Ascension - Merchant's Guild

Game Master bbangerter

When creating your back story feel free to talk with other players wishing to join this faction and create ties between your back stories.

More information on your faction will be given once the game starts, though you are free to ask questions if you are looking for additional details to flesh out your back story.

The factions will give their teams various goals or objectives to meet, it is up to the players to determine how to achieve those goals. While I've got a number of missions for each faction to give to players, this campaign is intended to be fairly sandbox. If players come up with things they'd like to try to further the overall goals of their faction I will try to incorporate those ideas into the campaign. Be aware though that there are some places in the world that will prove death to the players if they wander about haphazardly.

It is expected your character has friends and acquaintances from this region of the world, feel free to include a couple such friends in part of your back story.

All players are from this region of the world and should select one of the areas from the geography section as a birth place.

I'd like to know what motivates your character and what your character is afraid of. Anything that I can hook some side plots into will make for a much more interesting play experience.

Please also include a physical description of your character including such things as skin color, hair color, eye color, and style and color of clothing.

Characters will be created using a 20 point buy.

Characters will start at 5th level. You may choose no more than 2 classes (or 3 if the 3rd is a prestige class) to create your character. This also applies when leveling up.

Each character starts with 10,000gp, of which no more than 50% may be spent on a single item. During character creation all items within the given 5000gp or less per item are available.

As you accumulate wealth you can assume anything costing 4000gp or less (assuming it is not an illegal item) are readily available. Anything costing more than 4000gp will require crafting time to have made for you, though anything up to 15000gp can be obtained. Anything above that price may or may not be available. Characters may not start with custom made magic items. You may request to have a custom magic item made – though I'm likely to add a flat cost on top of whatever costs might normally be associated with said items – or may just flat out disallow it.

Slotless magic items that mimic the ability of an existing magic item that normally requires a equipment slot are not allowed.

Magic items that provide +x enhancement bonuses such as cloaks of resistance, rings of protection, belts of physical stats, headbands of mental stats, etc can always be upgraded to a higher level for the cost difference. Also, these items may always be combined with another effect that uses that item slot for the price of the additional magical enhancement + 50%. For example a cloak of resistance +1, cost 1000gp, could be combined with a catching cape, normal cost of 200gp (plus 50% for a cost of 300gp), for a total of 1300gp. Or a ring of protection +1, cost 2000gp, combined with a ring of counterspells, normally 4000gp (plus 50% for a cost of 6000gp), for a total of 8000gp.

Players should select 2 traits using the standard rules.

Depending on which faction you are a member of there are alignment and racial restrictions (see the individual faction recruitment threads for this information).

Because of the nature of this campaign there will be PvP between factions. Players should plan for escape mechanisms from a battle turned against them.

Inter-party PvP will be strongly discouraged. If you wish to engage in PvP with those who should be your allies you must talk to me about it first, and your reasons must be compelling in story character reasons (like your allies endangered your NPC dependent – not something petty or trivial).

All players will get one free true resurrection during the course of the campaign should they die (you may choose to use this to raise a fallen ally). Unless the player's gear can be recovered though, resurrected players will start with one-half their WBL based on their current level. For arcane casters you will get a new spell book with only those spells you would have for your current level, any additional spells will need to be purchased again. If your body can be recovered then normal uses of spells like raise dead are available.

Players get max HP at every level.

Players will level up when I say they do, but this will be roughly following the fast experience track.

I do enforce encumbrance rules, keep this in mind when equipping your character. In general I will not be keeping track of food or normal ammunition (things like arrows made out of special materials will be tracked). If you somehow get yourself trapped in an area though where you could not readily restock these items then these items will be tracked until you can escape the situation. You must still buy 1 quiver (or 2) full of arrows, bolts, sling stones, what have you. At such time as you may become trapped you will have the amount listed on your character and those items will be tracked at that time.

Rule books allowed are Core Rule Book, Advanced Players Guide, Ultimate Magic, Ultimate Combat, Ultimate Equipment, and some portions of the Advanced Race Guide (alternate racial features and archetypes are allowed, as are racial spells and feats, and see faction specific areas for races allowed). Other source books are not allowed.

