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  Prelude
  Founded in 1353, the Adventurer’s Society of Luthon serves
  as a social club and sponsor program for men and women
  seeking to travel the exotic regions of Théah. While many
  look briefly at such a description and disregard the
  membership as a lesser version of the world-renowned
  Explorer’s Society, the members of the Adventurer’s Society
  point to their unique differences with pride. The club’s age
  alone lends credibility to any denials of imitation. Like their
  more famous and expansive rivals, and countless other
  similar clubs in
  civilized cities throughout
  Théah, the
  Adventurer’s
  Society serves as a
  rallying point for worldly
  individuals to share experience and
  knowledge in comfortable
  surroundings.
  At the time of its founding, Avalon stood
  united behind its King. The form of
  governance known as a Parliament
  that had been formed the previous
  century was gaining real power. A
  collection of nobility, the
  Parliament was able to guide the
  edicts of the king, and with consensus
  to oppose his will directly for the good of
  the kingdom. This new prestige was an
  intoxicating glory for many young nobles hungry for
  power. Factions and parties formed quickly amongst the
  members. Several groups held to Royalist policy and
  supported the King’s proclamations. Other, more radical,
  factions stepped forward to press their own agendas within
  the Parliament. Such talk would of course be considered
  treasonous by the Crown. Even meeting to discuss such
  thoughts was dangerous unless they could prove that they
  were meeting for other reasons. The need for secrecy led
  these noble men to create a social setting where their
  machinations would not be suspect.
  Birth of a Society
  In Septimus 1353, Lord Ainsley Johns contacted seven
  young men who had petitioned him to sponsor an expedition
  to the Drachenberg Mountains. While the actual goal held
  little interest for Johns, the leader of this group, Timothy
  Lessup, was in love with Johns’ niece. Ainsley felt Lessup
  was not worthy of the young woman and was more than
  happy to finance his leaving the country. Ainsley used the
  expedition as an excuse to host a send-off party that included
  his allies in Parliament. The event was a great success both
  in raising funds for the expedition and for Johns’ true goal of
  organizing his allies in Parliament. By Nonus of that year,
  Johns had decided to use this social cover for his political
  agenda. He applied part of his personal fortune to purchase a
  manse in Luthon where his allies could meet between
  sessions of Parliament without
  suspicion. He staffed this
  house with his personal
  entourage and then sent
  out invitations to join
  his new social
  organization.
  The first meeting of
  the Noble and
  Learned
  Adventurer’s Society
  of Luthon and
  Lovaine was held on
  the 3
  rd Decimus 1353.
  Lord Ainsley Johns, Earl of
  Breneth, presided over the
  session with his four most trusted
  allies in Parliament. Lord James Smith the Earl of Fenshire,
  Lord Martin Hall the Baron of Percis, Lord Sean Parrish the
  Earl of Cardican, and Lord Simon Wray the Earl of Carleon
  attended the meeting and became the founders of the
  Society. They drew up a charter that detailed the
  organisation’s public goals and each member was dispatched
  to find suitable new members to augment their number. The
  founders agreed to seek out both like-minded nobles holding
  seats in Parliament and commoners interested in traveling
  Théah to add to the ranks.
  Efforts to find willing members were minimal. Those
  interested were quick to seek out the founders to petition for
  a place in the Society. Scholars with an interest in the natural
  The Adventurer’s Society of Luthon
  
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  philosophy of Théah converged on the club, hungry for
  support and funding. Lord Johns accepted all who applied
  within the first six months. At the suggestion of Smith and
  Parrish, the Society even accepted several Royalist rivals in
  the Parliament to further obscure their true use for the club.
  Social functions such as fox hunts were organized for the
  entertainment of the noble patrons. In addition, the scholars
  began offering lectures to entertain and educate the
  membership.
  The success of Lessup’s expedition brought instant renown
  for the fledgling organization. As the son of a Knight, Lessup
  barely had the credentials to be considered nobility;
  however, he had taken the opportunity to educate himself
  better than most men of his era. His companions were like-
  minded men with scholarly skills and a curiosity about what
  life beyond Avalon. The first expedition sponsored by the
  Adventurer’s Society returned with complete journals
  documenting the trip, artistic drawings of the Drachenberg
  range and the Eisen lands, samples of plant life, and a
  hunting trophy boar’s head Lessup himself killed when it
  attacked the camp. The lectures offered that Lessup and his
  men gave about the strange lands of Eisen quickly became
  popular entertainment for the elite social circles in Luthon.
  Hoping to capitalize on the popularity of the expedition,
  Johns quickly organized a second trip for Lessup and his men
  to the northern coast of Ussura. They were instructed to
  return with tales of the isolated people and their culture as
  well as information about the physical aspects of the region.
  Unfortunately, the expedition met with the traditionally harsh
  winter and Lessup was killed in an avalanche. At the end of
  the expedition, only four members returned to Luthon.
  Interest in their adventures were just as high as they were for
  the Eisen foray. After a series of lectures, the four survivors
  agreed to each form a team to expand the influence the
  Adventurer’s Society held. While all four teams managed to
  be successful in their journeys, one man stood at the center
  of acclaim. Sir Christopher Camfield, a Knight of the Crown,
  had been too young to serve with the king during his crusade
  so he focused his will on the exploration of Théah.
  Sir Christopher’s methods became the example to which all
  expeditions have been compared. He believed in working
  with the local inhabitants of a region to learn more about his
  surroundings. His teams were always trained to survive any
  obstacles they encountered. His expeditions held one
  objective as the top priority, to serve as examples of the best
  qualities Avalon had to offer. Camfield’s second objective
  was to return to Avalon with accurate descriptions and
  examples of the finest qualities possessed by the people he
  encountered abroad. Descriptions of far away lands such as
  Vodacce were rare at the end of the thirteenth century and Sir
  Christopher was a welcome guest anywhere he chose to
  speak while he was home. He continued to travel for
  seventeen years before retiring from his role as an expedition
  captain but he  continued to lecture about his travels until his
  death in 1384.
  While the Society continued to serve as a cover for the five
  founders’ political plans, it became obvious that their plans
  would in all likelihood outlive them. Lords Parrish and Johns
  established a secret charter for the five-member conspiracy
  and dubbed the group “the Foundation.” As members
  surrendered their seats in Parliament they also surrendered
  their place within the Foundation and new members were
  recruited to replace them with the exception of Lord Johns’
  seat. The charter established his seat as the founder of the
  Foundation and its intent to pass down his line. A member of
  the Johns family has been involved in every change in the
  Foundation. Currently, that seat is held by Lord Wesley
  Johns IV, 23rd Earl of Breneth.
  The Society in History
  In 1402, word reached Luthon that a Castillian sailor named
  Cristobal Gallegos proposed an attempt to circumnavigate
  the globe with the financial backing of the Castillian King
  and the Vaticine Church. Not to be outdone by a Castillian,
  the founders of the Adventurer’s Society gathered their finest
  active expedition teams to out-race Gallegos for the glory of
  circling the globe. They also secretly sent Lady Louisa
  Dudley to serve aboard Gallegos’ crew with instructions to
  slow his journey at every opportunity. As history has shown,
  neither crew was heard from again.
  During the early parts of the 15th century, the Adventurer’s
  Society encountered difficulty arranging expeditions to
  civilized regions due to the ravages of the White Plague, so
  they focused on travel to the wilds of Ussura and the
  extremes of the continent. Trips to the Corridors of Flame,
  attempts to reach Cathay, and expeditions to the Midnight
  Archipelago all came into vogue during this era. The
  opportunities during this time were not fully reached as the
  malaise that afflicted the Avalon nobility reached just as
  deeply into the Society’s membership . Resources were spent
  
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  instead on hunting trips and encouraging King David III to
  invade Montaigne over a cargo of oranges intended for an
  expedition that never arrived. During the next 200 years,
  political strife in Avalon limited the number of expeditions
  that were undertaken and the Society regressed into a
  gathering club for members of Parliament to drink and
  socialize.
  In 1498, the Vaticine Church sent an investigatory committee
  to look into the actions of the Adventure’s Society.
  Questions were raised concerning their activity in gathering
  knowledge and whether said actions could be considered
  heretical in nature. The Foundation, wishing to remove itself
  from such scrutiny, opted to send its most eloquent speaker
  to Castille to deal with these charges in person. Such an
  action was unheard of in Avalon during that era. On 5th
  Quintus 1499, Lord Egan, Earl of Carroll was granted an
  audience with the Heirophant Joaquin II. He focused his
  speech on one simple argument, “We have gathered no
  knowledge for the people of Avalon that could not have been
  gained by sailing the entire nation to each of these locales.
  Our intention is to do no more than learn the joys and pains
  of our fellow man and the beauty of the lands they inhabit.”
  His impassioned speech moved the Heiros Council to drop
  all allegations against the Society but the Church elected
  never to sponsor or support their activities.
  In 1520, after several years of scrutiny, Albert MacCormick
  was invited to join the Foundation. While this would
  normally be of little interest, Albert was the great-
  grandfather of Explorer’s Society founder, Cameron
  MacCormick. In 1527, Albert made a decision based on his
  loyalty to the Crown that affects Théah to this very day.
  MacCormick discovered that one of the Foundation’s
  members was involved in a plot to assassinate Richard
  Lovaine. Albert revealed this plot and Lord Devin Johns was
  executed for treason. Devin’s brother, Stephen, managed to
  retain his family’s title after the remaining members of the
  Foundation rallied support for the young man. Two months
  later, Albert MacCormick died from injuries sustained on a
  hunting expedition with the Adventurer’s Society.
  When the Heirophant was looking for a scholar to follow the
  paths of the Prophets in 1585, he sent a letter of inquiry to
  the Adventurer’s Society. Debate arose amongst the
  membership as to who was worthy to accept such a task.
  Expedition Captains of the Society quickly found themselves
  divided by their religious support of the Vaticine faith.
  Objectionists, led by Foundation member Sir Robert
  Vauxhall, pressed to reject the offer outright. Vaticines
  within the Society vied for the privilege of making the trek.
  The debate raged for a fortnight until it was placed before a
  vote of the entire membership. The decision to refuse the
  Church’s offer to follow the paths of the Prophets was made
  by a margin of one vote. No member in good standing with
  the Adventurer’s Society of Luthon and Lovaine was to
  accept the quest offered by the Vaticine Church.
  Lord Stephen Johns II offered the emissaries an alternative
  scholar he had recently befriended in Carleon named
  MacCormick who shared Johns’ Vaticine beliefs. (see
  Explorer’s Society™ sourcebook for the results of this
  suggestion.)
  Having alienated the most powerful organization in Théah,
  the Adventurer’s Society turned its interest toward the west
  for the remainder of the century. Expeditions to the Midnight
  Archipelago became popular. Surveys of the indigenous
  tribes and wildlife drew large numbers of Luthon nobility.
  Exotic travel to hunt strange creatures also proved
  increasingly popular with the relative safety of travel offered
  by new larger ships. Such excursions were not always
  without mishap, however. In 1597, Lord Stephen Johns II
  and Andrew MacCormick perished in a hunting accident on a
  Montaigne controlled island named L’Ile du Bête. While not
  a significant incident in the history of the Adventurer’s
  Society, it was a large factor in the founding of the
  Explorer’s Society.
  Current Affairs
  The ascendancy of Elaine and her decision to move the
  government to Carleon has diminished to popularity of the
  Adventurer’s Society in recent years. Without the need for
  Parliament to attend to matters in Luthon, patronage of the
  Society has declined. The need for new backers has forced
  the Society to turn toward the emerging merchant lords who
  have built their financial empires on Luthon’s shipping
  industry. To date, it has been a wise match as the merchants
  possess a fleet of ships and a resource for supplies. Still, the
  return of Glamour to the Isles has boosted the desire for
  legends and heroics. The Adventurer’s Society has been able
  to exploit this national thirst for tales to some extent.
  Speakers from the organization are frequently requested to
  appear across the Three Kingdoms.
  In recent years, the Society has worked to bridge
  
