Lionheart Expansion (part 1)

Hey guys!  At the prodding of a fellow listserve member and fiction
writer (lets call him Daniel B.; no, wait, that's no good, we'll call
him D. Brough:) I got to writing about Lionheart again.  I've added
another 8 pages to the document.  This time out, I've got two main
goals.  First, I want to cover stuff I forgot in the orginal document
(mainly spirit warriors & the artifacts I mentioned).  Second, I want to
give detail to the more mundane aspects of the station, with station
stores, taverns, and low-rank NPCs that are likely to be met by anyone
that visits the station.  Also, I've included (with Daniel's
premission:) three of the characters from the Unseen Saboteur, the first
(but hopefully not last:) fan fiction set at the famous base.  I do not
have any more high-ranking officials in this write-up; I probably won't
mess too much with Admirals or very high rank captains because I want to
leave such positions open for individual DMs to fill with their favorite
pro(an)tagonist:)  I *have* included two ambassadors to provide a
sampling of such characters.  In total, there are 10 new NPCs for DMs to
play with; I simply started writing and ideas just kept flowing:)  More
to come later!


Defenses (continued) 
Spirit Warriors 
	Given the importance of Lionheart as a military outpost and the recent
aggressions by the scro-led goblin-kin, Grand Admiral Nuliaque has
decided to assign a large squadron of spirit warriors to the defenses of
the base.  A number of these warriors have been taken from hidden bases
throughout the spheres, while others were assigned to Lionheart after
they escaped the fall of such worlds as Lar, Spiral, and Arborianna. 
The spirit warriors are all under the direct command of Arms Captain
Verraand, who is currently buried in paperwork as he tries to
restructure the chain of command for the Akh' Imprius to accommodate the
new recruits.  He has put Captain Evlian Ilkirad (NG em F9/W8) in charge
of the spirit warrior squadron, but that position is tentative at this
time.  If Captain Ilkirad proves to be an incapable leader, or should a
better leader present himself or herself from the ranks of the spirit
warriors, Arms Captain Verraand would be willing to replace the Captain.
	At the present time, the number of spirit warriors is a mere ten
warriors and a pair of zwarths, each with a crew of six elves.  Hangers
for the spirit warriors are under construction and teams of elvish
laborers are working hard to convert unused barracks and cargo bays into
hangers.  The new spirit warrior hanger will be located between Docks B
& C, on the opposite side of the station from the defensive hanger. 
This was a strategic decision on the part of the Arms Captain, as he did
not want to cluster too much of the defenses in one location.  When
completed, the hanger will be spacious enough to support thirty warriors
and five zwarths.  Grand Admiral Nuliaque hopes to have a force this
large based on Lionheart by the end of the next year or the beginning of
the year after that.  The warriors, when inactive, will "sleep" in
glassteel tubes lining the walls which will be filled with magical gases
that will keep the spirit warriors healthy.  The zwarths will be docked
in a pentagram-like setup.

Locations (continued) 
Tower of the Blade 
	A magnificent tower of shimmering blue-green marble, the Tower of Blade
is the guild headquarters of all Bladesingers on Lionheart.  The tower
itself is roughly one hundred feet tall and is capped by a topaz-colored
dome.  A pair of smaller towers flank the main tower, attached by short,
two-story buildings that house the living quarters of individual
bladesingers.  The main tower serves as a library, training hall, and
general commons for the bladesingers.  The highest level is the spell
library and the general commons, and is covered by the dome.  The inside
of the dome is painted with exquisite fresco work of famous
bladesingers, Fleet victories, and other scenes of glory.  This chamber
is one of inner peace, remembrance of past glories, and the promise of
future glory.  The two smaller towers hold several offices, armories,
and caches of magical items.
	The tower is home to most of the bladesingers assigned to Lionheart,
but the actual number of residents is rather low.  There are perhaps a
mere two dozen bladesingers dwelling within the tower at any given
time.  That number is in constant flux as warriors are constantly being
assigned and reassigned.  The head bladesinger, one commandant Vilar (LN
em F8/W8) is a cagey warrior and a loyal member of the Elvish Fleet. 
However, years of service has taken its toll on this man, and he has the
appearance of an elf a hundred years elder.  He is a fleet hard-liner,
fiercely opposed to anything not elven.  He reserves a particular hatred
for scro, who invaded his homeworld of Spiral.  Grand Admiral Nuliaque
has given her aides standing orders to refuse giving him appointments,
as she has tired of his constant badgering and the shouting matches he
has had with other officers in her office.  She is seriously considering
reassigning him, but he has powerful friends among the ranks of the
admirals.