I recommend all characters train the stealth and disguise skills, but this is not required.

Antagonize feat is not allowed. It is especially problematic for a PvP type game.

You may take item creation feats, but these feats will not be applied to your starting 10k wealth to reduce the cost of magic items. You will be able to get use out of item creation feats though if you select them.

Diplomacy and intimidate skills don't exist. They are all rolled into the bluff skill. If your chosen class has diplomacy or intimidate as a class skill you instead have bluff as a class skill. Feats and traits that would increase diplomacy or intimidate instead affect your bluff skill, however these do not stack with other feats or traits that would increase one of these skills.

In game when you are using your bluff skill please specify what you are actually trying to accomplish. i.e., still state you are trying to intimidate someone, or calm someone with diplomacy, etc, but your bluff skill will be used to modify the d20 roll to determine the effectiveness.

Because of the potential PvP encounters realize that using the bluff skill to get someone to act more friendly towards you (because of good diplomacy or fearsome intimidation) in a social situation may or may not work, though role-playing in this area is certainly encouraged. Combat uses of bluff skill can also be used to apply the shaken condition (as per intimidate) or apply class specific abilities that rely on one of these skills.

When your character speaks, unless you specify otherwise, it will be assumed you are speaking in common. This means any listeners, known or hidden, will be able to understand you. Speak in another language and you may be able to foil spies if they don't have a means of understanding the given language.

Because this game will be taking place in four different threads simultaneously I ask that you refrain from reading the other factions threads. Doing so will only reduce your own and other players enjoyment.

Also because of the four threads game time will not always be consistent between the different groups. This could also result in a given thread being put on hold for a day or two if an encounter is about to occur between two groups but one group needs to finish something up.

A weeks travel to the west is a small village known as Gumlat (population of around 600). This village lies at the edge of a large expanse of forest. Rumors and stories of were-creatures surround the rise of this small village. It is said many years ago, Aroale Nulil, priestess of Erastil, defended what was then a settlement against a large number of lycanthropes through the strength of her god, though she perished in the effort. The tales of beast men continue to float about the area, though no one has since that time brought forth clear proof that any such creatures continue to exist in the area. Many believe the forests west of Gumlat are haunted though, and more than one soul has disappeared into those forests to never to return. The land between Gumlat and Coran is mostly farmlands with small thinly wooded areas near the base of the Chaggath Spine. Gumlat is primarily human though a good number of gnomes and haflings also inhabit the area.

North across the Chaggath Spine, two and a half weeks of travel over the high mountain roads, lies the city of Akleta with a population of around 3,000. This population is not centralized though, perhaps 1500 live in the city proper, with the other 1500 inhabitants within two days travel of the city. The area consists mostly of shepherds, cattle ranchers, and miners. The mountains separating Akleta from Coran have given the people of Akleta a sense of independence from the rest of the empire, though they are still dependent on Coran for trade goods from across the sea and rely on them for aid in times of war and to influence the surrounding tribes of hillmen. Akleta consists of almost entirely of humans in population. Other races visiting this area are frequently given a cold shoulder.

South of Coran lies a large expanse of desert known as The Endless Desert. At the northern edge of the desert, nine days travel south of Coran (or 3 days by ship), lies a mining town known as Issust Hold. The population is actually scattered between a small walled port that services Issust Hold (population of roughly 100 people) and a more heavily fortified settlement that was built on top of a natural oasis (population of around 500). Issust Hold primarily produces iron, but also mines some precious metals and gems. The place seems to attract the unsavory sorts of characters, perhaps in part due to a recent war against pirates from the southern seas which occurred nearly 30 years ago. No doubt some of those pirates make up part of the holds population. Issust hold is the home of a large number of dwarves, half-orcs, tieflings, and ifrit, though other races also commonly seen.