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  understanding amongst the nations. It openly shares its
  discoveries with similar clubs in Montaigne, Vendel, and
  Vodacce. At one time, it also shared information with a
  similar group in Eisen. However, that organization has
  become defunct after the War of the Cross, as any funds for
  exploration have been refocused toward rebuilding the once
  great nation. The organization works to keep its diplomatic
  front flexible to maintain good relations for its traveling
  expeditions. By displaying manners and respect for the
  various nations, the Society has managed to make itself
  welcome in most parts of the world.
  Lady Alyce Garloise has initiated efforts to make the
  organization better known throughout Théah by offering to
  send scholars on touring lectures to each nation. These
  lectures would be offered by current scholars based on the
  recent expeditions and featured artifacts recovered from
  various nations. She intends for it to serve as a way for world
  leaders to achieve a less opinionated perception of each
  nation’s unique qualities.
  Finally, the Adventurer’s Society of Luthon is funding a pair
  of expeditions that have grabbed the attention of southern
  Avalon as a unique curiosity. The Society’s two most
  established Expedition Captains of the last century have
  challenged one another to a race. The goal is to reach the
  Wall of Fire by overland travel and be the first to return to
  the lounge of the Adventurer’s Society Headquarters. Cecil
  Edwards and Jack McNitt are preparing their teams as
  Avalon citizens and displaced Montaigne nobility wager
  over who will be the first to return, or even if they will
  return.
  Diplomatic Relations
  Avalon: Avalon is home to the Society. With key members
  serving in the government, the Adventurer’s Society
  finds itself protected by the Crown. The
  organization’s actions are a source of public
  pride for the nation and Luthon in particular.
  The Highland Marches welcome
  speakers form the Society as windows
  to lands very remote from them. They are
  treated as honored guests wherever they
  travel and often find themselves besieged by
  various clans looking to have the expedition scholars
  include them in lectures written for other nations. Inismore
  and the O’Bannon took a little more convincing but have
  discovered that they also receive many benefits from
  association with the Society. Two scholars have taken up
  residence in Tara to both observe the culture of the Inish
  people and serve as advisors to the Inish government about
  the cultures of Théah. Never as flashy as the Explorers, the
  Society nonetheless finds a place in the hearts of its nation.
  Castille: Castille is a favorite destination for Expedition
  members. They love the food, rituals, and friendly nature of
  its people. Additionally, the beautiful landscapes offer
  wonderful vistas for the Society painters to render as samples
  of Théan landscapes. La Selva de Fendes offers more
  adventurous expeditions a locale that is virtually unexplored
  within the continent, as well. The government represents a
  potentially dangerous ally, however. When dealing with
  officials outside the Church, the Society can usually expect a
  friendly gesture and support. However, past rebukes from the
  Church make this a tenuous relationship because any
  decision can be changed at a moment’s noticeand an
  expedition could end up quickly dealing with a group of
  Inquisitors. Currently, the Society is making arrangements
  for a group of scholars to present a touring lecture about the
  culture and artifacts of Ussura.
  Cathay: In 1514, an expedition mounted by the
  Adventurer’s Society left the port of Dionna bound for
  Cathay, against the orders of the Vaticine Church. Three
  years later, the ship was sighted approaching the harbor of
  Porta Spatia. Unbeknownst to the crew, Porta Spatia was in
  the grips of an outbreak of the White Plague. The crew was
  infected despite their short time in harbor. Three weeks later,
  a Castillian galleon found the craft adrift and boarded the
  vessel. Finding it full of infected sailors, the Castillians
  scuttled the ship. Since then, the Adventurer’s Society has
  failed to mount a successful expedition to Cathay due to a
  variety of continuing nautical mishaps.
  Crescent Empire: The Society has made great
  progress in dealing with factions in the Crescent
  Empire. While not yet openly accepted
  throughout the Sultanate, they are
  welcome by many tribes. Most of this
  can be attributed to the expedition led by
  Jack McNitt thirteen years ago. His insistence
  on expedition members adopting the ways of the
  local people brought him profound amounts of respect
  from the tribes he encountered. Tribes that did not meet Jack
  are much less open to expeditions and several groups found
  
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  out the hard way that the nomadic bandits do not care who
  they target at all. While no formal ties have been established
  with the government, McNitt’s packmaster, Syed Rastogi,
  has expressed interest in bringing the collected knowledge of
  the Society to his countrymen. He has requested permission
  to copy portions of the Society journals to serve as a gift of
  knowledge to his people.
  Eisen: Eisen was the first place the Society traveled. Despite
  the ruin it suffered in recent times, it is still a favorite friend
  of the Society. Expeditions still travel the labyrinth of the
  Drachenberg mountain range. A group of scholars also reside
  in Wische hoping to solve the plight of the Waisen. Eisen is,
  in fact, the one nation where the Adventurer’s Society has
  never been denied access to anything. Plans were underway
  to build a Chapterhouse in Freiburg before the beginning of
  the War of the Cross but the subsequent destruction of the
  nation placed those plans on hold. The chapterhouse was
  turned over to the Eisen government as a hospital during the
  war and now serves as a warehouse to feed the displaced of
  the city. The Adventurer’s Society uses a portion of its
  annual funds to support a variety of charitable activities
  throughout Eisen.
  Montaigne: Before the Revolution, Montaigne nobility was
  a rival to the Society. The continental nobles often looked
  down upon the Society’s mixed social heritage, which lead
  to a series of challenges over the years to out perform one
  another. As a nation, it has never offered the Society any real
  subjects for scholarly research and thus is a nation the
  Society knows little about in general. As the Montaigne
  controlled Avalon for a number of years, there was little
  need to bring its culture to Avalon. The current revolt has
  captured the attention of Society scholars and politicians.
  Lord Johns has dispatched a dozen political scholars to study
  the effects of the new form of government in Montaigne. He
  has made every resource available to these men with the goal
  that they know more about the operation of this new
  leadership than the participants themselves.
  Ussura: It is fortunate for the Adventurer’s Society that the
  second expedition to Ussura was led by a very respectful and
  polite man. His grace and concern for the land earned
  Matushka’s tolerance. While she does not have need of them
  in the same manner as she does the Explorers, Matushka sees
  the Society as a group looking to understand her ties to the
  land and this amuses her. Jack McNitt recently spent a year
  in her lands learning the ways of Ussura and that fills
  Grandmother Winter with a small amount of pride. Alyce
  Garloise has been nagging Jack to include room to transport
  several artifacts from the Vodacce exhibit she has organized
  for Pavtlow but the Captain has refused to accept spare cargo
  that would slow him down.
  Vendel: While the Vendel are all to happy to accept any
  educational information the Society would send their way,
  the nation is not on the best terms with the Society. The
  appreciation the Society holds for the Vestenmannavnjar
  people is a sore point among the merchant nation. As the
  patronage of the Adventurers has shifted to the merchant
  class of Luthon, the Society has come to see the Vendel as a
  rival to Avalon’s mercantile efforts. Any request in Vendel
  quickly turns into a negotiation for a deal of some sort and
  honest pursuit of knowledge is often hindered by the need to
  “purchase” rights to posses such knowledge. Additionally,
  the Vendel have formed their own Adventurer’s Society.
  After first approaching the organization in good faith with
  hopes of working together, the Avalon camp returned home
  in disgust. The Vendel version of their Society has been
  deemed little more than a mockery in their eyes.
  Vestenmannavnjar: Avalon loves the Vestenmannavnjar at
  the moment. The tales of their mythology fit well with the
  legendary aspects of Glamour. As with the Explorers, the
  Vestenmannavnjar are happy with any group willing to
  listen, record and retell their stories with respect.
  Additionally, it has become known that the Adventurer’s
  Society is not on the best terms with the Vendel, which
  further increases their acceptance. Expeditions to the
  Vestenmannavnjar regions have recently included members
  willing to share their own Avalon legends with the skalds.
  As long as the expeditions are content not to disturb their
  sacred artifacts, not make artistic copies of certain items
  inscribed with runes, and not to press the tribes to reunite
  with the Vendel, they are accepted.
  Vodacce: Dealing with Vodacce is always a challenge for
  the Society. Every expedition to ancient Numan sites meets
  with a mountain of resistance. Any group the Society sends
  deals with threats, bullying, and manipulation, all designed
  to further someone’s goals in the Great Game. The Society
  has all but given up on open expeditions to the nation.
  Instead they have become as covert as possible in Vodacce.
  Smaller groups are sent often attached to other business
  ventures to learn what they can. Information is also collected
  second hand from travelers. Rather than trying to beat the
  
