Zoda Kogala's page

At first glance Zoda resembles an aging drunk, he nearly always has some sort of bottle on his person. Zoda wears his shaggy hair in dreadlocks loose around his face when he is not working but when he is guiding people through the desert or through the mean streets of Wati it is tied back with a spare bow string. His cloths are plain tan desert robes but he wears the sleeves ripped off to expose his dark, sinewy arms that are covered in tattoos. His skin is dark made darker by the sun and while at work he keeps is muscles oiled, given them an impressive sheen. Upon close inspection of his tattoos you can find a compass rose on his left shoulder with and odd symbol under it that even he is not sure of. And on his other are is predominantly inscribed “Why wear gold when you can wield silver” A joke on Keleshite saying that pays hommage to his families tradition of hunting the undead.

Although he may like his drink he is quite the functioning alcoholic and has been able to run the family guide business successfully for years. All the locals know the tale of Zoda’s father Boaz Kogala, the famous undead hunter who worked in Rahadoum back when Zoda was very young, but when the Council of Elders and Keepers learned that he was using the ancient gods to rid the crypts of undead it became no longer safe for him to work there so he moved his family business to Wati. One would think that it would be an ideal place for an undead hunter but within a year if arriving Boaz had contracted a fever and died leaving young Zoda and his mother to fend for themselves.
Now if any of this is true has remains to be seen as locals only know all of this because Zoda is forever getting drunk after work and spouting out tales that his mother had told him before she passed. Now Zoda is nothing but an aging, alcoholic, guide. Making sure that the rich get through the desert and the streets of Wati safely.

Zoda grew up with only a few memories of his father and knows only stories of the glory days when he was known for his skills as a hunter of the undead. He idolizes his father and wants to become as renown as him someday, but he never got the chance because the damn Necropolis had been “closed” but 7 years ago the prince opened it and on that day Zoda started saving every copper piece he could earn to buy the best gear in order to adventure into the crypts in search of the undead. Of course drinking got in the way of actual saving and that is why it has taken him 7 long, painful years to save enough to finally pursue his destiny.

It all began when the Blood Prince decided to open the crypts. I knew that it was my chance to live up to the family legacy. You see I had never actually fought any undead, only heard stories from my father and mother about how it’s in my blood to slay the foul creatures. At the time I was working for Raziim at his guide business but he was growing old and didn’t want to make the long journey’s across the desert any longer. So I, knowing that I didn’t have the money or gear to go into the Necropolis and start slaying the undead, offered to take over the business. He was reluctant at first but decided that if I were to run the day to day operations he would gladly rent me the camels and packs I needed. I quickly began making more money and was doing quite a fine job at saving it, with exception for drinking but that was unavoidable and would have made the entire endeavor unbearable, who wants to spend days in the desert with out wine, ale, or something to take the edge off.

It was five years ago when I had made the coin that would allow me to get out of the business and begin pursuing my destiny. That is when tragedy struck I was camped at an oasis in the desert with a small group of merchants and a few of the warriors that I employed to guard them when arrows started whizzing through our camp. A few thumped into the tent posts and many more flew high, these were not experienced warriors and the small band that I had were easily able to drive the bandits off without so much as a scratch. As we were taking stock and making sure that we hadn’t lost anyone I realized that two of the camels had been turned into pin cushions. One was down and couldn’t even make it back to Wati, the other made it to just outside the city when it collapsed. The merchants were happy because we had done our job and got them through the desert with their wears and they even had a story to tell in the local ale houses. I had a much more unfortunate tale to tell. I had to let Raziim know that two of his camels had died on the trip. He informed me that now that I was running the business I was to be held responsible for buying new ones. It hurt having to turn over all the money that I had made and I went on quite the bender. After paying for the lost camels I took the rest of my money that I had saved, which now looked like next to nothing, and went in search of wine and women. For three days and three nights I spiraled through a haze infested with depression, anger, and disgust at what my life had become, and anger at Raziim for having swindled me out of my money. On the morning of the forth day I awoke in an ally down in Bargetown and realized that it wasn’t Raziim’s fault, he was just doing business and looking back on the past two years I had done pretty well. I had saved almost enough to become the man my father would have wanted me to be and if I did the same thing again it should only take me another two years, which in the grand story or life, really isn’t that much time. But like I said that was five years ago, not two.