Simua's Hall 
	Located in the barracks area of Lionheart, between Docks A & B, Simua's
Hall is owned by the high elf Simua (CG ef W6 Cha 18).  The place serves
as a tavern, feast hall, and entertainment hall for off-duty soldiers. 
The food is considered excellent; Simua's is one of the few places on
Lionheart where one can get fresh fruit.  Her stew with fresh bread and
sliced fruit is a favorite among soldiers.  The wines and ales served
here are good but expensive.  The main draw, however, is the
entertainment.  Simua's sisters are both bards of rare skill (NG ef B7,
B5) who frequent the place regularly.  In addition, the place sports a
raised dance platform where scanty-clad elven dancers (of both sexes)
perform for cheering soldiers.  She has a half-dozen performers, who
also double as servers.  While performances can get racy at times, Simua
keeps a tight reign on what goes on and what comes off.  She wants to
entertain the men and women of the Fleet, not earn a reputation as the
master of a prostitution ring.  A few of the more conservative elements
of the Fleet has called for the place to be shut down, but some of those
same critics have been caught there incognito.

Twilite Surpluses 
	This fairly large store is found near Dock E, this place was put in
place not long after Lionheart was completed.  At the time, the money
that helped get the place started was provided by Malvanhal (LG em F6),
a former merchant who joined the Fleet during the First Unhuman War.  He
was rich when he joined, but the death of his brother by orc pirates
caused him to seek revenge.  After the war, he officially left the
Fleet, but remained on to build a whole chain of shops and stores in
Elvish Bases throughout at least a dozen spheres.  His chain has earned
him a great deal of money, of which the Fleet takes 50%.  A native of
Twilitespace, he named the chain after the sphere he loves.  Malvanhal,
now an aging elf, spends most of his time in his home sphere.  The
business is now mostly run by his grand-daughter Ari-Saeanisala (Aris
for short, NG ef W4/P4 Wis 16, Cha 17), a young and beautiful elvish
maiden.  She was kidnapped by the scro once, but rescued by a marine in
the Fleet (now her love interest).  Aris runs the Lionheart branch of
Twilite Surpluses, which is also the headquarters for the whole chain. 
She is a skilled businesswoman, bringing in hundreds of gold pieces
profit each week.  
	The store has all sorts of goods that would interest a soldier in the
Fleet, from clothing, jewelry, books, weapons, and most anything else a
soldier could desire.  Prices are fair, and usually within the range of
most enlisted men.  Aris has two other workers on hand, both civilians
but trained warriors (treat as 2nd level fighters).  She is on good
terms with most of the command staff, and is a friend of the Grand
Admiral.

Huuz'rhan's Armory 
	The Ape Armory, as it is commonly called, is found fairly close to the
Embassy, separated from that building by a row of rose bushes.  The
Armory is not a large building, consisting of a small sales room and the
main armory in back.  The sales room is the forward fourth of the
building, and is really nothing more than a brightly colored silk
sunshade over a small, grassy lawn.  Six highly polished and exquisite
suits of armor (two suits each of plate, chain, and leather) are on
display on heavy racks.  These are showpieces to attract customers.  The
back part of the building is a solid stone structure with a hot forge
heated by a small, trapped fire elemental (8 HD), a bath of ice water,
and hundreds of tools for making and repairing metal and leather armor.
	The place is run by Huuz'rhan (LG hadozee m F7), a retired hadozee
scout who has taken up armoring as his profession.  He is very good at
it, and crafts some of the best suits of armor that a common soldier can
afford.  Two dwarves and a high elf are his staff.  The elf and one of
the dwarves are apprentices of Huuz'rhan, while the other dwarf,
Balefire (LG dm F6), is his silent partner.  The place caters mostly to
soldiers, marines, and sailors who cannot afford expensive suits of
elvish chain or plate, and must instead turn to a more affordable
alternative.  Repair work is also big business for the Armory, and they
are all skilled at getting the dents out of armor and making it look as
good as new.  Huuz'rhan and his staff are incapable of making elvish
chain or plate armor, but they are capable of repairing it so long as it
is not too badly damaged.  Prices are usually reasonable, with only a
10-15% markup.  Huuz'rhan is known to cut deals for his friends or those
soldiers in a pinch.  Armor repair is also reasonable, usually running
10-40% of the cost of the armor, depending on how damaged it was when
brought in.

