Altheria

Game Master SyrioForel

-20 point buy.
-If summoner, must be unchained.
-Fighters and Sorcerers get 4 Skills/Level.
-No Gunslinger.
-Starting at Level 1 with max hp, all levels forward will be average round up.
-Use pathfinder unchained automatic bonus progression.
-Use pathfinder unchained background skills.
-Start with 150 gp.
-Any race without a CR bump.
-Two traits one drawback.
-Non-evil alignment recommended, if evil, I expect you to play the archetypal intelligent, plotting, and hidden evil, instead of the stupid, brash, and obvious evil. If you choose this route you must be willing to work with me to make your choice work.
-3PP is tentatively allowed, but you must submit your full build with all abilities listed and described pretty early, so that I can review, and balance abilities if it comes to that.

-Where is your character from?
-What was his childhood like?
-What was his family like?
-Name one secret that your character knows.
-Name one thing your character is deathly afraid of.
-Name one thing your character hates with a passion.
-Name a quirk your character has.
-Name one thing your character can’t help but love.
-Name someone your character knows and is on good terms with.
-Name someone your character knows and is on poor terms with.
-Name an organization (large or small) that your character is associated with.
-Name someone/something that your character does not know, that is relevant to his personality/backstory.

-I want you to post at least once per day
-I want your character to be able to work as a team.
-I want your character to have a dynamic and detailed personality.
-I want your character to be able to think of creative solutions to a variety of challenges.
-I expect you to not look at spoilers that you are not supposed to.

Grunval Dugenhal
Male dwarf aerokineticist 1 (Pathfinder RPG Occult Adventures 10)
LG Medium humanoid (dwarf)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 13 (1d8+5)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +1; +2 vs. poison, spells, and spell-like abilities
Defensive Abilities defensive training
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 20 ft.
Melee dagger +0 (1d4/19-20) or
. . quarterstaff +0 (1d6)
Special Attacks hatred, kinetic blast
Kineticist Wild Talents Known
. . Defense—enveloping winds
. . Infusions—extended range
. . Blasts—air blast (1d6+5)
. . Utility—basic aerokinesis
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 10, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +0.75; CMB +0; CMD 12 (16 vs. bull rush, 16 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Casting
Traits grounded, reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +3 (-1 to jump, +5 on balance-related checks), Appraise +2 (+4 to assess nonmagical metals or gemstones), Fly +3, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +5 (+7 to notice unusual stonework), Profession (engineer) +5, Stealth +3; Racial Modifiers +2 Appraise to assess nonmagical metals or gemstones, +2 Perception to notice unusual stonework
Languages Common, Dwarven, Undercommon
SQ burn (1 point/round, max 7), doubt, gather power
Other Gear chain shirt, dagger, quarterstaff, backpack, belt pouch, blanket[APG], box of fishing tackle (2 lb), chalk (2), fishing pole, simple (1 lb), piton (7), torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 38 gp, 7 sp, 8 cp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Air Blast (Sp) Level 0; Burn 0
Burn 1/round (1 nonlethal/burn, 7/day) Burn HP to gain greater effects on your wild talents.
Combat Casting +4 to Concentration checks to cast while on the defensive.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Defensive Training +4 Gain a dodge bonus to AC vs. monsters of the Giant subtype.
Doubt -4 for an hour on any skill or ability check after you fail that type of check
Extended Range Kinetic blast has range of 120ft.
Gather Power (Su) Move: reduce the burn cost of a blast by 1 or Full-round: reduce the burn cost of a blast by 2
Greed +2 to Appraise to determine price of nonmagic goods with precious metals or gemstones.
Hatred +1 Gain a racial bonus to attacks vs. Goblinoids/Orcs.
Kinetic Blast (Sp) The kineticist can unleash her kinetic blast at a range of 30 feet at will.
Stonecunning +2 +2 bonus to Perception vs. unusual stonework. Free check within 10 feet.
--------------------

Grunval Dugenhal was supposed to be like any other Dwarf. He lived under the mountains loved stone and could not fit in.