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  Princes at their Game, the Society has hidden the fact that
  they are playing the game at all.
  Die Kruezritter: The Adventurer’s Society is aware of an
  active sect of Knights patrolling Zafara. They assume these
  men are descendants of the organization that was destroyed
  at Tannen. The Society is unaware that it possesses damning
  information about die Kreuzritter, however. After the Battle
  of Tannen, members of the Society traveled to the new
  graveyard to record the names and number of Black Crosses
  who died on that day. This information is filed under “Battle
  of Tannen” in the records. In Sextus 1668, a small field team
  traveled to Tannen to record information about the cemetery
  unaware that the Society already had it. Should any member
  ever cross-reference these notes, they will discover the
  tremendous increase in graves. Outside of this information,
  the Adventurers have no idea that die Kreuzritter as an active
  society still exists.
  Explorer’s Society: The Explorers are considered by most
  of the world as friendly rivals of the Adventurer’s Society.
  Both claim to be the superior faction in expedition and
  exploration and this is true to a point. As the Explorers
  began to delve more and more into Syrneth artifacts, the
  Adventurers moved more actively to gather information
  about the current world. Of all the organizations of Théah,
  the Society knows the Explorers best. Members are actively
  recruited from the University to join the Adventurers. While
  Explorers brag about their own college and world-wide
  chapterhouses, the membership of the Adventurers hold
  postings in most of the major universities of Théah. In the
  field, the rivalries end quickly. Explorer activity in ruins is
  recognized by both parties as dangerous work. The nuances
  of cultural exchange is also delicate at times and there is not
  a member of either organization who wishes to endanger
  anyone by disrupting a rival at work. Additionally as both
  organizations frequently cross paths in the field it has
  become commonplace to share shelter when available, as
  well as cargo space, and extra supplies when possible. Many
  a stranded Adventurers’ expedition has been rescued by an
  Explorer ship and vice versa. At the end of the day, the
  Society views the Explorers as brothers in spirit moving
  toward a separate but important goal.
  Invisible College: If the Explorers are brothers, the Invisible
  College is viewed as mentors to the Adventurer’s Society
  residing in university faculties across Théah. The Society is
  aware of certain inventions released by the College that have
  made their expeditions safer and easier over the years. While
  they are aware of only the few known members of the
  school, expedition leaders are trained to recognize the
  College’s coded distress signals and respond when they are
  able. Compensation has never been sought for these actions;
  however, the College has responded twice by sending allies
  to save Society members being held by the Inquisition.
  Additionally, the headquarters in Avalon recently found
  itself the recipient of a package containing two suits
  designed to allow a man to travel underwater with
  instructions for their use as well as a set of folding furniture.
  The identity of the donor is unknown.
  Knights of the Rose+Cross: On the 5th Octavus 1615, two
  Foundation members of the Adventurer’s Society of Luthon
  appeared in the headquarters wearing the seal of the Knights
  of the Rose+Cross. As members of the nobility and
  Parliament, this caused the same amount of debate in Luthon
  as did similar appearances across Théah. In deference to the
  influence of these two members, the Knights were accepted
  as acting in the best interest of man and it was agreed to
  accept their request of privacy. As a sign of respect for their
  former leaders, no member of the Adventurer’s Society has
  ever asked questions about the Rose+Cross. The organization
  has crossed paths with the Knights on several occasions,
  rescuing injured Knights lost in the wilderness and
  occasionally being saved by Knights in similar situations.
  Los Vagos: The Adventurers view Los Vagos as a cultural
  event in the life of the Castillian people. They equate El
  Vago to the need sometimes faced in society for anonymous
  justice. They recognise the actions of the Vagabond as being
  similar to historical figure of Robin Goodfellow, so they are
  working to document the phenomenon from its beginnings in
  hopes of finding when and how the need for such heroes
  arise. In doing this they have been saved by the Vagabond
  several times in Castille and have an unofficial policy to
  assist in return whenever possible.
  Rilasciare: The Adventurer’s Society officially ranks each
  Rilasciare cell as a separate national entity. They are
  unaware of the global organization behind the group.
  Similarity of actions is attributed to roving mercenary
  activists selling their services to a series of these cells. The
  Free Thinkers Society currently managing the government in
  Charouse is thought to be completely separate from this
  organization.
  Sophia’s Daughters: The Adventurers are so close to
  
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  discovering the existence of this group. They have records
  and even paintings of no less than six entry points into Bryn
  Bresail in their vaults, yet no one realizes what they hold and
  their paths cross on a regular basis without the Adventurers
  being any the wiser. All it would take is one scholar with
  knowledge of Sidhe lore to sit down and read the right logs
  in the library and the whole organization would be revealed.
  The Society even has a man with just that knowledge. It just
  so happens that he has no desire to look.
  Adventurers Headquarters
  The Society still officially operates out of the original
  headquarters two blocks from the old Parliament Hall in
  Luthon. Over the years, patrons have purchased the other
  buildings on the block along with a pair of warehouses at the
  wharf to serve the extended needs of the organization. The
  other buildings serve as storage of artifacts and trophies
  discovered by various expeditions, housing for
  members and staff as well as offices for the
  inevitable paperwork and accounting that
  accompany such ongoing explorations.
  The most important building may be the
  Records Library. Every expedition that
  returns, dating back to Thomas
  Lessup’s first journey, has recorded a
  journal log of its discoveries. Copies,
  and in many cases the original writings,
  are stored in the library and catalogued by nation and then
  different aspects of each culture. Additionally, the most
  important aspects are collected into texts for scholars to
  study and use as teaching aids. These sources hold the most
  complete sociological descriptions of Théah in existence. As
  a final resource, the Society has compiled a series of
  Encyclopedias for each nation and their citizenry. These
  sources list short descriptions of every event and activity the
  Society has recorded since its founding, with annotation and
  reference to the full journal entries. A team of twenty-three
  scribes work to keep this system of information current.
  The Private Agenda
  Almost every organization on Théah has a secret and the
  Adventurer’s Society of Luthon and Lovaine is no different.
  It’s a secret that is unknown even by most of its membership.
  The Adventurer’s Society was not created to explore the
  world and document Théah’s cultures. It was created as a
  place to hide in plain sight. The five founders organized the
  Society to discuss political actions that may have been
  considered treason in their time without calling attention to
  their meeting. Today, that objective is still the first priority
  of the Society. The Foundation of the Society work to use
  their knowledge and information about the world to sway the
  population of Avalon and Théah in general toward
  abandoning the rule of monarchy in favor of legislature. This
  has been the goal since the first meeting, to overthrow the
  Avalon monarchy through peaceful means.
  The Foundation
  Named to honor the five founding members and their goal,
  the Foundation continues to direct the Society’s actions and
  guide the agenda of Avalon’s Parliament. In 1353, Ainsley
  Johns, Parrish, Hall, Wray, and Smith gathered in the
  basement of the Headquarters of the Society and
  began what has become one of the most slowly
  evolving political plans in the history of
  Théah. As members of the Parliament they
  realized that regardless of the individual
  wisdom of any given King, it paled beside the
  knowledge of a group of educated men. The
  five Lords formed a pact to convince Théah to
  abandon its traditional monarchies for
  Parliamentary rule.
  The Lords took the title of “Foundation” to represent
  their actions serving as the foundation of a new society for
  the world. It became obvious early on that such a sweeping
  change could only come through violence which could be
  undone or learning and education for the masses. The early
  expeditions were meant to seek out like-minded individuals
  and explore the possibility of finding established cultures
  using their ideas of government. As the volume of
  information about the world grew, the Foundation began to
  reveal their knowledge to the public. Lectures were altered in
  subtle ways to highlight the errors made by monarchs. Over
  the centuries, new members have been selected as
  replacements based on their political leanings for
  Parliamentary rule.
  The exception to this has always been the Johns’ family
  position in the Foundation. Ainsley Johns groomed his son
  to take over his role in both Parliament and the Society.
  Every heir to the Breneth earldom since then has been
  groomed to manipulate commoners into accepting the
  
  A Novus Group Roleplaying Resource
  8
  concept of group rule. Some have been more adept than
  others have but loyalty to the family cause has been an
  absolute the Princes of Vodacce could only wish to possess.
  While the cause has stumbled through an occasional
  generational lapse, the Johns family has stayed the course
  with Ainsley’s original goals. Most of the descendants have
  realized that their cause is greater than any quest for personal
  power. The current Earl of Breneth, Wesley Johns IV, is not
  one of those descendants, however.
  Wesley has been watching the success of the Free Thinkers
  Society in Charouse very closely. He has been fascinated by
  their success with violent revolution. He will continue to
  observe and monitor their success and failures. Wesley also
  intends to send some friends in Charouse a few articles
  written by various ancestors that may help them maintain
  control in the aftermath of the revolt. He realizes that
  Elaine’s rule does not offer him the same oppression Léon
  held over Montaigne; however, the Montaigne willingness to
  abandon their Empereur has shown Wesley that the time is
  close for Avalon to follow to Parliamentary rule.
  The current Foundation is Wesley’s tool to overcome this
  obstacle. He has an educated populace which should be
  accepting to a change in rule. His problem stems from the
  popular Queen. Wesley has little chance of discrediting her
  and is now contemplating methods to remove her from the
  throne. Stanton Clarke is a perfect foil with his connections
  to complete any underhanded crimes. Alyce Garloise has a
  claim to the throne and could be used to support the
  Parliament’s push for control or framed if Wesley finds the
  need. Wesley has letters from his grandfather suggesting
  Jacob Hargreaves has ties to the Sidhe, the sort of ties that
  could be used to convince the Goodly Folke to accept and
  support this sort of change. Nigel Bester is Wesley’s key.
  Nigel has been manipulated into a position of influence to
  seize control of Parliament. He’s popular, charismatic, and
  completely under Wesley’s influence,  a man to bridge the
  gap between the revolt against a popular Queen and the
  potential rule of Wesley’s oldest son Harold when he has
  been properly educated in the Johns tradition.
  Using the Society
  The Adventurer’s Society is useful as a villainous foil, a
  friendly rival, or a patron organization for your player
  characters. As a villainous organization, the Society contains
  an inner circle of individuals looking to overthrow their own
  government. The organization has a history of slowly
  developing plots that can come to fruition during your
  campaign. Wesley Johns, Jacob Hargreaves, and Nigel
  Bester are all characters who can serve as direct mastermind
  style villains or allies with questionable goals. The players
  should never be certain of their objectives or methods. These
  men are held in high esteem by the general population of
  Avalon, which offsets most suspicions about them.
  When serving as rivals against other organizations, the
  Adventurer’s Society is the perfect competition for the
  Explorers Society looking to reach exotic locales. It’s a
  friendly rivalry between the organizations so Explorer
  players can feel free to take the opportunity to “one-up” their
  competition. Additionally, with the goals of the Foundation,
  the Rilasciare are also perfect rivals for the Society. Their
  successful attempts to infiltrate the every secret society in
  Théah makes them available as almost universal competition.
  The open nature of the Adventurer’s Society and their desire
  for travel make them a wonderful opportunity for players
  looking for a patron as well. As the majority of the
  membership is unaware of the Society’s actual goals , its
  heroic cover serves as a splendid patron for characters
  wanting to explore Théah. Additionally, the Society can
  serve as a wonderful staging point for adventures dealing
  with exploration of the Western Continent, royal hunts, or
  Parliamentary intrigue. The membership offers a variety of
  support options for characters regardless of their reasons for
  being in Avalon.
  Dramatis Personae
  Robert Lapham ~ Society Master
  Affectionately known as “Old Bob” to the younger members,
  Robert Lapham is the oldest active member of the Society.
  Although at the hale age of 73, he has finally given up actual
  adventuring. The widower now fills his days serving as the
  Master of the Society. His duties include monitoring the
  staff’s daily activities, approving the menus for the kitchen,
  officiating at ceremonies and anything else that requires his
  attention. He spends most of his time in the study reading the
  daily news or discussing politics with the other members
  while enjoying a fine smoke and a good drink. Lapham is the
  most fervent royalist in the Society, which places him in
  direct opposition to many other members. However, Old Bob
  has always taken a friendly disagreement stance in his
  debates. He would be most put out if any member took a
  