Hole in the Sky 
	Of the many taverns on Lionheart, Hole in the Sky is probably the most
famous.  It offers some of the best ales on the station, with a wide
selection of spirits to choose from.  Elvish feywine, dwarvish ale, and
some human concoctions are all available for reasonable prices.  The
tavern is located directly above the catapult platform over the doors to
Dock C, and has a massive glass window that offers a magnificent
panoramic view of wildspace.  The windows are treated with glassteel,
and are nearly indestructible.  Many of the tables are set up with
strategy games such as chess or Fleet's Glory (a game that uses ivory
miniatures to represent warships) or gambling games like poker,
knucklebones, or blackjack.
	What really attracts the soldiers, besides gaming and spirits, is the
owner, Eirzara (CN ef B7).  Eirzara is a very skilled singer, musician,
and dancer.  She likes an audience, and loves to flirt with the men. 
Her acts tend to be even racier than those at Simua's, and in fact she
has twice been thrown off the station for public nudity and once for
inciting a riot.  However, her tavern has never been shut down and she
has been able to return after the heat died down because of the amount
of dirt she has on several high-ranking admirals.  Though unproven, she
may have a lovechild fathered by the previous Grand Admiral, which could
be a reason why some admirals are reluctant to throw her off for good.

Sindiath's Tower 
	One of the smaller buildings, Sindiath's Tower is the Lionheart branch
headquarters for that trading company.  The tower itself is a small,
four story building of white granite, covered by a thin layer of quarts
crystal.  While small, the tower shimmers with a glory all its own when
in the light of a primary firebody.  The officers of this tower serve to
keep the Fleet informed of the movements of Sindiath ships, what
information the Line discovers, and any other information Line captains
deem that the Fleet may be interested in.  A Line ship travels to
Lionheart every other standard month to file reports at the tower, where
aides sort and process the reports before passing them on to the Fleet. 
Not all of the reports reach the Fleet, as it is the aides' duty to
filter out any report that is inconsequential or unneeded.  Filtered
reports usually take two or three years to be disposed of.

The NPCs of Lionheart (continued) 
Captain Evlian Ilkirad "Master Stag of the Misty Leaf of the Void"
	NG high elven male F9/W8 Captain of the Spirit Warrior Squadron
	A tall, imposing elf, Captain Ilkirad is a strong warrior and a mage of
skill.  He has short brown hair and green eyes.  His features are more
muscular than those of average elves and has thick, corded muscles. 
Ilkirad stands about 5' 3" tall and weighs 155 lbs.  He has a few scars
marring his body and a thin white scar just above his left eye, a
parting gift of a dying scro captain.  This elf is about two centuries
old, and has been in the Fleet for nine decades.
	Captain Evlian is a skilled warrior but an untested high-rank leader. 
He fought in the Battle of Borka, where his zwarth earned great glory
when it single handedly boarded and destroyed a scro mantis ship with a
concentration of spells at critical joints of the ship.  Over eighty
scro warriors died with their ship, and Captain Evlian earned a medal
and an assignment to Lionheart.  So far, Evlian is not comfortable with
his assignment.  There are too many feuding factions under his command,
and he is being worn ragged trying to keep his squadron under control.

Ari-Saeanisala "Maiden of the Dawning Woods of Spring"
	NG high elven female W4/P4 (of Sehanine Moonbow) 
	A young elven maiden of a mere nine centuries, Ari-Saeanisala (Aris for
short) is of rare beauty.  She has long, thick brown hair and deep green
eyes.  Her features are sharp and her eyes speak of an  innocence rarely
seen these days.  Her only weapon is a non-magical staff, but keeps it
only as a momento of her earlier adventures.  She feels perfectly safe
on Lionheart.
	Aris is not, and has never been, a member of the Fleet.  Instead, she
provides merchant goods to soldiers with money to spend, and is
well-liked by virtually everyone on the station.  She has no enemies and
many friends, and can pretty much count on everyone for protection if
she is attacked.  Aris is the granddaughter of Malvanhal and the
proprietor of the Twilite Surpluses store.  She is very skilled in
business, and is slowly taking over the business as her grandfather gets
older.  She handles almost all of the paperwork, and Malvanhal does
little any more other than sign a few papers here and there.  Because of
her skill, Aris is fairly rich for such a young woman.
	Aris' love interest is a young elven warrior named Cirrus, also from
Twilitespace.  The two met years ago, but Aris was soon kidnapped and
taken to Outreach, with Cirrus in pursuit with his friends.  He rescued
the maiden from scro and drow kidnappers, which turned out to be a wild
adventure in the heart of Mechanism.