Grunval had no talent mining or metal working, he would always be the first top pass out when drinking with the other dwarves, and there was something about that surface breeze that exillerated his soul.

Grunval's father and mother Hargst and Marny love their son but just wanted him to fit in. The freedom of the air they would never understand.

Until one day the pressure of his parents and the ridicule of the other dwarves constant laughter at his attempts at "proper dwarven persutes" forced Grunval to seek his fortune outside the moutain. Perhaps at Sea.

Little did Grunval know what was ahead or that for his parents knew he needed to be outside in the air and nagged him the whole way there.

Grunval Dugenhal was supposed to be like any other Dwarf. He lived under the Velm mountains loved stone and could not fit in.

Grunval had no talent mining or metal working, he would always be the first top pass out when drinking with the other dwarves. The only thing he seemed to be able to do right was stoke the forge for his father to craft. The constant pushing of the bellow gave Grunval such joy. When his mind was focused he found he could stoke the fire with his mind alone.

Grunval's father and mother Hargst and Marny love their son but just wanted him to fit in. The freedom of the air they would never understand.

Until one day the pressure of his parents and the ridicule of the other dwarves constant laughter at his attempts at "proper dwarven persutes" forced Grunval to seek his fortune outside the moutain.

Little did Grunval know what was ahead or that for his parents knew he needed to be outside in the air and nagged him the whole way there.

Grunval had such a hard time being a dwarf, he wanted nothing to do l with the brewing on Snake Isle, but upon hearing the Starestone Trading Company seeking brave souls to cross the sea. This sounded the the perfect way to Grunval to leave it all behind and find himself.

Secret
From his father's forge Grunval heard rumor that the production of weapons and armor would never keep up the the demands of Drotsk's growing army.

Deathly Afraid
Grunval is deathly afraid earthquakes. When Grunval was a boy the mountain shook an section of the ceiling gave way almost crush the young dwarf.

Hate with a Passion:
Grunval hates goblins with a passion. Those worthless smelly verimin would crawl into the mountain tunnels, stealing food and even a baby (if they could get their hands on one) to feed themselves. Grunval would see these horrors on his patrols with the volunteer watch.

Loves
Grunval loves mushrooms. He has no idea why be he hasn't met a 'shroom he doesn't like.

Good and Bad Terms
Grunval is on good terms with his parents... its just everyone else who thinks he's less than the dwarf he ought to be.

Organization.
The Velm Mountain smithing guild. Grunval being the son of the top artisan knows it's members well and even though people would typically turn their noses up to him, Grunval was best man to have breathing into your forge.

Grunval doesn't know that when he was a baby a fire consumed his nursery. No one speaks of it because Grunval lost 2 sisters and a brother he never knew he had.
Odd thing though the fire consumed so much of room, but when it got to the little Grunval baby it was snuffed out as if all the air vanished for a moment from the room.

Anatha Makkala
Gnome Taskshaper 1

Defensive Training: Gnomes gain a +4 dodge bonus to AC against monsters of the giant subtype.

Hatred: Gnomes receive a +1 bonus on attack rolls against humanoid creatures of the reptilian and goblinoid subtypes because of their special training against these hated foes.

Alternate Racial Trait – Bond to the Land (Forest)
Some gnomes have strong ties to specific kinds of terrain, as a holdover from their fey origins. These gnomes gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC when in a specific terrain type selected from the ranger list of favored terrains. This choice is made at character creation, and cannot be changed. This racial trait replaces defensive training and hatred.

Drawback

Fey-Taken - As a child, you were whisked away by mischievous fey for a time. When you returned, you were ever after considered odd and distant. You long to return there, and find the mortal world dull and at times revolting, so you do not eat as you should and do not question strange visions.

Effect: You take a –2 penalty on saving throws against disease, illusions, and poison of all kinds, as well as against the spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities of fey.