  A Novus Group Roleplaying Resource
  9
  political debate with him personally.
  In his day, Lapham was a champion big game hunter. He
  claims to have personally shot almost half of the trophies
  that hang inside the Club. While not of noble birth, the
  Laphams have been successful wine importers for several
  generations. Old Bob spent his lifetime using his inheritance
  and business connections to finance hunting expeditions to
  the most exotic locales. He has hunted game in the Midnight
  Archipelago including L’Ille du Bête, Prince Mondavi’s
  personal hunting grounds, Ussura, and the Drachenbergs,
  among other places. He claims to have won the title of
  Master Huntsman for a straight decade back in his youth. In
  his later years, Robert passed the family business on to his
  nephew and retired to the life of a gentleman.
  Old Bob’s title of Master is only partially honorary. It
  officially makes him the leader of the organization. In truth,
  he is happy to let most of the business for the organization
  fall to Standish, the steward, or the various politically
  minded patron members such a Nigel Bester. While not as
  inclined to go out and bag big game anymore, he
  understands that the Society’s dues support the organization
  he loves as does his own money.
  About Old Bob
  Old Bob is a short man with a neatly trimmed mustache. He
  is thin and wiry with close cut gray hair. Age combined with
  a lifetime of firing muskets has removed a large part of his
  hearing. He has started to get a bit forgetful as well. The rest
  of the membership and staff have a great deal of respect and
  affection for their “patriarch”. and his whims are honored
  with a smile by most of the Club. The one thing he is an
  expert on is hunting weaponry. Be it a boar spear or a
  musket, there is not a member of the organization who
  would disregard his thoughts on a particular weapon. The
  younger members always find the time to bring a new
  musket around to Old Bob to test.
  Robert’s Secrets
  Robert Lapham has no idea that the Society contains a secret
  cell bent on overthrowing the monarchy. If he did, he would
  likely turn in those he could not kill himself. He is aware
  that several members are involved in something not meant
  for the greater membership but suspects it has to do with
  vigilante activity similar to the Rose+Cross or some illegal
  smuggling activity. His dues have been fixed at the annual
  rate he paid twenty-five years ago. While too proud to admit
  to it, he is outliving his savings and is nearly destitute.
  Standish makes sure Old Bob eats while at the club and has
  secretly gained permission from Nigel to use Society funds
  to pay the Master’s bills.
  Standish Beckwith ~ Steward
  Standish Beckwith is the definition of a gentleman’s
  gentleman. A tall, portly fellow with a receding hairline, he
  appears to be the man who always anticipates the needs of
  his superiors. His duties as the steward for the Adventurer’s
  Society of Lovaine keep him busy around the clock, so he
  schedules his tasks around a series of brief rest periods at
  odd hours, giving him the appearance of a man who never
  sleeps. Standish is an expert on wine, gourmet food,
  presentation, and domestic upkeep. His staff is expected to
  hold to his standards and work hard to make the Club one of
  the most pleasant social venues in Théah.
  Standish comes from a family that has made its livelihood as
  servants for hundreds of years. He takes personal pride in
  anticipating his masters’ their every need. He is a highly
  trustworthy man who holds the confidence of every member
  in the highest regard. He knows secrets for every member of
  the organization and fully expects to take every last one to
  his grave. Standish earned this trust by doing his job
  exceptionally well without asking questions. Due to the
  confidential nature he brings to his duties, the members trust
  Robert Lapham - Hero ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 3, Finesse: 4, Wits: 4, Resolve: 3, Panache: 2
  Reputation: 24
  Background: Moment of Awe (Great Hunting Trophy) 2
  Arcana: Loyal
  Advantages: Avalon (R/W), Montaigne, Vodacce, Age & Wisdom (2), Firm
  Grip, Keen Senses, Membership (Adventurer’s Society, Merchants Guild), Pa-
  tron, Small
  Falconer: Bird Handling 3, Animal Training 3
  Guide: Climbing 2, Ride 1, Stealth 5, Street Navigation 2, Survival 5, Tracking
  6, Trail Signs 5, Ambush: 6, Direction Sense: 3, Swimming: 3
  Herbalist: Cook 3, Diagnosis 3, First Aid 4,  Flora 3, Compounds 2, Poison 2
  Hunter: Skinning 4, Survival 5, Tracking 6, Trail Signs 5, Trap 3, Ambush 6,
  Animal Training 3
  Merchant:  Vintner 3, Accounting 3, Appraising 3, Haggling 5
  Waylay: Lie in Wait 5, Set Traps 3, Shadowing 1, Ambush 6, Camouflage 4
  Archer: Attack 4, Fletcher 3, Trick Shooting 3
  Crossbow: Attack 5, Fletcher 3, Reload 4
  Fencing: Attack 3, Parry 3
  Firearms: Attack 6, Reload 5
  Robert Lapham, Society Master ( d20™ )
  Avalon Wanderer 7 / Goodfellow Archer 3
  
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  10
  his opinions and frequently ask him to share his thoughts on
  a variety of subjects. Nigel Bester especially relies on his
  opinions..
  Regardless of a member’s standing in the Society, Standish
  truly cares for all of them equally. He is just as quick to
  acquire a rare bottle of Falisci ’47 for the merchant patrons
  as he would be to track down a pound of dried mutton for a
  young member about to leave on expedition. The younger
  members who actually travel hold a special place in Standish
  Beckwith’s heart. Having never traveled farther than three
  days from Luthon, he takes great pleasure in hearing about
  their adventures. An expedition that leaves from the Club
  always departs with a special meal prepared under Standish’s
  personal supervision.
  Standish’s Secrets
  Standish is aware of the activities of the Foundation
  members and their accomplices. He has served the order for
  just over twenty-five years and given his habit of perpetual
  duty, it would have been impossible for the Society to keep
  its activities a secret from him. Standish knows which
  members are involved and how deeply as well. He is
  frequently used as a messenger between Society members.
  The members and Standish treat his knowledge of their
  activities as a game. They pretend he knows nothing while
  using him to relay their plots and he pretends to know
  nothing about what is going on around him.
  Standish has close ties to a few members of the organization.
  He has respect for Nigel Bester and acts as the man’s
  confidant. Additionally, Standish tries to serve as a
  conscience to the Mayor of Luthon. The steward suggested
  most of the public works Nigel has performed for the city.
  Standish also sees Robert Lapham as a second father and
  works diligently to look after the old man. Lastly, Standish
  has a soft spot for Alyce Garloise. She treated him very well
  when she first joined the Society. He has always felt he
  holds her respect and works hard to maintain that.
  Standish has one final big secret. He is not really Standish
  Beckwith. Well, at least not all the time. Standish Beckwith,
  Butler to the Adventurer’s Society of Lovaine, really does
  work 24 hours a day. It is just that he changes shifts with his
  twin brother Charles every 6 hours. The two brothers agreed
  that service in the club would be an interesting life to lead.
  Unfortunately, the Society was only interested in hiring one
  man. The pay and housing was sufficient to support both
  men so Charles agreed to act as Standish and split the duties.
  The men take turns running errands and together can
  accomplish an amazing amount of work in a short time.
  Charles is closer to Nigel and Standish favors Alyce, but
  both men have the same affection for Old Bob. If they were
  ever to be discovered they hope the Society would
  understand and appreciate the years of effort they have given
  to the order and keep them on. Of course if they were to be
  released, there is a near bottomless well of secrets the two
  men hold over the membership.
  Nigel Bester ~ Mayor of Luthon
  Nigel is a man who started his life with a simple dream. He
  wanted to be respected. As the son of a successful shipping
  magnate, Nigel had access to an education, gentrified
  society, and a business on which to stake his power. In his
  early days, he was content to enjoy the power he wielded as
  a wealthy businessman in the port of Luthon. His first push
  to hold a public office as a local clerk was only to enable
  Standish Beckwith - Henchman ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 1, Finesse: 2, Wits: 3, Resolve: 2, Panache: 3
  Reputation: 11
  Background: None (See Charles Beckwith below)
  Advantages: Connections (3 informants in Luthon), Keen Senses
  Herbalist: Cook 4, Diagnosis 3, First Aid 3, Flora 1, Compound 2
  Merchant: Steward 5, Accounting 3,  Bartending 3, Haggling 4
  Servant: Etiquette 4, Fashion 1, Menial Task 5, Unobtrusive 4, Accounting 3,
  Haggling 4, Valet 5
  Spy: Shadowing3, Stealth 2, Bribery 2, Conceal 4, Hand signs 2, Lip Reading 4,
  Sincerity 3
  Streetwise: Socializing 5, Street Navigation 4,  Scrounging 2, Shopping 5
  Knife: Attack (Knife) 2, Parry 2, Throw 2
  Charles Beckwith - Henchman ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 2, Finesse: 3, Wits: 2, Resolve: 2, Panache: 3
  Reputation: 0
  Background: Mistaken Identity (Standish Beckwith)
  Advantages:  Avalon (R/W), Connections (2 informants) Combat Reflexes
  Merchant: Innkeeper 3, Steward 3, Appraising 2, Bartending 4
  Servant: Etiquette 4, Fashion 2, Menial Task 5, Unobtrusive 5, Drive Carriage 3,
  Gossip 4,  Seneschal 4
  Spy: Shadowing 3, Stealth 3, Bribery 3, Conceal 2, Disguise 3, Forgery 3, Hand
  Signs 2, Sincerity 3
  Streetwise: Socializing 5, Street Navigation 4, Shopping 4, Underworld Lore 2
  Pugilism: Attack 3, Footwork 3, Jab 2
  Standish Beckwith, Steward ( d20™ )
  Avalon Expert 4 / Spy 3
  Charles Beckwith, Steward ( d20™ )
  Avalon Expert 3 / Spy 4
  