The second time that I made and lost my money was two years ago and this time I think it was probably my fault. You see I had made close to 300 gold pieces from working as a guide. After the camel incident I had learned to post guards further out and had hired a couple more men. I was into this guide business up to my ears but I never forgot the end goal. I had set a number for myself which was three hundred gold and I would quit the business and give it to Raziim’s grandson who often ventured into the desert with me and had proven to have knack for tracking and hunting. He was even allowed to make a few of the shorter trips on his own. It was the night that I put the 300th coin into the chest Raziim let me use to keep my money in. Three hundred pieces of gold can get pretty heavy and when I was not in town i rarely kept more than a few on me. I can hold my own against a bandit but it’s better not to risk it and by this time I trusted Raziim and his family like they were my own. That night I took a heavy bag of coins to one of the fanciest bars in town and was buying drinks like I was a sultan. I had bought some new flashy robes and a beautiful silver dagger. I was spouting off at the mouth about how I Zoda Kogala was going to clear the Necropolis of undead and come back even richer and more powerful than I already was. And that night I felt rich and powerful. The women were flocking to me and the men were green with jealousy one woman in particular caught my eye. Her face is forever ingrained in my memory, beautiful olive skin seemingly untouched by the sun, which in Wati was quite the rarity, her eyes were hazel with flecks of green and when I stared into them we were the only ones in the room. We spent the rest of the night laughing and drinking and when we were both thoroughly drunk, or at least I was I invited her back to “the room I was renting” really it was a mat on the floor at Raziim’s but I couldn’t let her know that. Once we got there she would find out, of course, but I had confidence that I could talk her into staying the night. On our way home we were jumped by two thugs she shrieked and I sprung into action. Playing the hero I brandished my new dagger swiping at in his direction. He backed off and the two ran away. I was a hero. She knew it. I knew it. Tonight I was going to get lucky and tomorrow when I finally descended into one of the crypts I would become even luckier. And with that confidence I strolled into Raziim’s courtyard and I could have sworn I closed the gate behind me but looking back on it now I may or may not have. Either way when we finally got back to my little room and I explained that it was temporary, Jasmine, if that was her real name was none too impressed, so being the functioning alcoholic that I am decided to show her my horde. Like a king I kicked open the chest to reveal gold, silver, and small copper coins. Her eyes widened and she told me to lay on the bed and disrobe while she stepped out. It was impolite for me to see her undress, or something like that. I quickly took off my new robes and set them next to the mat. My heart rate was through the roof and just then the curtain was pulled back. But it wasn’t Jasmine. In her place were the two thugs from earlier I scrambled for my dagger but it was tangled in my robes and I was naked. The bigger of the two, the one I had thought I had scared off, laughed as he hit me across the face with a small black jack. The last thing I remember was Jasmine walking in behind them and pointing two the chest before a was struck again and everything went black. I awoke and everything was gone they had even taken my new robes and the dagger. As I lay there shivering I vowed that if I ever saw them again they would pay. But of course I haven’t and probably never will. These days I rarely think about them, unless I am a few bottles down and in a particularly surly mood and even then it’s not the men that I am mad at, they were thugs and I am sure they will get whats coming to them. Jasmine, though, what would drive a woman as beautiful and sophisticated to become such a conniving thief.

And that was 2 years ago. Twice I was rich and then poor and now, here I am, rich again. Only this time I was smarter about it. I didn’t go to any fancy inns. Just the usual places and I didn’t drink anything fancy or more than usual, which by my standards is already a lot. And most importantly I didn’t brag about my wealth. Not for the past two years and not before buying the necessary gear. Now if someone wants my money they will have take it from me, and that won’t be easy I have become deadly with the bow and most of my money has gone into buying the supplies I need and it will be harder to take my chain mail off my back than it was to carry off a chest of gold under the cover of night.

Human Ranger (Guide) 1
Neutral Medium humanoid (human) 
Init +4; Senses Perception +5
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 16 ACP -2
 
Defense 

AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +3 shield) 
hp 11 (1d10+1) 
Fort +3 (+2 Fear),  Ref +6, Will +1
 
Offense 
 
Speed 30 ft. 
Melee 
Ranged
 
Statistics 

Str 12, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 10

Point Blank Shot
You get a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.

Precise Shot
You can shoot or throw ranged weapons at an opponent engaged in melee without taking the standard –4 penalty on your attack roll.

Hunters Blood
You earn a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy when used to gather information, Knowledge (religion), and Survival when used for tracking when related to an undead quarry. Choose one as these as a class skill. The undead have a +1 bonus on any roll to learn about you, as your family’s fame precedes you. 

Wati Native
You gain a +2 trait bonus on saves against fear effects. In addition, your knowledge of the city grants you a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (local) checks, and that skill is always a class skill for you.

Skills

Background 2

Knowledge (History) 2 (1 Rank, 1 INT)
Linguistics 2 (1 Rank, 1 INT]

Adventuring 8

Climb 5 (1 Rank, 3 Class, 1 STR)
Knowledge (Dungeenering) 5 (1 Rank, 3 Class, 1 INT)
Knowledge (Geography) 5 (1 Rank, 3 Class, 1 INT)
Knowledge (Local) 6 (1 Rank, +3 Class 1 INT, +1 Trait) +3 Osironology
Knowledge (Nature) 5 (1 Rank, 3 Class, 1 INT)
Knowledge (Religion) 2 (1 Rank, 1 INT) +1 Undead
Perception 5 (1 Rank, 3 Class, 1 WIS)
Survival 5 (1 Rank, 3 Class, 1 WIS) +1 Undead

Ranger’s Focus
At 1st level, once per day, the guide can focus on a single enemy within line of sight as a swift action. That creature remains the Ranger’s focus until it is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points or surrenders, or until the Ranger designates a new focus, whichever occurs first. The Ranger gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against the target of his focus. At 5th level, and every five levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +2.
At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the Ranger can use this ability one additional time per day. 
This ability replaces favored enemy.

Track
A ranger adds half his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks.

Wild Empathy
A ranger can improve the initial attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person (see Using Skills). The ranger rolls 1d20 and adds his ranger level and his Charisma bonus to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the ranger and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal visibility conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute, but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The ranger can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but he takes a –4 penalty on the check.

Common, Osirion, Ancient Osirion

Totals 202 gp 33 LBS

Battle Gear

Chain Shirt (100 gp 25 LBS)
Battle Aspergillum ( 5 gp 4 lbs)
Silver Dagger (22 gp 1 LBS)
Longbow (75 gp 3 LBS)

Adventuring gear
Rangers Kit (9 gp 28 LBS) This includes a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, iron pot, mess kit, rope, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin.
Bluebook 5gp 1 lb 
Hip Flask 1gp .5lbs