Traits

Seeker

You are always on the lookout for reward and danger.
Benefits: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks, and Perception is always a class skill for you.

You have long served at a temple in a city, where you picked up on many of the nobility's customs in addition to spending much time in the temple libraries studying your faith.

Benefits: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (nobility) andKnowledge (religion) checks, and one of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.

Feat – Skill Focus (Perception)

The first thing that Anatha remembers of his childhood is life in the temple. As a small boy, he raised in the local temple dedicated to Grom in the center of town. The brotherhood of Grom told him that he just showed up on the temple steps one day, obviously starving. No adults ever came to claim him, so they just adopted him into the temple. There are no records of Anatha in the province, so the brotherhood made their best guess at his age as being around 5 at the time.

Being raised in the temple meant lots of hard work, and studying. But it also meant opportunities to play pranks and explore. Having a precocious and curious personality, Anatha was constantly trying to find out secrets, explore new areas, and generally get underfoot. He also found that he had a talent for mimicking others voices, as well as almost empathically understanding what they might be thinking.

Upon reaching adulthood the Highpriest of the Temple encouraged Anatha to join the brotherhood in a life of service to Grom and the community, but Anatha did not feel like it would satisfy the wanderlust he felt. Instead he accepted a commission as a borderguard and traveled to the port city of ______ to begin exploring the world.

It was on this occasion of access to more and wider experiences that Anatha’s abilities as a taskshapper manifested themselves. He quickly found that if he observed someone do something, he could often mimic the action with some success, although not always as handily as the person he was imitating. As his powers began to unlock himself, he noticed small changes happening to his body when he would concentrate. His ears would enlarge to hear better, or his voice would become more deep and forceful when trying to scare off would be vandals.

Anatha quickly realized to fully understand his abilities and where they come from he needs to explore them more fully. Since those abilities seem to manifest themselves by experiencing new things, he sees the opportunity to go and explore a completely new land as the perfect chance to grow his knowledge about himself as well.

What Anatha does not know is that he was actually born about 50 years ago. During the wars with the mysterious Xenos the magical energies that were powerful and ever present seem to have thinned out and frayed the edges of reality, allowing beings from the Feywild to slip through and kidnap mortals for their strange experiments. Anatha was just 4 years old when he was taken in the night from his Gnomish parents and childhood home. They searched for him for years, spending all of their money to follow any hint of a lead, but to no avail. A decade later, when a child about 5 years of age appeared on the steps of a temple of Grom on the otherside of the continent, there was no one knowledgeable of the situation to make the connection, and even if they had, how do you explain a child only aging 1 year over the course of a decade?

Anatha’s abilities as well as much of his curious nature comes from his experiences while abducted, which he no longer remembers. He feels a close connection with nature, and especially forests, but he assumes that is just natural, never suspecting that is is connected to a dark secret that lurks in his past.

Tholl Torsson
Male Human (Lroth); Medium Humanoid ( Human ). Hunter1

Hit Dice: (1d8)+2

Hit Points: 10

Initiative: +3

Speed: Walk 30 ft.

AC:15 (touch 13, flatfooted 12)

Attacks:
*Longbow +3;
Dagger (Cold Iron) +1;
Dagger (Cold Iron/Thrown) +3;
Damage:
*Longbow 1d8;
Dagger (Cold Iron) 1d4+1;
Dagger (Cold Iron/Thrown) 1d4;

Vision: Blindsense (10 ft.), Darkvision (60 ft.)

Face / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.