  A Novus Group Roleplaying Resource
  11
  himself to gain a variance for his new warehouse. It was
  during this time that he realized something important about
  himself. He was good at making decisions for other people.
  Nigel soon started making the friends he would need to
  support him in becoming the Mayor of Luthon. Luthon was
  the capital of Avalon at the time, so the job placed him in a
  position that nearly rivaled the Dukes for power. This rank
  comforted Nigel as he became accustomed to the benefits of
  his new station, but he soon found himself wanting more. It
  was during this time that he started to spend time with
  various acquaintances at the Adventurer’s Society of
  Lovaine. Nigel found many like-minded men and women in
  the organization. By combining their knowledge and
  influence, the members of the Society quickly became some
  of the most influential “commoners” in the Three Kingdoms.
  Then Elaine arrived with the Graal and moved the capital to
  Carleon. Her return ruptured the projected plans of Nigel and
  his partners. Nigel soon found himself the mayor of a city
  filled with lesser bureaucrats. Even though he has an
  appointed seat in Parliament, Nigel has developed a taste for
  greater power. He has allied himself with the party known as
  the “purses” and has influence over most of their platforms.
  Nigel now splits his time between handling the affairs of
  Luthon and his duties in the Parliament, duties that he would
  enjoy a great deal more if he were not forced to spend so
  much time traveling between the two cities.
  About Nigel
  Nigel Bester is an overweight man often described as having
  features reminiscent of a large boar. His thick hair and
  prominent moustache have turned a particularly radiant
  shade of silver. He embodies all the behaviors one would
  expect from a politician of a major city. He is friendliest to
  those he expects to be of use to him. He is the sort of man
  who views Luthon as an extension of himself and wants
  nothing more than to return it to its place as the center of
  Avalon. Despite his desire for power, Nigel still works to
  promote public works projects and other events for the
  improvement of Luthon as a city, provided these
  improvements benefit his standing or position in some way.
  Nigel is an uncanny politician. His grasp of politics and the
  associated manipulations is of the highest order. He also has
  a gift for public speaking that has helped him get where he is
  today. If Nigel possessed the natural charm of Jack
  O’Bannon or Jeremiah Berek, he would hold the nation in
  the palm of his hand.
  Nigel’s Politics
  Nigel respects the actions that Queen Elaine has taken
  toward the betterment of the nation. He fails to understand
  why she feels the need to do so from Carleon rather than
  Luthon, but believes that she has done an admirable job
  during her reign. Additionally, he would like to see her make
  one more major change to the government during her reign --
  the removal of inheritance from the seats of Parliament. It is
  really the only action he needs her to take that he cannot
  press through on his own.
  Nigel’s Secrets
  Nigel Bester is a man who is not nearly as qualified as he
  believes himself to be. He was recruited into the
  Adventurer’s Society for his political connections and
  quickly deduced the true intentions of the core members of
  the organization. He honestly believes that he now controls
  them and never realizes just how often he has been used in
  return. He is too blinded by his personal goal to see this
  happening.
  Nigel’s personal goal is the removal of the monarchy which
  would leave Parliament to control Avalon. Naturally, Nigel
  envisions himself as the controlling figure of such a
  government. He was close to completing his plans a decade
  ago when Elaine returned with the Graal. If Nigel could find
  a way to remove the influence of the Graal, he is certain he
  could implement his plan. He realizes that there are several
  other would- be monarchs who would quickly rush to fill
  any void but he believes the population of commoners
  would be easy to sway to his side. He also believes the
  recent events in Montaigne support his theories.
  Nigel serves as one of the five members of the “Foundation”
  of the Adventurer’s society of Lovaine. The Foundation uses
  Nigel Bester - Villain ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 2, Finesse: 2, Wits: 5, Resolve: 4, Panache: 5
  Reputation: 86
  Arcana: Ambitious
  Advantages:  Avalon, Connections (3 in Parliament), Debater, Governor
  (Mayor), Membership (Adventurer’s Society), University
  Courtier: Dancing 2, Etiquette 5, Fashion 3, Oratory 5, Diplomacy 5, Politics 5,
  Scheming 4,  Sincerity 5
  Merchant: Scribe 4, Accounting 3, Haggling 3
  Scholar: History 3, Mathematics2,  Philosophy3, Research 3, Law 5, Theology 2
  Fencing: Attack (fencing) 3, Parry 3
  Firearms: Attack (firearms) 3, Reload 1
  Nigel Bester, Mayor of Luthon ( d20™ )
  Avalon Courtier 9
  
  A Novus Group Roleplaying Resource
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  the club as a cover for their political agenda. It funnels the
  profits from the organization into a variety of questionable
  and outright illegal activities to support their plans. Nigel
  himself has maintained a relatively “clean” record in these
  actions. He is, however, totally unaware that he is being used
  by the other members of the Foundation to complete a plan
  that has actually been evolving for several hundred years.
  Lastly, Nigel is never going to be happy with his place in the
  world. The quest for power has taken hold in his heart and
  will never subside. Even if he succeeds with his plans and
  ends up in control of Avalon, he will find himself looking
  towards Inismore and the Highland Marches. Should Nigel
  Bester find a way to subjugate his neighbors, there would be
  Montaigne calling to him to conquer. After that it would be
  Castille or Eisen. In short, Nigel is the Mayor of a city on its
  way down looking to conquer the world; he just does not
  realize it.
  Lady Alyce Garloise
  Lady Alyce is the older sister of Duke Mark Garloise of
  Camlann. She has resided in Luthon since around the time
  her brother succeeded their father as Duke. Alyce originally
  joined the Adventurer’s Society of Lovaine to gain access to
  the social circles in her new home. In the years that
  followed, she has become the “grand dame” of the club. Her
  connections and title attract all manner of young noble
  patrons to the society, who sponsor a majority of the
  Society’s expeditions. Alyce is happy to serve as the hostess
  at the grand parties and other gatherings the society engages
  in during the year. She laughingly refers to her duties as
  “placing a lady’s taste” on what would otherwise be a group
  of men gathered around a campfire. While this is far from
  the truth, Lady Alyce’s skills as a courtier do make every
  evening special.
  Alyce is a strong advocate of the abilities of the other female
  members of the organization. She is the first to defend their
  talents and skills to any of the older gentlemen who have
  overblown beliefs that the phrase “gentlemen’s society” was
  meant to exclude women. Alyce will often bet on her ladies
  to best the Society’s men in various challenges when such
  disagreements arise. She has won more often than she has
  lost . The ladies of the organization respect her for showing
  such support and try hard to follow her reminder to “treat the
  boys as if they were our equals.”
  Lady Alyce does not spend nearly as much time socializing
  at the club these days because her schedule for other events
  in the city calls for her time and energy. While she is always
  present for formal events and most major social functions
  she is hardly ever there for mundane visits. It is not
  uncommon for her to go as long as a month between
  appearances.
  About Alyce
  Lady Alyce Garloise is a masterful courtier, equal to anyone
  in the courts of Montaigne. Additionally, she is a skilled
  leader and politician as befits the daughter of a Duke of
  Avalon. She is charming, graceful, intelligent, and polite to a
  fault. The one thing she lacks is beauty. It has been
  commented that the beauty of the Garloise house fell to her
  brother Mark and that she has the countenance of a hunting
  dog. Lady Alyce has overheard such comments from time to
  time but refuses to allow them to cause her dismay. Instead
  she strives to prove herself the better person. It is an effort at
  which wise people would concede she has succeeded. When
  dealing with Alyce, one finds himself in the company of one
  of the sweetest and wonderful people in Théah. It is nearly
  impossible to meet her and not have her touch your heart.
  Most poets and authors who have met her claim that she is
  the embodiment of all things angelic.
  Lady Garloise’s Secrets
  Lady Alyce Garloise left Camlann to avoid execution. While
  she had committed no crime, Alyce was too vocal in her
  outrage at being passed over for the title of Duke. The
  patriarchal line of succession in Avalon destined her to
  always be second to her younger brother. When the title was
  passed on, Alyce had three options: lead a revolt and execute
  her own brother, accept the law as it was, or flee. She loves
  her brother too much for the first option and believes in
  Lady Alyce Garloise - Villain ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 2, Finesse: 3, Wits: 4, Resolve: 3, Panache: 3
  Reputation: 56
  Background: Nemesis (Mark Garloise)
  Arcana: Beguiling
  Advantages: Avalon (R/W), Montaigne, Vendel, Able Drinker, Membership
  (Adventurer’s Society), Noble
  Courtier: Dancing 3, Etiquette 5, Fashion 4, Oratory 4, Diplomacy 5, Gaming 4,
  Gossip 4, Politics 5, Scheming 3, Seduction 2
  Performer: Acting2, Dancing3, Oratory4, Singing 1, Cold Read 3, Storytelling 3
  Scholar: History 4, Mathematics1, Philosophy3, Research2, Astronomy 1, Law 4
  Fencing: Attack ( fencing) 2, Parry 3
  Rider: Ride 3, Animal Training 3, Mounting 3
  Lady Alyce Garloise, Society Diletante ( d20™ )
  Avalon Noble 5 / Courtier 2
  
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  herself too much for the second. Alyce is well aware that she
  will never inherit her brother’s title because of her gender so
  she is now working to change that for the future of Avalon.
  Alyce actually joined the Society for the social connections
  it offered. She never dreamed the tool she was looking for
  was hidden within its membership. The Foundation and
  Alyce sort of “found” each other while looking to use one
  another for other goals. Once Alyce convinced the other
  members of the Foundation that she was in fact not a royalist
  spy, it was only a matter of time before she was invited to
  join them. Like the other members of the inner circle, Alyce
  has no personal resentment of Queen Elaine; it is the concept
  of the general monarchy that she wishes to change. Having
  dealt personally with Queen Elaine in the past, Alyce
  believes that she is a capable ruler but no better than she, her
  brother Mark, or even Nigel could be, given the opportunity.
  Alyce is working with Nigel to remove the inheritance
  standards from title and pParliament as a way to ensure the
  equality she was never offered.
  Jacob Hargreaves
  Jacob Hargreaves is one of the oldest active members of the
  Adventurer’s Society of Lovaine, at least in terms of
  participation as a social member of the organization. Like
  Nigel Bester, Hargreaves has never traveled more than three
  days from Luthon. He is a actually bit of an enigma amongst
  the membership. He is financially secure with no known
  source of his income. He does not hail from a noble family
  nor does he seem to own or operate any sort of business. His
  only land holding is the small house in town where he lives.
  He appears to be considerably younger than Robert Lapham,
  but Lapham claims Hargreaves was already a member when
  he joined.
  Despite the mysteries surrounding his money and age, Jacob
  is a well-respected member of the club. He seems to possess
  an innate mastery of dealing with court affairs and social
  graces. He has never been known to argue with another
  member of the organization, although he has stated a
  differing opinion from time to time, it has always come to
  pass that Jacob was in the right in those circumstances. His
  accuracy for predicting the outcome of events makes him a
  minor celebrity among the politically minded members of
  the society. He claims that his decisions on such matters
  stem from a series of careful observations and logical
  deductions. These deductions tend to spin out of Jacob as a
  series of amusing and slightly risqué stories.
  Hargreave’s talent for such entertainment makes him a very
  welcome guest at Queen Elaine’s court any time he chooses
  to grace Carleon with a visit. Jacob enjoys spending time at
  court and frequently travels with Nigel Bester when the
  Mayor has business with Parliament. He particularly enjoys
  sharing tales with Jeremiah Berek and also Lawrence Lugh,
  for whom he has made it his personal mission to play
  matchmaker. Despite several years of presenting fine young
  ladies, Jacob has yet to find a woman to capture Lawrence’s
  heart, however. Somewhere in Avalon waits the perfect
  woman for the young knight and Jacob will keep looking
  until he finds her.
  About Jacob
  Jacob Hargreaves is a tall, willowy man with silvery hair that
  he wears long about his shoulders. He has a habit of wearing
  the finest clothing available in Luthon and Carleon. Each
  piece is personally tailored to fit his lanky frame and heavily
  embroidered with fine silver and gold threads. He also has a
  habit of wearing shoes dyed to a bright blue shade. When
  asked about these, he will always answer, “An old gentleman
  must be excused his eccentricities.” This is also his answer
  about any personal information asked about his age, his past,
  or his family.
  Jacob also carries a fine engraved locket made of gold and
  platinum on a silver chain around his neck. Inside is a single
  fine strand of blond hair. He will only allude that the hair
  belongs to someone who is very important to him. He is
  never without this locket. He also refuses to speak more on
  Jacob Hargreaves - Hero ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn:3, Finesse: 3, Wits: 6, Resolve: 5, Panache: 5
  Reputation: 28
  Background: Exiled, Secret Identity
  Advantages: Avalon (R/W), Cymric, Above Average Appearance, Dangerous
  Beauty, Keen Senses, Large, Membership (Adventurer’s Society), Sidhe Blood
  (Slow Aging, Immunity to Disease, Iron vulnerability, Salt Vulnerability, Run-
  ning Water)
  Artist: Musician (Flute) 4, Writing 4
  Courtier: Dancing3, Oratory5, Diplomacy5, Gaming3, Lip Reading 4, Politics 4,
  Scheming 6, Sincerity 5
  Spy: Bribery 4, Conceal 3, Forgery 4, Lip Reading 4, Sincerity 5
  Archery: Attack (Bow) 3, Fletcher 2, Trick Shooting 4
  Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 4, Parry 4
  Note - Jacob has removed his own ability to use Glamour as a restriction of his
  “role” in portraying a man.
  Jacob Hargreave, The Hidden Sidhe ( d20™ )
  Avalon ( Sidhe ) Courtier 9 / Spy 4
  