Seven days voyage by sea, to the east of Coran, lie the islands of Ioso, considered a tropical paradise by many. A relatively simple people inhabit the islands, which export fish, spices, and exotic goods from other lands. Outside of the villages the islands are the home of wild animals, dinosaurs, and a few other dangerous creatures. The islands are primarily inhabited by humans and undine.

The Chaggath Spine is home to several goblin clans, but these are probably the least dangerous of the the creatures that roam the mountain cliffs and dens.

The Endless Desert is home to desert nomads and various dangerous creatures, both natural and magical.

West of the empire are various smaller kingdoms who trade with the Ondian people.

South of the islands are pirate infested waters, and east of the islands lies a great ocean.

North of Akleta live tribes of savage hills men. These disparate groups are usually not a concern for the inhabitants of Akleta though there was a time in the past when they banded together under one tribal leader and threatened the area.

The Tower of the Heavens is home to the current ruling mageocracy. While it primarly consists of wizards, they also have among their ranks magus, witch's, sorcerers, and all other forms of arcane magic users. The Council of Seven makes up the ruling body and currently consists of masters Veray, Isul, Akeli, Torenest, Danroth, Banock, and Liam.

In recent times the roads have become a bit dangerous of late for individuals or small groups. Bandits and highwaymen, and in the mountain and desert roads more dangerous creatures are becoming a growing problem. This has been a cause of contention between the Mageocracy and the Merchants Guild. Tariffs have been raised to help pay for the costs of patrolling the roads but the added protection seems to be of limited effectiveness.

At the same time a group dissatisfied with the mages rule is starting to become more than a mere nuisance. The Mageocracy would like to put an end to this discontentment, if only they could figure out who is behind it and where they are hiding out.

With the current turmoil and politics the thieves guild is looking to expand their operations while the mages are distracted with other matters. Crime in Coran is on the rise, from petty thefts to rumors of an underground slave trade.

Sexual content should be limited to a PG-13 range. Rape or other sexual crimes are not allowed in the campaign.

Violence against children is not allowed, though you may run into street rats and such at times – bringing them to the authorities if the situation merits is a real possibility. You may burn down an orphanage if you like, but slaughtering its inhabitants is not allowed.

Torture is allowed, but highly detailed descriptions of such are not. Cutting of a limb or breaking some bones is fine. Descriptive details of what you do with a carving knife, or hot poker, etc, are not.

The Mageocracy's policies toward tariffs and security of the roads made things more difficult, money becoming tighter while not lessening the threat of bandits. When Talathel was 15, his father's caravan, which included all of the farm hands except for the ex-thief, Soren, was attacked by bandits. With nobody to tend the crops and no money, they had no choice but to sell the farm and move to Coran, as Akleta would have been too cold toward an elf and her half-elven children. The sale was not a fair one, but out of desperation they took what money they could and tried to survive. His mother resumed singing, though the money coming in was not enough to make their savings last. Before departing to find work elsewhere, Soren taught Talathel how to pick pockets and locks, and in addition to singing lessons from his mother at an early age, he tried his best to support his family. He would play on street corners or in pubs, and resorted to thievery only if he did not make enough money that night. His mother would go out during the day, when it was safer for a woman, and he would play at night, watching his sister until their mom returned home.

On the farm, he had been taught the basics of archery and swordplay, and in his free time practiced with them, hoping to find work that paid better than his passion, music. When he became of age, he became a caravan guard for the merchant's guild, having been personally touched by the dangers of the road posed to caravans by bandits and seeking to prevent more lives from being ruined by it. Even though his father was never a part of it, he holds great support for their political cause as well, believing that safer roads would have led to his father still being alive.

He took the job with the merchant's guild largely because of the money and the goals of the organization, but he also feels that the travel can help him ply his craft as a bard. He hopes once the political situation is resolved, he would have the skills, tales, and possible renown to travel as a great bard.

Aside from helping his family, he's guided by his beliefs of right and wrong, always striving to do good by people who deserve it, and only harm those who he feels wrong others. He takes issue with working with those who harm innocents, but if he sees it as a lesser of two evils situation then he will simply try to make up for it with good deeds elsewhere.