Special Qualities:
Animal Companion, Animal Focus, Blindsense, Bonus Feat, Darkvision, Nature Training, Orisons, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Skilled, Weapon and Armor Proficiency, Wild Empathy

Saves: Fortitude: +4, Reflex: +5, Will: +2

Abilities: STR 13 (+1), DEX 16 (+3), CON 14 (+2), INT 12 (+1), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 10 (+0)

Skills:

Feats: Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot

Challenge Rating: 1/2

Alignment: Neutral Good

Region: Lroth

Possessions:
Longbow; Outfit (Explorer's); Leather; Wrist Sheath, Spring Loaded; Dagger (Cold Iron); Backpack, Common; Bedroll; Blanket (Winter); Grappling Hook, Common; Shaving Kit; Shovel; Soap (per lb.); Survival Kit (Common); Waterproof Bag; Coffee (Cup); Rope (Silk/50 ft.); Iron Spike; Applejack (Gallon); Coffee Pot; Belt Pouch; Flint and Steel; Fishhook; Sewing Needle; String (50 feet);

Hunter - Spells per Day: (0/2/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/ DC:12 + spell level); Known: Level 0: Create Water, Detect Magic, Know Direction, Mending Level 1: Cure Light Wounds, Gravity Bow, Summon Nature's Ally I

Tholl is from Lroth.

His childhood was peaceful, but marked by his lack of interest in following his families farming background and his spending all his time in the woods.

His family while troubled by his constant absences tried to understand, eventually let him go, but making him promise to visit and write as often as possible. Especially his mother who guilted him as only a mother can!

He has both parents and two brothers, one older and one younger. He has one sister, the youngest of the family. He's very fond of his sister Carina and makes sure to buy presents for her and his mother whenever he's in faraway places.

Tholl knows who it was that stole the last blueberry muffin, and will never betray her!

He is deathly afraid of being unable to roam the wilds, this is one reason he avoids getting married, because he knows if he has children he would settle down and raise them as a responsible man should.

He hates those who kill for pleasure and not need, and those who prey on the weak like jackals.

He really doesn't need his cup of coffee every morning, but is grumpy if he doesn't start the day with one.

He can't help but love the farm he grew up on, even though he spends most of his time away, knowing that it's there to return to makes him feel happy.

He's on good terms with the paladin Geraldine, despite being completely different people they just get on well with each other whenever they meet.

He's on very poor terms with any slaver he meets, though it's very short for the slaver if Tholl has a chance.

Tholl is often found with the Nomads of Zarith, travelling with them, aiding them through the wilds. He enjoys his time with them and aids them when he can.

Tholl found Chopper (his dog) beside a dead man in the middle of the deepest woods. There was no way of knowing who the man was, and Tholl has never found anyone who knew him or Chopper? The man was the son and heir of a noble family, which is now divided over whether he is alive or dead. The noble family is now fighting over who should inherit.

Hanzir Majjal looks like a young squat muscular man with a paunch, but is faster and more graceful than he looks. He has ruddy dark skin, long wiry red hair, beady eyes, and a pronounced overbite.

He has an affinity for wild boar. He is passionate and fastidious. However, he can easily become a gluttonous brute. The threat of danger, real or perceived, can send him in to a porcine frenzy.

Hanzir was orphaned as a toddler and has no memory of his parents. He was raised in a draconic orphanage. He grew to be both strong and hale, physically. He also became profoundly pigheaded and obstinate. More than a few of his keepers exhausted themselves trying to break his spirit with the lash. He wears those scars with pride.

He first became aware of his wereboar blood when he was tormented beyond endurance at the orphanage. Hanzir howled with thunderous squeals and became part hoggish beast with a wiry red mane and tusks like daggers. He soon gored the hapless orphanage worker to death. Hanzir actually fled himself. Not to avoid punishment, but because he was frightened by his first transformation.

His bestial abilities, and some elves who befriended him, allowed him to survive on his own for some time. These elves saw Hanzir as a creature of the woods. Albeit a dangerous brute of an animal. They also taught him their language.

He joined a band of barbarians who recognized his natural gift for tracking game, as well as enemies. They trained him in the art of frenzied fighting. Which he took to naturally.

Hanzir has recently heard of a call to explore the newly discovered land of Altheria. The prospect of an unknown and dangerous land has a certain appeal to him. Much like the prospect of trying new food and drink. He wants to go there and be there. And test his mettle there.