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  14
  the matter.
  Hargreaves’ Secrets
  Jacob Hargreaves died close to a century ago. A Sidhe who
  had taken offense to his assertion that the Goodly Folke
  lacked the social graces of civilized men murdered him.
  Curious as to just what the man might have been implying,
  the Sidhe in question took the guise of the mortal he had just
  slain and started a game for himself. The game was to pose
  as a mortal man and see just how a “civilized” man
  functioned. To keep things “fair,” the new Jacob stripped
  himself of his Glamour and other immortal powers. The
  locket contains a single hair from the original Jacob
  Hargreaves and completes the spell. Without it, the being
  would revert to its original form and powers over the span of
  a lunar cycle.
  Jacob joined the Adventurer’s Society to learn how to
  interact with mortals on equal terms. His knack for
  predicting events and such come from his experience in the
  Seelie courts. It is in no way supernatural, it is just centuries
  of experience. His talents brought him to the attention of the
  Foundation over two generations ago. Wesley Johns the
  elder sought to use his talents to help hasten the efforts of his
  family. Johns recruited Jacob to the Foundation and placed
  him as his mole within the Royal Court. Jacob quickly saw
  this as yet another aspect of his game and has been toying
  with the Foundation ever since then. He gives the other
  members enough fuel to further their plans but holds back
  just enough suggestions to prevent their success. One day,
  Jacob is certain that a member will make the intuitive leap
  for himself and succeed in deducing his true origins. Until
  that time he still believes that the Goodly Folke possess
  much more talent in the social graces.
  Stanton Clarke
  Stanton Clarke is distinguished amongst the wealth of
  Luthon as a self-made man. His fortune stems from the
  import company he founded with one small cargo ship and a
  willingness to travel to any port in the world. The years of
  hard work have developed his company into Avalon’s largest
  private fleet of ships. He holds contracts with Vendel’s
  Merchant’s Guild, the Bernoulli family, and a dozen major
  Montaigne craftsmen to handle the import of their various
  trade goods. It is a tribute to his negotiating skills and
  reliability that he is capable of maintaining contracts with
  both Vendel and Vodacce simultaneously.
  Stanton’s business has made him a very wealthy man.
  Unfortunately, all his success in business has not changed his
  personality. He is commonly known in the upper social
  circles of Luthon as a boor, an interloper, and generally
  crass. In short, he is a very common man who has deceived
  himself into believing that his fortune automatically grants
  him class. This has left him unwelcome in most of Luthon’s
  upper society functions. Fortunately, his behavior fits in with
  the mixed membership of the Adventurer’s Society. The
  club’s wealthy backers are used to the colorful personalities
  amongst the active members and think nothing of one more
  loud character. For his part, Stanton has made himself into a
  favorite sponsor for expeditions. His reputation as a hands-
  on man with experience travelling the ports of the world
  provide expeditions with reliable transportation and contacts
  throughout Théah.
  These same contacts allow Stanton to offer the finest in rare
  and luxurious items to his fellow members. Even the most
  elitist members of the club are willing to tolerate Clarke’s
  uncouth manner in exchange for the exotic goods he
  procures for them. Clarke has also gained notoriety as the
  sort of man who is capable of acquiring unique and not
  entirely legal items and materials for his friends. He has been
  canny enough in these exchanges to cement himself a place
  in Luthon’s society and seems to be able to keep his clients’
  secrets.
  About Stanton
  Stanton Clarke is an athletic man with dark brown hair and
  piercing green eyes. He is loud, robust, and boisterous all at
  the same time. Stanton tends to be very free with his money
  and makes a point to emphasize that he is spending it. He
  feels that his financial success makes him a better man than
  those who have not reached the same level. This extends to
  the members of the Society who have gained their fortunes
  through inheritance with no effort on their own part.
  Exceptions to this belief are the active members of the
  Adventurer's Society. The men and women who actually
  spend their time traveling, mapping, exploring, and
  cataloging the world hold a place of respect in Stanton’s
  eyes. He sees them as people following their hearts to a true
  calling -- and conveniently as a scouting organization for the
  expansion of his business.
  Stanton’s Secrets
  Stanton Clarke would be a rich man if his entire business
  were entirely legitimate. Thanks to a covert smuggling
  operation, he is extremely wealthy. He is trying very hard to
  
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  15
  make himself fit into the social society of Luthon while he
  firmly controls a prominent place in it’s underworld. Very
  little slips into Luthon’s ports illegally without the assistance
  of Stanton Clarke.
  Clarke also holds a position as the head of a small Rilasciare
  cell within Luthon. While he does not actually approve of
  their politics, the organization has been too useful in
  furthering his illegal shipping for him to not cooperate in
  their other agendas. From time to time, Stanton offers the use
  of the cell to his friends to take care of their “problems.”
  Clarke’s connections to Luthon’s underworld along with his
  financial value brought him to the attention of Wesley Johns
  who recruited him to join the Foundation within the
  Adventurer’s Society. While he has no real agenda of his
  own, Clarke’s connections and willingness to act in a less
  than legal manner make him a useful ally. Nigel Bester has
  made frequent use of his connections to ruin political
  opponents of his position as Mayor. Additionally, Wesley
  Johns recently contracted him to activate his Rilasciare cell
  to plot an assassination attempt on Queen Elaine and frame
  another group of individuals in the process. Clarke is unsure
  why these other men needed to be implicated but is more
  than happy to do the job. Stanton assumes that the other
  members will be ready to assist him without question should
  he ever need them. At this time, he is blissfully unaware that
  they consider him no more than a disposable tool.
  Wesley Hiram Johns IV ~ 23
  rd Earl of Brenneth
  There has been a member of the Johns family active within
  the Adventurer’s Society of Lovaine since its founding.
  Wesley Hiram Johns is the fifteenth generation to hold a
  place in the Society. As the descendant of a founding
  member, Wesley takes great personal pride in the activities
  of the group and its social standing of Avalon. Vast amounts
  of the family fortune are poured into the club from the
  revenues of the Johns family’s coal mines in the Black
  Mountains. While not an active expedition traveler, Johns
  enjoys the occasional hunting trip within Avalon.
  As a member of The House of Lords, Johns keeps a low
  official profile, preferring to advise his fellow members
  rather than bring notice to himself. The role of advisor seems
  to be his preferred method of action in most aspects of his
  life. As a noble hailing from Breg, it is understandable that
  his peers have never considered Johns a royalist. He has
  been author of several of the great speeches opposing Queen
  Elaine’s proposals over the last ten years. Naturally, Johns
  offers these speeches to trusted colleagues within Parliament
  rather than deliver them himself. He makes no distinction in
  his views on King Piram, paying him the respect due a
  superior but little more. Most suspect that Johns supports the
  theory of an independent Parliament as the sole rule of
  Avalon much like his friend Nigel Bester.
  Within the Society, Wesley harbors good will and friendship
  towards all the members. He considers each active member
  as someone furthering the dream and passions of his
  founding ancestor. He presses the membership to take the
  time for lectures about their travels with the purpose of
  educating Luthon about the world around them. To help his
  Adventurers in this quest, Wesley has personally employed a
  number of artists to travel with the expedition teams to paint
  and sketch their findings. The best of these pieces has turned
  the west wing of the Society house into a gallery of exotic
  locations. Johns feels that his organization is doing the sort
  of work that is in every way more productive to the people
  of Théah than that of the Explorer's Society. He views the
  rival organization as a pack of grave- robbing glory seekers.
  When his members ask about beating the Explorers to a new
  locale, he is quick to organize and send a team but
  Stanton Clarke - Villain ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 3, Finesse: 5, Wits: 4, Resolve: 4, Panache: 4
  Reputation: -32
  Arcana: Resourceful
  Advantages: Avalon (R/W), Montaigne, Vendel (R/W), Vodacce (R/W), Dan-
  gerous Beauty, Connections ( 3 in Luthon), Dangerous Beauty, Membership
  (Adventurer’s Society, Merchants Guild, Rilasciare)
  Captain: Strategy3, Tactics 4, Ambush 3, Bribery5, Cartography5, Diplomacy 4,
  Gunnery 3, Incitation 3, Leadership 3, Logistics 5
  Criminal: Gambling 4, Shadowing 3, Stealth 3, Ambush 3, Cheating 4, Pres-
  tidigitation 3
  Fence: Appraise 4, Socialize 3, Haggling 5, Shopping 5, Underworld Lore 4
  Merchant: Cooper 2, Scribe 3,  Sail Maker 4, Vintner 3, Accounting 4, Apprais-
  ing 4, Haggling 5
  Riverboat Pilot: Balance 4, Knotwork 4, Rigging 5, River Navigation 4, Am-
  bush 3, Bribery 5, Cartography 5, Diplomacy 4, Pilot 4, Swimming 4
  Sailor: Balance 4, Climbing 4, Knotwork 4, Rigging 5, Cartography5, Leaping 3,
  Navigation 4, Pilot 4, Sea Lore 4, Swimming 4
  Athlete: Climbing 3, Footwork 3, Sprinting:1, Throwing 2, Leaping 3, rolling 3,
  Swimming 4, Swinging 4, Sidestep 3
  Buckler: Parry (Buckler) 5, Attack (Buckler) 4
  Donovan (Journeyman): Bind 4, Disarm  4, Riposte 5, Exploit Weakness 4
  Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 4, Parry 5
  Stanton Clarke, Nouveau Riche ( d20™ )
  Avalon Expert 6 / Donovan Swordsman 3
  