His greatest fears are losing more of his family members, and taking actions that will make him no better than the common bandits who stalk the roads.

When he was finally of age, he signed on as a caravan guard and set out to see the world. His skill with maps and knowledge of geography made him stand out from the usual rabble who signed on for such duty. He was assigned to train with the scouts and was mentored by a grizzled veteran by the name of Dragun. Dragun turned the boy into a lethal scout, and taught him the finer aspects of life on the road (where to get deals on gear in Gumlat, where not to drink in Issust Hold, etc.)Mikal always brought Dragun home with him for a meal when they were in Coran, and they would spend the night pouring over his fathers maps telling tales of the places they had been.

During one trip north of Gumlat, the caravan was waylaid by an especiallly crafty tribe of goblins. The group was descimated, Dragun was killed, and Mikal was left for dead. He was dicovered by a group of Clerics of Abadar who were on a mission in the north trying to establish the rule of law among the barbarian tribes. They returned with him to Gumlat and he was nursed back to health by the local temple. But Abadar does not dole out healing and hospice for free and the price of his salvation soon became apparent. He was enlisted into the church and taught the traditions of the Master of the First Vault. It was decided that his skills as a scout could be put to use in the Inquisition. He was trained and tasked with rooting out threats to the church and trade in the region, and to keep an eye on the theive's guilds and even the ruling mageocracy. To accomplish his mission he would return to his profession of scouting for caravans, and clandestinely report to the church when he visited the cities on the routes.

He was assigned to House Freanivirrea and met with the seneschal, Taloon Carlton.

Garion is a kind-hearted, amiable sort and makes friends easily. He is tall and slender, with black hair and grey-green eyes.

He has no family that he knows of, save his elven father, whom he seeks everywhere, showing his pendant to even casual acquaintances and hoping for recognition of the symbol. He bears great love and respect for Astrid BelVan, priestess of Desna from some unknown land. The old priestess helped care for his mother during her long illness and helped Garion deal with her death. Whenever he can, he visits her, always bringing her some small trinket or memento of his journeys.

Because of his constant inquiries about his father, Garion knows a great many people in a casual way. Delven Glorbud, the dwarven town guard from Akleta is a good friend, as is Beldeena, the barmaid at the Rusty Shovel in Issust Hold.

Race: Human

Class: Monk Wanderer

Alignment: Neutral

Age: 20

Height: 5'4ft

Weight: 145 lb.

Religion:Shelyn

Languages: Common, elvish, dwarven, halfling, Gnome, Orc, Goblin

Abilities:

-Strength: 12 +1

-Dexterity: 18 +4

-Constitution: 12 +1

-Intelligence: 12 +1

-Wisdom: 13 +1

-Charisma: 12 +1

Saves:

- Fortitude: +5

- Reflex: +8

- Will: +5

*You gain a +1 trait bonus to Will saves and a +2 trait bonus to saving throws versus divination effects.

Favored Class Option: Add +1/4 to the monk's ki pool.

Feats:

- Dodge

- Weapon Finesse

- Endurance

- Stunning Fist: You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus, a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). Stunning Fist forces a foe damaged by your unarmed attack to make a Fortitude saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wis modifier), in addition to dealing damage normally. A defender who fails this saving throw is stunned for 1 round (until just before your next turn). A stunned character drops everything held, can’t take actions, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. You may attempt a stunning attack once per day for every four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than once per round. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned.

- Snake Style: You gain a +2 bonus on Sense Motive checks,
and you can deal piercing damage with your unarmed
strikes. While using the Snake Style feat, when an
opponent targets you with a melee or ranged attack, you
can spend an immediate action to make a Sense Motive
check. You can use the result as your AC or touch AC
against that attack. You must be aware of the attack and
not f lat-footed.

- Snapping Turtle Style: While using the Snapping Turtle Style feat
with at least one hand free, you gain a +1 shield bonus
to AC.

- Tiger Style: While using this style, you gain a +2 bonus to
your CMD against bull rush, overrun, and trip maneuvers.
You can also deal slashing damage with your unarmed
strikes. Whenever you score a critical hit with your slashing
unarmed strike, your opponent also takes 1d4 points of
bleed damage at the start of his next two turns.