Hanzir Majjal
Male wereboar-kin skinwalker (ragebred) barbarian 1 (Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 5)
N Medium humanoid (shapechanger, skinwalker)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +6
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 Armor, +2 Dex)
hp 18 (1d12+6)
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0
--------------------
Offence
--------------------
Speed 40 ft.
Melee greatsword +4 (2d6+4/19-20) or
heavy pick +4 (1d6+4/×4) or
heavy pick +4 (1d6+3/×4)
Ranged sling +3 (1d4+3)
Special Attacks rage (6 rounds/day)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +0)
3/day—speak with animals (pigs and boars only)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 17, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 16
Feats Toughness
Traits acrobat, boar resilience, reactionary
Skills Acrobatics +6 (+10 to jump), Appraise +2, Climb +2 (0 instead of -5 penalty when using the Climb skill to attempt an accelerated climb), Diplomacy -1 (-3 vs. Creatures that threaten, accuse, or challenge you and haven't apologized), Handle Animal +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Perception +6, Sense Motive +0 (-2 vs. Creatures that threaten, accuse, or challenge you and haven't apologized), Survival +4, Swim +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Handle Animal, +2 Perception
Languages Common, Elven
SQ change shape, change shape (+10 speed), change shape (gore), change shape (hooves), change shape (scent), fast movement, pride
Other Gear studded leather, amentum[UC], amentum[UC], greatsword, heavy pick, sling, sling bullets (10), sling bullets (10), backpack, belt pouch, belt pouch, blanket[APG], flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), pot, soap, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 56 gp, 8 sp
--------------------
Tracked Resources
--------------------
Amentum - 0/1
Amentum - 0/1
Rage (6 rounds/day) (Ex) - 0/6
Sling bullets - 0/10
Sling bullets - 0/10
Speak with Animals (1/day) - 0/1
Speak with Animals (pigs and boars only, 3/day) - 0/3
Torch - 0/10
Trail rations - 0/5
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Change Shape (+10 speed) (Su) You choose to gain a +10 bonus to base speed when shifting into bestial form.
Change Shape (Gore) (Su) You can choose to gain a gore attack that deals 1d6 points of damage when shifting into bestial form.
Change Shape (Hooves) (Su) You can choose to gain 2 hoof attacks that each deal 1d4 points of damage when shifting into bestial form.
Change Shape (Scent) (Su) You can choose to gain scent with a range of 30 feet when shifting into bestial form.
Change Shape (Su) Shapeshift into bestial form, granting animal-like powers.
Fast Movement +10 (Ex) +10 feet to speed, unless heavily loaded.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing colour and detail.
Pride -2 to diplomacy and sense motive vs. those who threaten, accuse, or challenge you, until they apologize
Rage (6 rounds/day) (Ex) +4 Str, +4 Con, +2 to Will saves, -2 to AC when enraged.
--------------------

Hero Lab and the Hero Lab logo are Registered Trademarks of LWD Technology, Inc. Free download at http://www.wolflair.com
Pathfinder® and associated marks and logos are trademarks of Paizo Inc.®, and are used under license.

Aasimars and tieflings are always born as pairs of twins, one aasimar, the other tiefling. Their features are almost identical, with the main exceptions being the color of their hair, eyes, and/or skin, making it easy to match up siblings.

I'm not sure how aasimars and tieflings are treated, but in the first iteration of this idea, both are seen as curses from the gods and are often abandoned. The siblings often turn on each other, either killing each other, or killing their sibling at such a great cost that they wind up killing themselves a short time later. Every now and then, though, the siblings will band together and watch each other's backs.

Like I said, just an idea and I figured it couldn't hurt to ask.

