Background

So you studied and learned culture, history, famous people, oral traditions, religions, music. That makes you highly educated and under the right tutelage. You are noble and high born. An elf. You desire to speak multiple languages. Practical training in being criminal and a spy of information. Ok, all that makes you a bard who pulls all this off with subtle deception, persuasion and intimidation. You're pretty much a snob. I like it. I give you history and religion proficiency, noble heritage, and a spy information network connection.

Now how does that fit? In Maztican society, there are only four professions: artisan, warrior, priest, rogue. All the magic comes from the gods and everyone has magic. It is a high magic world, but everyone wields it through a personal relationship with the gods. As high born, you may have gotten this background training as a Paladin, though it sounds like you were ruling priest caste. What is your relationship with your father? He may be the king/priest and you are the youngest child in revolt. Rogues don't get this kind of education. Artisans go to trade/magic school, which sounds like a lot of fun, but you are above such things.

As an elf, I give you two choices. Sea or Jungle. A society of Shark Knights and Teoatl sea magic, or a society of Green Knights and Yahca one tree magic. Watil and Nula, the animal and plant gods are present in both, Azul the rain god rules the sea, but Zaltec and Qotal, the war and peace gods, fight over the jungle. A blue skinner would normally be a sea elf, but I can fudge that. Aquaman or Tarzan?

Big question. Why are you adventuring?

Given those choices, Tarzan for sure. I greatly prefer trees. Adventuring out of boredom of the life I grew up in and out of rebellion towards that life. Though I'd hardly admit it, privately there is a natural thirst for knowledge and experiencing new things. New people to persuade, challenge and sharpen one's skills, and a vanity of feeling I can. Plus, enriching one's self my way, not taking an inheritance.

Your true name is Tototl, though you prefer your traveling name Jacob Vane. You come from the lowland jungles at the southern end of the House of Tesca. These lands are so fierce, no Nexalan has every dared to invade. An alien race once brought fixed winged, flying temples to the jungle and hunted the mind flayers that ruled these environs until the jungle became inhabitable once more by the green folk elves and the tabaxi. Watil took this opportunity to grant the most intelligent of the green people with Yahca magic and told them to protect the One Tree of Maztica. This was the great Kapok tree, which became sacred to the people, and they believe the weave of magic flowed through its veins. The elves built their cities in the canopy of these giants. Your father is the latest in the line of shaman kings in the One Tree and he leads the Green Knights who hold the borders and keep the tabaxi at bay. Your people worship Qotal the Feathered Dragon as well as Watil and Nulu of the beasts and plants. The artisans of One Tree grow an abundance of food in the food forests and weave protective magic all around your civilization. On occasion, traders in their great long canoes came from Matal in Far Payit to trade, but now they come in winged houses that sail on Yahca built keels and with Eha blessed clothe. The wild halflings of Far Payit have also been given the secrets of the Yahca, the One Tree. They tell of metal clad men from Faerun who conquer and pillage, and the gods have been giving out more and more magic to combat these invaders. You have sought out relatives in Kolan, distant green folk settlers, north on the western coast in the city state of Baya to seek out what they know of this threat and how the gods are protecting the great cities of Payit and Nexal to the north from this invasion from over the Trackless sea. You could rely on your spies for gathering these state secrets, but you want the adventure yourself. How do you prepare for this journey and how do you go?

My thoughts are to drift into town, find a tavern, negotiate room and board in exchange for nightly entertainment, while seeking out a fawn-eyed servant girl of a wealthy master; however, I'm not sure my starting point or surrounding cities.

From your home in the Chulpallelel Jungle you can go straight north through the sands of House of Tesca to the oasis of Tukan and then down the trade routes to Baya. You can traverse the snow capped mountain ranges that divide the continent. You can follow the western coast to the Kolan inlet and into Baya. Or you could even try your hand at sailing.

I’m sure a tavern would be a nice end to that journey, if they even exist in a native land such as religious Kolan. There will be hard alcohol though and Mazticans do open their homes to travelers. Something I’m sure awaits you there.