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  admonishes them to remember that it is not about who gets
  there first so much as wo documents it best.
  About Wesley Johns
  Wesley is a short man with little hair remaining on his head.
  He supplements this with a large bushy beard to help cover a
  robust stomach. While he is the presiding Earl of Brenneth,
  Johns truly hates the rural atmosphere of the region and
  makes every excuse to avoid returning home for any
  duration. His time is spent split between his duties to
  Parliament in Carleon and socializing at the club in Luthon.
  In his absence, activities within the Johns holdings are
  overseen by his son, Harold. The two employ a regular series
  of couriers to relay messages between themselves on a daily
  basis.
  When referring to the Adventurer’s Society, Wesley
  becomes very possessive. It is his family’s pride and joy in
  many ways. Unlike several previous members from the Johns
  line, Wesley sees the organization as his many times great-
  grandfather’s dream and strives to see it shine as a memorial
  to the man. He always refers to it and its members as if they
  were his possession. When role-playing Wesley, it is best to
  remember that he rarely speaks but when he does it is with a
  sense of grandeur in his voice. Everything in Wesley’s eyes
  is the greatest or worst event, location, or idea in all of
  Théah. At least in public. Privately, he is a deep thinking and
  cautious individual given to nodding throughout
  conversations. Many people have been mislead by the
  nodding to believe that Johns agrees with their ideas only to
  find him publicly opposing them later.
  Wesley’s Secrets
  Wesley Johns is the core member of the Foundation within
  the Adventurer’s Society of Lovaine. Unbeknownst to the
  other members, the Foundation exists to further the plans of
  the Johns family and the Johns family alone. The other four
  members have always been useful but expendable tools for
  the Johns family to exploit. He recruited Bester, Alyce, and
  Clarke with promises to help them achieve their plans. He
  inherited Hargreaves from his grandfather’s circle of foils.
  Wesley is aware that there is something special or even
  supernatural about Hargreaves and has the documentation
  left by his family to prove it if he ever needs to do so.
  Over the centuries, the Johns family has used the Society to
  assist them in attaining political situations beneficial to
  themselves. In the past, various members of the family have
  supported and opposed various reigns as best fit their
  purposes. As it stands, Wesley is content to let the rest of the
  Foundation plot the overthrow of the monarchy. While the
  assistance of Derwyddon in banning the use of wood as a
  fuel source and endorsing coal was a financial boon, Wesley
  has been made a better offer. It serves the Johns family with
  the present purpose of placing King Piram on the throne of
  Avalon. Piram has spoken privately with his good friend the
  Earl and assured him that if he were to be crowned King of
  Avalon, there would be need for a new Duke of Lovaine.
  Wesley believes this goal will be much simpler if the
  commoners unite to throw down Elaine rather than face a
  bloody civil war.
  For Johns, the rest of his Foundation are talented and
  determined tools. Each is driven sufficiently by their own
  desires to be blind to his true intentions. Bester is an
  expendable politician to be used and disposed of when he
  loses his support. Alyce serves to help spread the blame for
  the uprising to the other Dukes of Avalon like her brother.
  Clarke is a highly expendable resource capable of using the
  contacts Johns does not have to do things about which
  gentlemen do not speak. Hargreaves is the key to Johns’
  success. Wesley’s father and grandfather both warned him as
  a young man about Jacob’s habit of forgetting key elements
  that lead to failure. Wesley is secretly relying on this to push
  the whole plan toward his real objective.
  Wesley Johns was approached by a member of an
  Wesley Johns IV - Villain ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 2, Finesse: 2, Wits: 6, Resolve: 4, Panache: 3
  Reputation: 49
  Arcana: Prudent
  Background: Vendetta (MacCormick Family)
  Advantages: Avalon (R/W), Cymric (R/W), Thean (R/W), Castillian,  Mon-
  taigne, Vendel, Vodacce,  Connections (3 in Luthon and Carleon), Debater, In-
  domitable Will, Inheritance, Legendary Trait (Wits), Membership ( Adventurer’s
  Society, Parliament), Noble
  Courtier: Dancing 3, Etiquette 5, Fashion 4, Oratory 5, Diplomacy 5, Gaming 3,
  Gossip 4, Lip Reading 3, Politics 5, Scheming 5, Seduction 2, Sincerity 5
  Falconer: Bird Handling 4, Animal Training 4
  Scholar: History 4, Mathematics 3, Philosophy 3, Research 3, Law 5, Natural
  Philosophy 3, Occult 2, Theology 3
  Spy: Shadowing 2, Stealth 1, Bribery4, Cryptography2, Forgery3, Lip Reading 3,
  Memorizing 4, Sincerity 5
  Fencing: Attack (fencing) 3, Parry 3
  Firearms: Attack (firearms) 4, Reload 2
  Riding: Ride 4, Mounting 3, Trick Riding 4
  Wesley Johns IV, 23rd Earl of Brenneth ( d20™ )
  Avalon Noble 5 / Courtier 3 / Spy 2
  
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  unidentified group of powerful people a year ago and
  pressured to join. He opted to decline the offer as he wanted
  no part in helping others with goals that do not benefit his
  family. Nor did he desire to have a group of foreigners
  interfering with his business. To date, there have been no
  repercussions from this decision; however,. Wesley is not
  fool enough to believe this will last.
  Cecil Edwards
  Cecil is one of the men who put the word “adventure” in the
  “Gentleman’s Adventure Society of Lovaine”. In his life, he
  has climbed the highest peaks, walked through the darkest
  forests of Eisen, and foraged in the jungles of the Midnight
  Archipelago. He enjoys the benefits of the Society to help
  fund his expeditions across the continent and beyond but
  takes no part in the political activities that absorb the interest
  of the core membership.
  Travel with Cecil is a prized opportunity for those who enjoy
  being out in the wilds of Théah. Anyone fortunate enough to
  earn a position in an Edwards expedition can expect long
  days of travel punctuated with short rest breaks and hard
  work. Along the way, the younger members of the team will
  be treated to an unlimited number of lessons about the best
  way to handle any of a thousand different experiences. He
  quietly prides himself on never having failed to solve a
  problem in his 46 years of exploration. These secrets and
  skills are open gifts he shares with his fellow adventurers.
  Cecil was born in the countryside south of Teneborc but left
  at an early age to “see what else is out there.” Since that
  time, he has scaled every mountain in the Three Kingdoms
  along with the important peaks on the continent. There is not
  a forest in Théah that has not felt his tread nor a remote
  wonder of the world upon which he has not gazed. He has
  been frequently offered membership in the Explorer’s
  Society but finds the intrepid archeologists to be in too much
  of a hurry to enjoy the little things one encounters during an
  expedition.
  Between trips, Cecil can be found at the Society house in
  Luthon sharing stories of his adventures or discussing
  politics with his fellow members. He could very well be
  regarded as one of the finest tale spinners in the Glamour
  Isles. His exaggerated stories leave wise and experienced
  listeners smirking at their more gullible fellows. One of his
  favorites involves a nasty trip to the Crescent lands with no
  money at the peak of summer. By the end of the tale, even
  the most jaded listener cannot be entirely sure he did not line
  his hole- filled boots with the very parchment proclamation
  the Sultán presented him to protect the group from the
  roving cavalry troops.
  However when the topic turns to politics, Cecil’s demeanor
  becomes much more serious. He is very well versed in all
  aspects of the topic and even Nigel Bester is forced to
  concede points to him on occasion. He is a strong supporter
  of the political party recognized by the name “Purses” and
  endorses the belief that even an uneducated man can display
  the greatest intelligence regardless of station or birth. Despite
  all these strong ties to the core political belief of the
  Adventurer’s Society, he is unwilling to pursue a political
  career of his own, preferring to comment from the comfort of
  a soft chair.
  About Cecil Edwards
  Cecil Edwards is a tall man of average build in his mid-
  sixties. The aches and pains of his adventuring have caught
  up with him but he refuses to let such physical limits stop his
  activities. He just takes longer than he used to getting things
  Cecil Edwards - Hero ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 2, Finesse, 3, Wits: 5, Resolve: 5, Panache: 3
  Reputation: 58
  Arcana: Worldly
  Background: Hunting (see background), Rivalry (Jack McNitt)
  Advantages: Avalon (R/W), Castillian, Cymric, Eisen, Kanu, Montaigne, Thean
  (R/W), Ussuran, Age and Wisdom (one rank), Debater, Firm Grip, Handy, Lin-
  guist, Man of Will, Membership (Adventurer’s Society)
  Archeologist: Occult 2, Research 3, Syrneth Lore 2, Artifact Evaluation 3, Trap
  Lore 4
  Artist: Drawing 3
  Bard: Etiquette 3, History 4, Oratory 4, Singing 1, Diplomacy 4, Herb Lore 5,
  Riddles 4, Sidhe Lore 2
  Guide: Climbing 4, Ride 2, Survival 5, Street Navigation 1, Tracking 3, Trail
  Signs 5, Cartography 5, Direction Sense 5, Swimming 2
  Hunter: Fishing 5, Skinning 3, Survival 5, Tracking 5, Tail Signs 5, Logistics
  (Specialty) 4
  Medicine Man: Diagnosis 4, First Aid 3, Flora 5, Religious Lore (Kanu) 1,
  Compounds 3, Quack 3, Storytelling 5
  Athlete: Climbing4, Footwork3, Sprinting1, Throwing4, Break Fall 4, Leaping 2,
  Swimming 2, Swinging 3
  Fencing: Attack (Fencing) 3, Parry 3
  Dirty Fighting: Attack (Dirty) 3, Attack (Improvised) 3, Eye-Gouge 2, Kick 3,
  Parry Improvised 4, Throw( Improvised) 3
  Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 4, Reload 4
  Knife: Attack (Knife) 3, Parry 3
  Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism) 3, Footwork 3, Jab 2
  Cecil Edwards, Experienced Adventurer ( d20™ )
  Avalon Ranger 4 / Archaeologist 5
  