Kaylee Abandon
Female azata-blooded aasimar (musetouched) fighter 1 (Pathfinder Player Companion: Blood of Angels 22, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 7)
CG Medium outsider (native)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +1
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 10 (1d10)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft.
Melee dagger +3 (1d4+2/19-20) or
. . dagger +3 (1d4+2/19-20) or
. . gladius +3 (1d6+2/19-20) or
. . longsword +3 (1d8+2/19-20) or
. . unarmed strike +3 (1d3+2 nonlethal)
Ranged longbow +5 (1d8/×3)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +3)
. . 1/day—glitterdust (DC 14)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 14, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 17
Feats Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Traits reactionary, talented
Skills Acrobatics +4, Climb +5, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (nature) +1, Perform (sing) +9, Perform (wind instruments) +8, Survival +5; Racial Modifiers +2 Diplomacy, +2 Perform (sing), +2 Perform (wind instruments)
Languages Celestial, Common
Other Gear studded leather, arrows (40), dagger, dagger, gladius[UC], longbow, longsword, backpack, bedroll, blanket[APG], flint and steel, Flute, mess kit[UE], trail rations (5), waterskin (2), 7 sp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Energy Resistance, Acid (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Acid attacks.
Energy Resistance, Cold (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Cold attacks.
Energy Resistance, Electricity (5) You have the specified Energy Resistance against Electricity attacks.
Point-Blank Shot +1 to attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot You don't get -4 to hit when shooting or throwing into melee.

I was planning on making an archer, and unfortunately, that -4 for firing into melee is pretty stiff. So first level is fighter.

Mageknight is a class from Spheres of Power. If you want, I can PM a link to a copy of the PDF I have on Google Drive for your perusal. All I ask is that you don't share the link or the PDF (it really is a nice book, well worth the 20 dollars.)

1st - Fighter: Feats - Point-blank Shot, Precise Shot
2nd - Fighter: Feat - Two-weapon fighting
3rd - Mageknight: Feat - Double Slice | Spheres - Warp, Extradimensional Storage, Extradimensional Space
4th - Mageknight: Sphere - Destruction

After that, we'll have to see.

Alizia grumbled as she shuffled for the door. It was a cold, stormy night and she had finally begun to relax under the covers of her warm bed when the knock had come at the front door of the orphanage. She flung it open, fully intending to give the fool who was disturbing her at this late hour the tongue=lashing they so richly deserved. The words died in her throat, though, when she threw open the door and found no one there.

The matron of the orphanage looked about, a fierce glower on her face, before she stepped back inside and made to close the door. A cry stopped her, a cry that came from near her feet. There, in the meager protection offered by the porch was a large, battered basket that held two infants bundled in ragged blankets. Their skin was as white as porcelain and their hair a deep black. There was no note, no clue as to who these children were. She called for her assistant, a spinster in the making named Tria, and bade her to take one of the two twins inside.

===

The two of them, their clothes torn and their bodies battered and bruised, stood before Alizia and Tria. One of Kaylee's sapphire eyes had swollen shut from where she'd been kicked in the face. Both of Kylee's ruby eyes were open, though her cheek now sported an ugly black bruise that showed clearly on her fair skin.

"You both know the rules," Alizia stated, her voice hard and uncaring. "There is no fighting under this roof."

The two sisters didn't say a word. They'd learn years ago not to fight back when the children ganged up on them, but the two of them had left a bruise on another girl's cheek when they had tried to get away. The girl, a brat named Gilessea, was a favorite of Alizia and it was no secret that a noble couple was seriously considering adopting the girl as a playmate and companion for their youngest daughter, and that they were planning on stopping by this day to talk to the girl themselves. Now she had a bruise, noticeable if not nearly as bad as the ones Kaylee and Kylee now had.

"Yes, and you also know the punishment for fighting," Tria said, not even trying to hide the pleasure she was going to get from make these two suffer. "This is the second time this month. I'm supposed that even a couple of half-wits like you two haven't begun to learn."

All the two sisters could do was bite their tongues and take the abuse. They were convenient targets for everyone in the orphanage. They were despised, so much so that their own parents had not named them before abandoning them here. No one cared at all what happened to them.