Traits::

- Without a Past: You earn +1 trait bonus to Bluff and Linguistics when used to forge documents, and choose one as a class skill.

- Reactionary: You gain a +2 trait bonus on Initiative checks.

Armor/Clothing:

-Peasants Outfit 2lb.

Other Items:

- sack 1/2lb.

- Blanket 1lb.

- Straw Hat 2lb.?

- Ring of Sustenance -

Total: 4lb

Light: 43 lbs. or less

Medium: 44–86 lbs.

Heavy: 87–130 lbs.

Far Traveler: At 1st level, the wanderer gains either one additional language known or proficiency in one exotic or martial weapon. At 4th level and every four levels thereafter, the wanderer may gain an additional language known or may retrain her weapon proficiency from this ability to a different exotic or martial weapon.

Long Walk: At 3rd level, the wanderer gains Endurance as a bonus feat, and the feat bonus doubles when he makes Constitution checks because of a forced march. In addition, a wanderer gains a +2 bonus on saving throws against spells and effects that cause exhaustion and fatigue.

Light Step: At 5th level, a wanderer leaves no trail and cannot be tracked, though he can leave a trail if desired. By spending 1 point from his ki pool, he can use ant haul, feather step, longstrider, pass without trace, or tireless pursuit as a spell-like ability (with a caster level equal to his monk level).

Inscrutable: At 5th level, the wanderer gains a supernatural air of mystery. The DC to gain information or insight into the wanderer with Diplomacy, Knowledge skills, or Sense Motive increases by 5. In addition, by spending 1 point from his ki pool, the wanderer gains nondetection for 24 hours with a caster level equal to his monk level.

Furry of Blows[b]: Starting at 1st level, a monk can make a flurry of blows as a full-attack action. When doing so he may make one additional attack using any combination of unarmed strikes or attacks with a special monk weapon (kama, nunchaku, quarterstaff, sai, shuriken, and siangham) as if using the Two-Weapon Fighting feat (even if the monk does not meet the prerequisites for the feat). For the purpose of these attacks, the monk's base attack bonus from his monk class levels is equal to his monk level. For all other purposes, such as qualifying for a feat or a prestige class, the monk uses his normal base attack bonus.

[b]Unarmed Strike: At 1st level, a monk gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat. A monk's attacks may be with fist, elbows, knees, and feet. This means that a monk may make unarmed strikes with his hands full. There is no such thing as an off-hand attack for a monk striking unarmed. A monk may thus apply his full Strength bonus on damage rolls for all his unarmed strikes.

Usually a monk's unarmed strikes deal lethal damage, but he can choose to deal nonlethal damage instead with no penalty on his attack roll. He has the same choice to deal lethal or nonlethal damage while grappling.

A monk's unarmed strike is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either manufactured weapons or natural weapons.

Evasion: At 2nd level or higher, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Fast Movement: At 3rd level, a monk gains an enhancement bonus to his land speed, as shown on Table: monk. A monk in armor or carrying a medium or heavy load loses this extra speed.

Maneuver Training: At 3rd level, a monk uses his monk level in place of his base attack bonus when calculating his Combat Maneuver Bonus. Base attack bonuses granted from other classes are unaffected and are added normally.

Ki Pool: At 4th level, a monk gains a pool of ki points, supernatural energy he can use to accomplish amazing feats. The number of points in a monk's ki pool is equal to 1/2 his monk level + his Wisdom modifier. As long as he has at least 1 point in his ki pool, he can make a ki strike.

-At 4th level, ki strike allows his unarmed attacks to be treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Ki strike improves with the character's monk level.

-By spending 1 point from his ki pool, a monk can do one of the following:

Make one additional attack at his highest attack bonus when making a flurry of blows attack, or
Increase his speed by 20 feet for 1 round, or
Give himself a +4 dodge bonus to AC for 1 round.

Purity of Body : At 5th level, a monk gains immunity to all diseases, including supernatural and magical diseases.