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  done. He semi-retired long enough to marry and raise a
  family but now the children are grown and his wife has
  passed on. Sitting around with the other old men talking is
  starting to wear thin also. Cecil has decided that it is time to
  get on the road again and has taken up a challenge from one
  of the patron members to race across Ussura to the Wall of
  Fire. His opponent, Jack McNitt, just happens to be married
  to his daughter.
  Cecil’s Secrets
  Cecil does not have many important secrets. He is smarter
  than he lets on. His rivalry with Jack McNitt is mostly
  rumor. McNitt is married to Cecil’s daughter and the two get
  along quite well when alone. His big secret is his knowledge
  of what is going on in his own club. Cecil is aware of most
  of the plans being made by the Adventurer’s Society of
  Lovaine to steer the future of Avalon. In small ways, he is
  even helping to complete a few of them. This race to Ussura
  is part of one of those plans. There are rumors of an ancient
  being in the far reaches of Ussura who may just have
  information that can help Nigel Bester remove Derwyddon
  from being an active part of Avalon’s near future. Cecil has
  been asked to find this being and negotiate a deal for the
  information. The rest of the race is a ruse to cover for the
  lack of exploration time in Ussura.
  Jack McNitt
  Jack is the current star of the Lovaine Adventurers. The
  Highlander came to the club seeking a second sponsor for his
  trek to the Crescent Empire. The journey was a rousing
  success and Jack found himself returning to Avalon for a
  number of speaking engagements. The Society was not about
  to let such an engaging personality slip away and quickly
  persuaded him to become a full member. This situation suits
  Jack perfectly well and he is just as happy sharing his time
  and stories with members of the Society as he would be at
  his home in the Highlands.
  McNitt has developed a reputation for being one of the most
  organized and thorough travelers in Théah. He spent time in
  his younger days serving as a military chaplain and has
  adopted many of those structured methods for travel and
  work. While easygoing with individuals, Jack always has a
  plan for each leg of his trip and a predetermined means for
  accomplishing every goal. Members of the Crescent journey
  derisively nicknamed him “The Colonel” for his need to
  stick to his plan. McNitt got wind of the nickname and took
  it as a sign of affection from his loyal crew. The name has
  stuck ever since then. The men who travel with him have
  softened to the idiosyncrasy of his treks. If the Colonel
  reaches his destination at noon, they know the trip is over
  for the day. If they still have 10 miles to go at sunset, they
  start breaking out lanterns. When asked by newer members
  about wasting time or resources, the experienced hands will
  just shrug and state, “That’s the Colonel.” He has never led
  them into a bad situation and not gotten them back, which
  counts for a lot to his men.
  As stated above, Jack served as a military chaplain with an
  Eisen mercenary troop. He is an ordained Objectionist
  minister. He accepts people from all walks of life on his
  teams and preaches an open-minded attitude among his
  assistants. Jack’s teams almost always incorporate both
  Vaticine and Objectionist members along with a few Church
  of Avalon members and the occasional Crescent. He accepts
  all on the condition they tolerate and respect one another for
  the good of the expedition. A testament to his open-minded
  stance is that of his chief assistant, a Crescent named Syed.
  Jack is married to the daughter of Cecil Edwards, a bond that
  may or may not be the fuel for their well-known rivalry. She
  Jack McNitt - Hero ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 2, Finesse, 3, Wits: 5, Resolve: 4, Panache: 4
  Reputation: 55
  Arcana:Comforting
  Background: Mole, Rivalry (Cecil Edwards)
  Advantages: Avalon(R/W),  Crescent (Tikaret-Baraji, Kurta-Baraji), Eisen,
  Kanu, My’ar’pa, Thean (R/W), Ussuran (R/W), Vodacce,  Linguist, Man of the
  Cloth, Membership (Adventurer’s Society), Ordained, University
  Doctor: Diagnosis4, First Aid 3, Dentist2, Examiner 4, Surgery 3, Veterinarian 2
  Guide: Climbing 3, Ride 2, Stealth 3, Street Navigation 3, Survival 5, Tracking
  4, Trail Signs 5, Cartography 5, Direction Sense 4, Navigation 5, Swimming 3
  Herbalist: Cook 2, Diagnosis 4, First Aid 3, Flora 4, Compounds 3
  Priest: Oratory 4, Philosophy 4, Writing 4, Diplomacy 4, Mooch 3, Theology 3
  Scholar: History 3, Mathematics 2, Philosophy 4, Research 3, Astronomy 4, Nat-
  ural Philosophy 4, Theology 3
  Spy: Shadowing 3, Stealth 3, Conceal 3, Cryptography 3, Lip Reading 2, Sincer-
  ity 4
  Athlete: Climbing 3, Footwork 3, Sprinting 2, Throwing 3, Break Fall 3, Leaping
  3, Lifting 1, Swimming 3, Swinging 2
  Commander: Strategy 1, Tactics 1, Cartography , Diplomacy 4, Incitation 4,
  Leadership 4, Logistics 4
  Fencing: Attack(Fencing) 3, Parry 3
  Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 2, Reload 3
  Hand Axe: Attack (Hand Axe) 3, Parry 2, Throw(Hand Axe) 2
  Wrestling: Grapple 3, Break 3, Escape 3
  Jack McNitt, The Colonel ( d20™ )
  Highland Wanderer 4 / Field Surgeon 3
  
  A Novus Group Roleplaying Resource
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  occasionally travels with him but is just as likely to stay
  home. Despite this connection, the two men have never
  traveled together on an expedition.
  Jack prefers to play down his Highland heritage and adopts
  an Avalon manner about his behavior and clothing selection.
  For those expecting to find him wearing a kilt his usual
  response is, “Have you ever seen a grown man climb a tree
  in a kilt? It’s not a pretty sight.” He has been described as
  playful, charming, friendly, and above all else trustworthy.
  At worst he is regarded as a Highlander from an obscure clan
  who has found a better way of life in an adopted nation.
  Jack and his wife lived for a year in northern Ussura where
  they spent the time learning about the country and culture.
  He has also spent extended time in the Crescent Empire,
  Drachenberg Mountains, and the Vodacce mainland. His
  selection of travel destinations seems to stem from nothing
  more organized than having never been there before - rather
  odd motivation from such an organized expedition master.
  Jack’s Secrets
  Jack McNitt is not a member of the small and obscure
  McNitt Clan. He is just borrowing the McNitt name to hide
  his true identity. Jack is in reality a MacDuff. He has been
  trained from birth to be exactly what he is today: an
  undercover agent for High King James charged with finding
  targets for alliance in Avalon and making allies for the
  Marches across the nations. “The Colonel’s” travel habits
  allow him time to stop in key places across the world during
  his expeditions and take the time to open lines of
  communication with local leaders. His position in the
  Adventurer’s Society has allowed High King James to
  monitor the activities of Nigel Bester and his cronies.
  Every single trip Jack has taken has been decided upon and
  ordered by James MacDuff. Jack receives coded
  correspondence from Kirkwall explaining and defining the
  needs for each particular mission. Even his early work with
  the Eisen has been for the better interests of the MacDuff.
  There are now several mercenary units serving in the Avalon
  army that contain officers who know Jack and owe him a
  favor. Officers that could in the right circumstances be
  convinced to stand down or even turn allegiances. Jack’s
  latest race is another mission. McNitt knows Bester is after
  something to use against the Queen and wants to recover it
  for James MacDuff to use as a bargaining chip.
  Syed Rastogi
  Syed was born and raised in the Crescent Empire and as a
  child never dreamed of leaving his homeland for the heathen
  lands beyond the mountains and sea. He split his time as a
  youth between two lives. In the hottest months, Syed was
  sent by his father to study at the universities at Razgrad and
  Iskandar. During the rest of the year, he lived the life of a
  nomadic herdsman, traveling with his brothers across the
  Kurtlar-dag regions and the vast desert of the Muglak’kum.
  It is apparent from the stories he tells that much of the time
  spent in travel resulted in the brothers meting out a form of
  vigilante justice. It is not uncommon for Syed’s stories to
  begin with the phrase, “My brothers and I were traveling
  when we saw…” and end with, “We punished him very
  thoroughly.” This protective attitude and his open-minded
  approach to education led Syed to his current position in
  Avalon.
  Syed agreed to act as a guide for an expedition from the
  west, which happened to be lead by Jack McNitt, and the
  two became fast friends. Syed was impressed by Jack’s
  genuine interest in his culture and the way he never tried to
  instill any of his own culture on the Crescents he met. The
  two worked hard to learn one another’s language and spent
  most nights sharing stories. As a native of the country, Syed
  was able to assist Jack’s travels and his nomadic upbringing
  proved equally adept in normal expedition problems. When
  the journey ended, Jack offered to bring Syed along with him
  to show the rest of Théah that the Crescent Empire held its
  share of cultured and educated men. Syed discussed the
  possibilities with his father and they agreed that the chance
  to study in foreign lands could only benefit their people.
  Since then, Syed has traveled with Jack McNitt as a scout
  and camp master. He spends his spare time in Luthon
  studying and learning about his adopted culture. When the
  opportunity presents itself, he is quick to step forward and
  right any wrong he sees being committed. He has mastered
  the Avalon tongue to the point that he speaks it with no
  accent. To avoid problems in Avalon he has followed Jack’s
  suggestion to live under an assumed name. When in the
  western lands, he insists on being called “Kevin.” No one
  knows exactly where he came up with this name but it has
  stuck.
  Physical Description
  Syed is a tall, barrel chested man with long black hair. His
  skin is dark for a western Théan but on the light side for a
  
  A Novus Group Roleplaying Resource
  20
  Crescent. Most who know him in Avalon assume he is just
  tanned from sea travel. His dark eyes carry a welcome,
  friendly smile. His face bears a small scar on the right cheek
  from a skirmish involving a shopkeeper who was bothering a
  beggar. Syed and his brothers made certain that the
  shopkeeper would think better of doing so again.
  Syed’s Secrets
  Syed has no secrets. He has no ulterior motive for being in
  the west beyond his desire to learn. He has no secret reason
  for being part of the Adventurer’s Society. He is there
  because his friend Jack is there. Syed has no religious
  agenda. He truly believes faith is a matter of persona;
  business. Syed intercepts crimes he witnesses because he was
  raised to respect the law and justice. Those who cannot
  defend themselves are fortunate to have their path cross his.
  He does not, however, go out looking for people to protect.
  If it were not for difficulties with the church over his true
  nationality, the Knights of the Rose+Cross would be very
  interested in recruiting him.
  Credits
  Writing
  Dave Reeves
  d20 Conversion and Layout
  Mark Stanton Woodward
  Editing and Additional Material
  Nancy Berman
  7th Sea System Creation
  John Wick, Jennifer Wick and Kevin Wilson
  Line Development
  Rob Vaux
  Nancy Berman
  Shakaar Roleplaying - May 2003
  www.shakaar.demon.co.uk
  Syed Rastogi - Hero ( 7th Sea™ )
  Brawn: 4, Finesse: 4, Wits: 3, Resolve: 4, Panache: 4
  Reputation: 17
  Background: Obligation (To Jack McNitt)
  Arcana: Altruistic
  Advantages: Kurta-Baraji (R/W), Tikaret-Baraji (R/W), Tirala-Baraji (R/W),
  Avalon (R/W), My’ ar’ pa, Teodoran, Thean (R/W), Ussuran, Combat Reflexes,
  Keen Senses, Large, Linguist, Membership (Adventurer’s Society), Toughness,
  University
  Doctor: Diagnosis 2, First Aid 3, Examiner 2, Surgery 2, Veterinarian 3
  Fortune Telling: Oratory 2, Palm Reading 2, Bones 1, Cold Read 2, Haggling 5,
  Omens 4
  Guide: Climbing 4, Ride 4,Stealth 2, Street Navigation 4, Survival 3, Tracking 4,
  Trail Signs 2, Ambush 4, Direction Sense 3, Navigation 2
  Scholar: History 2, Mathematics 4, Philosophy 3, Research 4, Astronomy 4, Nat-
  ural Philosophy 4, Theology 2
  Streetwise: Socializing 3, Street Navigation 4, Scrounging 3, Shopping 2, Un-
  derworld Lore 2
  Athlete: Climbing4, Footwork4, Sprinting2, Throwing3, Break Fall 2, Leaping 3,
  Lifting 3, Rolling 2, Side-step 2
  Knife: Attack (Knife) 4, Parry 4, Throw (Knife) 3
  Marikk (Journeyman): Double Attack  4, Lunge  4, Whirl 5, Exploit Weakness 4
  Pugilism: Attack (Pugilism) 4, Footwork 4, Jab 2, Uppercut 2
  Rider: Ride 4, Animal Training 2, Mounting 4, Trick Riding 3
  Wrestling: Grapple 3, Bear Hug 3, Escape 3, Head Butt 1
  Syed Rastogi, Pack Master ( d20™ )
  Crescent Fighter 4 / Marikk 2
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/7th Sea [multi]/7th Sea - Adventurer'S Society Of Luthon.pdf