But how do you choose to get there?

I attempt to find passage on a ship to Baya, failing that, I walk.

You don’t tell anyone that you are leaving. Let your father find out in his own way. Your spies have told you that the coastal towns in Kolan are buzzing with unsubstantiated rumors about a force attacking the Capitol of Nexal to the North. The details are different from every source. Even the scryers cannot see clearly. Perhaps it is best that you go yourself after all.

Making your way west to the coast to get a ship, you make your way stealthily through the jungle undergrowth. The canopy’s far above you, perhaps 200 feet, but you hear the cacophony of birds and monkeys. Despite the racket, you perceive a form ahead about 80’ through a narrow trail and in a low branch of a tree. A cat crouched, sniffing the humid air and watching the environs, but not yet you in your Elven cloak. Specifically it is a tabaxi warrior dressing with its claws a fresh kill, perhaps humanoid.

First, I scan around to see if this warrior appears to be a solo hunter or part of a pack. If solo, I have a dagger at the ready, just in case I need to throw it. I'm prepared, if necessary, to case a minor illusion. At this stage of the journey, I'd prefer to avoid conflict. I would like a slightly closer look at the humanoid victim, just in case I notice something of value that may be worth the risk.

You slip up quietly in elven boots, but the brush of palms and primordial vines swipe at you in their ancient way, making more noise than you would like. You roll a 26 sheath skill check against his perception and move forward.

Standing only 60 feet from the cat like creature, you see in his claws a Nexal warrior from the Capitol in traditional jaguar skin armor. It is a Jaguar Knight! The Nexal have never wandered so far south beyond their armies, not much more than hunting distance from their main forces. What desperation persuaded him to attempt these jungles? It was risky and he paid that price with his life.

The jaguar skin that made up the armor and headpiece was slashed by the same type of cat like claws that adorned the paladin. His Machihualt club with obsidian blades rested in the muddy ground without blood on it. The tabaxi had surprised him. You see the pendants of the Nexal's tribe and regimen identifications hanging from his partially decapitated neck. Meanwhile the tabaxi is busy skinning both jaguar and human skin from the meat.

Since I am still in the jungle where I was raised, I must be familiar with the tabaxi, even though I know they, too, tend to be reclusive. Hand on a concealed dagger, just in case. I step slightly closer and say "Now there's a fine catch, fresh meet and a nice coat to boot."

"Hssss!" was the answer. The Tabaxi looks up from her meal and spies you, her quick feline reactions snapping her into attention. She is very tall and incredibly slender, her entire frame being nothing much more than a sinuous muscle wrapped tightly in soft brown and black fur.

The face is unmistakably catlike, but she moves her rough tongue over her jowl and speaks to you. "Well, well, if it isn't a little prince-ling that appears lost in my domain." She drapes the carcass over the tree limb and steps aside from the bloody mess to crouch nearer to you.

"Did you fall from your father's canopy home? Did you hurt yourself and need help?" She licks her long claws that she extends from her front pads, her rear claws digging into the bark of the limb.

"Do you not know that your pluma is no good here. The jungle is for hishna, the claw and tooth. You should learn your laws of the jungle, little kitten."

I smile and say "So fortunate it is then that I've stumbled upon such a talented, and quite lovely, teacher. Surely pluma will not be needed today. I'm not hungry for flesh, nor foolish enough to risk tooth or claw for it.

Watching her graceful movies, but attempting to keep a non-nonchalant look upon my face, still wearing my most charming smile.
"Should speaking the truth to be relegated to flattery? I would like to think better of myself, but perhaps you confuse me with my father." I don't react to her approach other than to casually cross my arms, more to show my hands hold no weapons.
"The armor is long beyond use, and would mark a man too clearly. Such trinkets can be found aplenty in my father's house" no sense in denying my identity. "a house it would appear to be the opposite direction of my path. Still, one can always find uses for such things. Haggling can sometimes prove to be a stimulating as flirting, so what did you have in mind?"

Information?