Vows:

- Vow of Poverty:

Restriction: The monk is not allowed to deliberately speak any lies, including bluffing, stating half-truths with the intent to deceive, exaggerating, telling white lies, and so on. This applies to all forms of communication. If presented with circumstances where telling the truth would bring harm to another, the monk remains silent. Many monks of this vow also take a vow of silence to show their commitment.

Benefit: A monk with this vow increases his ki pool by 1 ki point for every 5 monk levels (minimum +1).

- Vow of Truth:

Restriction: The monk is not allowed to deliberately speak any lies, including bluffing, stating half-truths with the intent to deceive, exaggerating, telling white lies, and so on. This applies to all forms of communication. If presented with circumstances where telling the truth would bring harm to another, the monk remains silent. Many monks of this vow also take a vow of silence to show their commitment.

Benefit: A monk with this vow increases his ki pool by 1 ki point for every 5 monk levels (minimum +1).

- Acrobatics +9 = Rank 5 + Base(DEX) 4

- Climb +8 = Rank 5 + Base(Str) 3

- Craft(religious icons, wooden) +1 = Base(Int) 1

- Escape Artist +1 = Base(Dex) 1

- Knowledge (religion) +2 = Rank 1 + Base(Int) 1

- Knowledge (geography) +3 = Rank 2 + Base(Int) 1

- Knowledge (local) +3 = Rank 2 + Base(Int) 1

- Linguistics +6 = Rank 5 + Base(Int) 1

- Perception +1 = Base(Wis) 1

- Perform +1 = Base(Cha) 1

- Profession(temple monk, guard) +1 = Base(Wis) 1

- Ride +1 = Base(Dex) 1

- Sense Motive +1 = Base(Wis) 1

- Stealth +9 = Rank 5 + Base(DEX)

- Survival +1 = Base(Wis) 1

- Swim +1 = Base(Str) 1

- HP: 40

- AC: 18

-Flat-Footed: 11

Touch: 16

- CMD: +6

- CMB: 21

- Init: +6

- BAB: +3

- Speed: 40ft

Appearance:

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Long (shaggy, scruffy) brown hair with matching beard.

Skin: Slightly tan, tough, skin

Clothing: Peasants Outfit

Description: You see a scruffy man, looking way older than he should, toting a sack over his back with really bad clothing. He appears to be a homeless person.

His story: This young man never knew his parents, for when he was born he was given to the temple of Shelyn in Coran where is was raised. He was taught by the local monks of martial arts where he excelled and loved, it was his favorite form of meditation.

When he came of age he decided to take two vows: A vow of poverty and truth. For he may never lie nor own more than six objects.

After this vow he decided to leave the temple, but before he left... His religious teacher gave him an item so that he may further his vow of poverty with his travels. He took him to the back of the temple and gave him an ancient ring passed down through the temples leaders. He told him if he wore it, he would never have to eat nor drink and his sleep would be lessened greatly. Mal, as the temple leaders named him, was incredibly enthused and went out into the world.

He decided he wanted to travel to better understand the world and his religion.

He quickly found that he could travel with a caravan and act as guard for them. And he could travel to far away lands and all around.

But still to this day whenever he is back in Coran he makes a stop at the temple see his master and his friends and show them how he has kept his vows and tell them stories and the places he has seen.

Personality: He tends to be very statue like as he will after go long periods without talking, and when he does talk his says very little. In fact he only moves in two situations: When he travels he moves his feet (of course) and when he is fighting. However he is often so fast that you can't see him when he moves.

Though on the outside he seems quite dull and lifeless, on the inside he is quite a happy person, knowing all the things he does for his deity everyday. And the fact he also gets to keep people from stealing caravan goods, despite his non-intimidating prowess.

How he falls into the campaign: He sees the power of the rotten mages, he sees their black souls, he even sees the horrible effects their rule has on caravans. He is searching in every way to help against this horrible unjust, heretical rule.