No one at all.

===

"Kylee," Kaylee whispered softly as she slide into small hiding place beside her sister, "Kylee, please don't cry."

Kylee's sobs quieted, but the sniffles and tears continued. The once fine dress she wore was now little more than rags. It was the one time either of them had gotten anything new, much less something as nice as a dress from one of the more popular tailors in town. It had been a gift from a traveling priest who'd seen the threadbare and ragged clothing the twins were normally given, and received no replacements for until it was almost literally falling apart. Kaylee hadn't begrudged the gift. In fact, she was positively giddy at how pretty Kylee had looked in it.

"Why? No one cares about what happens to me," Kylee croaked in a sob-hoarse voice, burying her face in the arms she had on top of her knees.

"I care," Kaylee replied, pulling her sobbing sister into a sidelong hug. "I care what happens to you."

Kylee gave in, unable to hold back the sobs any more, she cried on Kaylee's shoulder for a long time until the tears were dry and she no longer had the strength to sob.

"You didn't even get to wear it," she mumbled into Kaylee's shoulder.

"No, but I doubt it would have looked half as good on me," Kaylee said, bringing a Kylee a chuckle. "That's better. We'll get through this."

"I know," Kylee said, "just promise me you'll keep looking out for me."

"I promise. Just promise me you'll do the same."

"I promise."

===

Kaylee woke with a start. She'd somehow managed to not drown and was now clinging to a massive stone slab on the banks of the chilly mountain stream. She didn't remember how she had gotten there, only that she was supposed to be on an assignment given to them by their master. Their were technically apprentices, but in fact they were slaves in all but name, and they'd been sent to scout out a little used trail in the Velm Mountains to track some kind of monster.

Slowly she hauled herself out of the water. Even in the summer, there was a definite nip in the air this high up in the mountains. Between that and her soaked clothing, her teeth were chattering. Still, how she wound up in this predicament was coming back to her now. There was an old, rotted rope bridge and their master had ordered them across. The bridge had fallen away and...

"KYLEE!" Kaylee screamed over and over again as she searched for any sign of her sister. There was none. Still, the desperate young woman rushed about looking. She was still looking when a slightly older man came from upstream.

"Damn, guess I lost the bet. I had been betting on both of you drowning," he laughed.

"Where's Kylee?" The young woman asked the question in a tone that was thin and dangerous. A tone that the man missed.

"Dead if we're all lucky," he laughed again.

That proved to be the final straw. Kaylee and Kylee had been treated as something less than human, even less than the goblins and orcs that were often enslaved by the humans, all of their lives. This man had just snapped the last restraints on Kaylee's rage.

"And if she's not," the young woman asked, almost growled.

"Well, wouldn't be the first time a nothing like her got a slit throat careening down a stream," the man laughed again, failing to register the simmering rage in Kaylee's sapphire eyes. Before he could react, indeed before he realized how dangerous the ground he trod upon was, he was staggered by the pommel of Kaylee's sword. The blade then plunged deep into the man's right lung, but though the wound was mortal, Kaylee's wrath was not yet spent. She ripped the blade of her sword free then swung it at the man's neck with a primal scream of fury. The young man's head flew from his shoulders, and Kaylee began to calm down.

She'd killed him. She'd killed him and that act had made it a certainty that if she went back, she'd be killed. Quickly if she was lucky, slowly and only after enduring her master's sadistic punishments for a long time if she wasn't.

She did the only thing she could do. She took off the necklace that carried the insignia of the band of hunters she had been with and dropped it on the fast cooling corpse of the man she had killed. She took a chance to search for her sister a little longer, but there was no sign of her, and it was likely that the man was indeed correct. Kylee was dead.

She ran, then. Ran north, past The Labyrinth of Dromulus into Lroth. There, she found a ship looking for some explorers. Low on coin and having no other options, really, she signed on, hoping that things would be better.

Secretly, she wondered if she hoped in vain.