Ah, of course. Perhaps we may strike a deal. I happened to come into possession of an item of some power that, where it to be found out I have it, the former owner would be quite irate. You take the meat and my trinket, I take all found upon this poor soul.

"You've been so clever as to discern my true identity; therefore, you must also know my father is oft woo'd by shamans, priests and users of magic all attempting to become a favorite in the eyes of the king. One such wizard, whom I first took to be a charlatan, proved to be quite adept at charming common objects. To prove his worth to the king, he did enchant the seemingly commonplace gem." With a bit of sleight of hand I (at least attempt) to make the tiger's eye appear out of mid air.
"Arrows and sling stones have a way of always missing the possessor of this enchanted eye stone. Being as it was a gift to protect the king, my rash decision that I may need it's protection moreso than my dear father, has began to weigh upon my mind. Better to be rid of it than chance being found to be thief from one's own blood."

Give me a slight of hand check [d20 + mod] and a deception check.

Btw. I don’t know if you are communicating with James on these, but I find hilarious I just asked for three rolls from him at exactly this moment...

No, I was going to ask him if he'd gotten setup and forgot. I will. You want me to roll my own dice here or do you do it? Or is there an online function?

Roll however you want. This platform does have dice tools, there are other programs or grab a die. It doesn’t matter. When you do something like a performance trick to impress and maybe gain some advantage, or do a fat lie like that to gain at a risk, that’s a skill that you need a skill check against some difficult number I determine. You can go ahead and tell me what the d20 is and your modifier for a particular skill you are using from your character sheet I was asking for you to make the roll for fun here. If you don’t I certainly can do it. I don’t want you to think I am arbitrarily deciding how the risk/return outcome of your slight of hand and deception turns out. This is the game part. For example, your deception mod is +3 and your slight of hand is +4. I roll for you and add your mods. You get an 8 for your flashy trick which I had set as an easy 10 difficulty class. You failed to reach 10, so you fail. You fumble the tiger eye magical appearance trick. For the risk, I give her a +5 on her check against the lie. I roll for her reaction and she snickers, not being impressed with your magic. You do not gain any bonus or advantage on the deception you then attempt. I roll a d20 and add you mod for the lie itself. That luckily is 21, very high. Her intelligence check with herMod and the bonus from her suspicion comes to 18. You win. She is deceived.

I know the reason for the roles and how the mods work, I was just asking about the mechanics of this PBP game since you can't see what what I role. I am hopelessly honest about these things, but not everyone would be, so perhaps it's best if you do the roles, as I believe we all trust you and you have nothing to gain other than keeping your players engaged in the game. If it's easier or more fun for you to have us roll, that's cool, too, as I haven't broken out my box of dice in years and I admit from a ocd standpoint, I've always been fascinated with those multi sided dice. Plus they have always represented being in the know for the D&D crowd.
No worries, your roles are fine, other than my 15 DEX and +4 slight of hand is for shit when the DM roles a 4.

I carefully pass the tiger eye to the lady and accept the jewelry. Can I tell if there is anything else I may be interested in around the body or the area?
"A pleasure doing business with you."

I'd like to secure a bunk or room for the night and find a private place to examine what my tiger eye ruse has bought me.

The villagers welcome you well enough and the three mastiffs rush out to sniff you over. With their approval, they offer you fresh fish and fermented honey to drink and a straw tick in the longhouse to bunk down on, for 1gp. You settle in before the hard working fishermen and examine your prizes. A voice tells you that ,"the tabaxi would have killed you. Worse case, she would have dragged your dead body back to your father for him to resurrect you and then punish you." You Have dealt with this before, so you think, "you know, your grandfather heard voices. He is still locked away in the caves and tended by the acolytes of Yahca." You turn back To the pendants. One is certainly the Knight’s identification. He was a full knight, attached to the royal house. The second is an emissary pass to your father’s court. It seems to have a hollow spot but you can’t see a latch. The third is a jade piece with a Maztica glyph and nothing else.

I’ve closed the game to applications. We have five players on board. Finishing up back stories...