Private Huian 
	CG high elven (bionoid) male F6
	A tall elf from the distant Wraithspace, Huian is a private who works
in the docks.  He has honey-blonde hair, lean muscles, and an eternal
smile.  A pleasant elf, Huian is a hard worker and is well praised by
his superiors.  He has many friends in the docks but has little respect
for most members of the high-ranking elite of Lionheart.  What no one
knows is that Huian is a bionoid warrior, a descendant of bionoids that
served the Fleet loyally in the First Unhuman War.
	Huian has worked for the Fleet for two decades, first serving as a
marine before being reassigned to dock duty.  The reason was that Huian
was a poor warrior, and the duty was meant to be a punishment for an
infraction.  However, despite the demotion and loss of pay, Huian is
much happier as a dock worker than as a marine.  He was always
uncomfortable with killing others on moral grounds, and finds the work
on the docks as honest and noble in its own way.  

Ambassador Ceelia Nightstar 
	NG moon elf female R8
	A bright-eyed, pale-skinned moon elf from Toril, Ceelia Nightstar is
the ambassador from Evermeet.  She has long blue-black hair, a small
face, and bright blue eyes.  She stands little over 5'8" tall and weighs
about 135 lbs.  When not in court, she prefers a simple but brightly
colored outfit of a free-flowing skirt and a tunic.  She has a tattoo of
a rose on her left thigh and another small tattoo of her house's symbol
on her chest.  Her clothing is decorated with beads and the bright
feathers of exotic birds.  It is rumored that the yellow and orange
feather that she has braided into her hair is a phoenix feather.
	Ceelia was chosen for the duty as ambassador by the Queen of Evermeet
herself.  Ceelia was always a loyal agent with a keen mind for politics
and constantly worked for the good of Evermeet.  The Queen dispatched
Ceelia for this duty for those reasons, and because Ceelia was one of a
minority that believed the future and salvation of Evermeet lay in the
stars.  Thus far, Ceelia has made few gains for her nation other than
securing a trade deal with an elvish nation in another sphere.  She
hopes to convince the Fleet that Evermeet is a vital and strategic point
in space, and it needs more protection from the humans of Toril.  So
far, her efforts have fallen on deaf ears.

Ambassador Michel Neogislayer 
	LG human male Pal9
	Michel Neogislayer is a human male of 6' 2" in height and weighs over
240 lbs.  He is a monster of an individual, towering over most elves on
the station and is almost solid muscle.  Short, sandy-brown hair frames
his squarish face.  He has green eyes and a tanned complexion.  His
built leads some to underestimate his sharp mind and quick wit.  As a
paladin of Tyr, he is rarely without holy symbol clearly displayed and
his bastardsword, a sunblade, at his side.  When attending council
meetings, he usually dons his suit of plate armor, which is used mainly
for the intimidation factor.
	Michel is the ambassador for the Company of the Chalice, which is one
of the few human organizations with strong ties to the Elvish Fleet. 
The two navies have similar outlooks and ideals, and the elves invited
the Chalice to send an ambassador to Lionheart.  Michel is the fourth
ambassador to date, as each of his predecessors served out their terms
in office.  Michel is on good terms with most of the Admirals on
Lionheart, but has run into problems with hard-liners who dislike or
even hate humans.  His quick wit and slow temper has kept him in check,
and he has even impressed the Grand Admiral on the few times he had
words with an admiral or two in her office.  An ugly rumor about Michel,
particularly pertaining to a supposed tryst with the Grand Admiral, was
spread two years ago, not long after Michel came aboard.  The rumor was
proven false, but the perpetrators were never caught.  The truth is that
Michel is happily married and would never dishonor his wife or his
family.

Sergeant Ruaam "Star Strider"
	CG wood elf male F4 (archer) 
	A rare wilder elf, sergeant Ruaam is a ship trimmer and dock
supervisor.  He has short green hair, hazel eyes, and copper-tanned
skin.  Ruaam stands 5'3" tall and weighs about 140 lbs.  He has a lean
built and a narrow face with a hawk nose.  Somewhat a loner, Ruaam is a
dedicated worker but prefers working alone or in charge of a small
group.  When working, he wears a pair of protective canvas pants and a
brightly colored cotton shirt.  His off-duty attire is lighter and
decorated with bright beads and feathers.
	Sergeant Ruaam works in Dock F, the dry dock.  He is a ship trimmer and
repair worker.  He likes to work alone when work begins, as it allows
him a chance to "feel" the pain of the ship being repaired, so that his
men may better enact repairs.  Ruaam is naturally able to empathically
communicate with an elvish spelljammer, which makes him a prize in the
Fleet.  He is a native of the Dusk Herd, a migrating herd of hundreds of
kindori with wild elf tribes dwelling on their backs, and as such, as a
natural feel for space and the creatures dwelling within it.  Though
Ruaam rarely enters combat or even gets into fights, he is skilled with
the short bow and spear.

-- 
Night Druid