About Mama BessAdvancement Choices:
1: Fighter 1 - feat: combat reflexes, fighter: weapon finesse 2: Investigator 1 - fcb: skill point 3: Investigator 2 - feat: bodyguard, fcb: skill point 4: Investigator 3 - talent: easy aid, fcb: skill point 5: Investigator 4 - feat: extra talent (infusion), fcb: skill point Mama Bess
Total Weight: lbs. Background:
Youth in Andoran “Mama” Bess was born into a large extended family of traveling halfling peddlers and enjoyed a warm, happy childhood on the roads of Andoran amidst her clan. One day when she was twelve, their caravan came too close to the Chelaxian border and all but three of them got captured by slavers. Horrified, her mother Hettie led Bess and her brother Cob to sneak into Cheliax, stealthily following behind the slavers. She meant to attempt their rescue...but the strength and skill of the slaver (a seasoned Tiefling ranger with keen eyes and a keener blade) meant a rescue mission was well beyond her grasp. Hettie decided to bide her time following along, just out of sight, looking -- and praying to Desna -- for an opportunity to deliver her loved ones. Sadly, each morning their plight was as bleak as it had been the night before. ”Bess,” her mother would say, ”Nothing is more important than family. Nothing. I don’t know how we’re going to free your poppa and your uncles and aunties and cousins and grandpappy...but we will.” After eight days, the slaver had brought his captives to within a days ride of Ostenso. Hettie knew that the following day they’d get into the city, be sold off to various parties, and that would be that; her hopes destroyed. Just as she was making camp and considering a mad run in the night, an masked elf stepped out of the shadows, dressed in red and black. The assassin offered to slay the slaver during the night for an undisclosed price and Hettie was quick to agree, saying to Bess, ”I don’ know what they’ll charge us...but it don’ matter. There’s nothing more valuable than family, sweetheart. Nothing.” Hettie and Bess and Cob crouched in the bushes and awaited their opportunity. They never saw the assassin approach the slaver. Rather they saw the slaver take first watch, as was his habit, sipping hot spiced wine to keep cold in the chilly autumn night. An hour into his watch Bess noticed a surprised look on his face. He sat down on a large rock...and then fell over, spilling his wine. The three halflings held their breath for several minutes before deciding it was safe. Bess -- the quietest of the three — tiptoed up to the guard. With trembling fingers she grabbed his keys from his belt (and his coin purse) and went to unlock the chains that held her family. As soon as they’d made it out of earshot, the whole clan took to whooping with joy, tearful hugs, and shared stories of the ordeal. Bess beamed as her uncle Otto (a renowned sneak) praised how quietly and bravely she’d gotten the slaver’s key, tiptoed past his sleeping lieutenants, and freed her family. Suddenly everyone grew quiet as the masked assassin faded in from the shadows. He pulled Hettie aside and Bess watched her mother’s horrified expression as they talked. Bess saw her mother hold up her prized necklace with a pleading look, but the assassin shook his head and cut her off. With a tear in her eye, Hettie called Bess over. ”Little Bess-berry, I’m very very sorry.” After a long pause, the assassin gestured for Hettie to get on with it. ”My daughter...I can’t think of how to say...you’re going to have a new family now. This elf here, and his order...they are your new family now.” Through tears she managed to finish: ”Bessy, I’m sorry, be brave!” A New Family: Life as a Red Mantis The masked assassin eventually brought Bess to Ilizmagorti, where she joined a misfit group of scared and confused children, most younger than Bess. The assassins provided rigorous schooling in stealth, lockbreaking, disguise, combat, and other skills...but little in the way of warmth or reassurance. Bess found her mother’s words echoing in your mind: ”They are your new family now.” Well, Bess knew that nothing was more important than family and so she started to comfort and care for the other orphans, helping the young ones as best she could. She found that she wasn’t the strongest or most skilled with a blade...but she had a knack for potions, and an even bigger knack for helping her fellows out. It’s now been twenty two years since Bess joined her new family and she’s become a constant figure in the Red Mantis order...and especially in the orphanage of Ilizmagroti. She is known for always having a hard candy or a pastry with her, to give out freely to her many nieces and nephews, all of whom refer to her as Mama Bess. Her unusual talent in helping others achieve their best makes her very popular in whatever crew she may be assigned to. Personality:
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