did as she was expected to and joined up.
It wasn’t long before her defiance and freethinking got her into trouble. Though she was an
excellent fighter she was a terrible soldier. She was also light fingered, having none of the normal
societal mores about property and stealing.
She was drummed out of the Knights Mariner, and would have been executed for her crimes if it
weren’t for her father’s intervention. Instead she was exiled from Falkaar and left for parts unknown.
When next she was seen, it was as first mate on a pirate ship called the Sailfin operating on the
Inner Sea. The Sailfin preyed upon merchant shipping from both Falkaar and Haradel and both navies
hunted her without respite. Despite this, the vessel enjoyed a number of successes and an ever
increasing reputation. This brought her to the attention of the Black Rose, who contracted the Sailfin as
a supplier and smuggler. However, this success also led to the two kingdoms applying ever more
resources into finding the ship and it was only a matter of time before she was caught. A wing of
Perakkir found her mist shrouded island base and a combined fleet sent in to destroy her. Vastly
outnumbered, the Sailfin was sent to the bottom of and the crew killed or captured.
The surviving crew were brought to Arsmouth for judgement and sentence. The trial provided
its citizens a public spectacle, as news of her exploits had gone far and wide. Many thousands gathered
in the city center to witness the end of the dreaded pirates. The Warden of Arsmouth sentenced each
of the crew to death by hanging, to be carried out one at a time in ascending order of rank. The woman
who would become known as the Sea Blade watched from her wagon-borne cage as each crewman was
led off to their death and listened as the executioner pulled the lever and the crowd cheered with each
demise. As the captain had been killed in the fighting, she would be the last to go.
As her turn approached, a roar rose among the crowd in the square, but she could not see from
whence the disturbance came. Several guards near her wagon ran off to help quell whatever was
happening. Almost as soon as they were gone, arrows and bolts whistled into the alley, feeling most of
the remaining guards. Cloaked figures emerging from side doors and dropping from windows
dispatched the rest. The wind blew just right, and one of the rescuer’s hood blew back, revealing dark
hair and a patch over one eye. The Black Rose had staged a rescue for her. But why?
Both kingdoms continue to look for answers to this question. They know the Sea Blade and the
Black Rose are connected; but they can’t figure out why the Black Rose would risk capture and death for
a pirate that was smuggling for her.
Whatever the truth behind their relationship one thing is for certain. The Sea Blade serves the
Black Rose and her bandits. The Sea Blade still wears her Knight Mariner uniform as though to spit in
the face of the Falkaaran authorities. Her relationship to the Black Rose has given her new opportunities
to pilfer and her legend continues to grow amongst the people.
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