Once he mastered the basics of the trade, Abroshtor was able to manufacture many useful alchemical items and sell them at Zarzuket's storefront. One day, while working on a batch of alchemists' flasks, he ran out of some supplies. While looking for them, he happened upon his master's old diary, and after reading it for a few minutes, saw something that resonated within him - the power to change oneself.

He is no longer working with Zarzuket - he outgrew his apprenticeship years ago. Since then, however, he has working on formulae to help with the guild's problems, and is looking for a way to test his theories, whether it's joining a caraven for a cross-country journey or dealing with things closer to home.

Name: Vados Umbaran

Race: Undine

Physical Appearance: 6'1", 185 lbs, fit and lean, 29 years old. Skin is a deep ocean green, with a series of white lines tattooed across his body. Two down the middle of his face, started at the crown of his head, centered on each eye, and running across his torso and down to his feet. Two more starting at the tip of his finned ears, running down the outside of his torso and legs. These four lines are repeated on his back as well. Finally, two running down each arm, the lines ending between the pinky and ring finger, and the thumb and pointer finger. His hair is cropped short, and is almost black, but reflects green and blue, like the carapace of a fly. His eyes are bright blue, calm, and transparent.

While in the field, Vados wears a heavy grey cloak with a hood which can easily conceal his features, clothing, and other items. Underneath he is fitted with a tight, black, matte fabric bodyglove, with a turtleneck collar. The hands and feet are mostly exposed, with a single loop around the middle finger and toe to keep the garment in place. Lines of coral red piping running along the suit accentuate Vados' musculature. In the halls of the Merchant's guild, he can be seen wearing an overdone navy blue dress tunic and jhodpurs with gold accents.

Class: Monk

Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Vados often seems cold, as his training has taught to eschew outward signs of emotion. His clear eyes reveal nothing at first glance. However, he is no stranger to subterfuge, and can put on the right face when he needs to. While he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve, he is not blind to the workings of the world, and his true emotions run very deep. He will put the Guild and their interests first, and will question those who don't seem to have those same interests in mind. He is unswervingly loyal to those whose goals align with his, and will seek out solutions to problems that provide a significant or new challenge to him, even if there are easier ways.

Vados hails from the capital city of Coran. He was born into the ranks of the Myrmidos, also known as the Bondsworn, a prestigious and tight-knit order of undine warriors. The Myrmidos are not bound to a creed of good or evil, instead seeking perfection through constant physical and mental challenge. An enterprising high-family of the Merchant's guild saw opportunity in this, and long ago provided the Myrmidos with facilities, funding, and most importantly challenging work. For generations the Myrmidos have been agents of the Merchant's guild, acting as bodyguards, spies, and enforcers. They are unswervingly loyal to their personal goals and regard their employer's wishes as law. The Merchants love them for this, not to mention that the exotic warriors make a great conversation piece at society gatherings. They number not more than 20, and rarely accept new members into their ranks, usually only for the purpose of continuing the bloodlines.

Vados' father and mother, Nurl and Lumir Umbaran, are both senior members of the order. Outward signs of attachment are discouraged within the order, and though Vados and Lumir have a quiet affection for each other, Nurl has only ever been Vados' teacher at best, and his harshest critic at worst. Vados sees Nurl as a personal challenge, someone that he must overcome if he is to achieve the perfection desired by every member of the Myrmidos. If it means he has to kill Nurl to prove his capabilities, then so be it.

Though a skilled operative and a fearsome combatant, Vados has, since his elevation to a full-fledged agent four years ago, been given duties that he sees as beneath him. His current occupation has been to oversee select Guild shipments at the docks, which Vados suspects may be smuggled goods, though he would never question his orders. He loves his position in the Myrmidos and with the Guild, and is eager to see his worth proven. He has taken all of the jobs to the backwaters of Issust Hold, Gumlat and Akleta that he is given, and done it with a smile. He has made contacts within various small-time merchants and underworld members in the cities of this region, though under a variety of guises, and none that he would call true friends. All it would take is one real challenge to prove himself not only to his order, but to the guild as well.

But perhaps his greatest challenge is that of young Vedra. 3 years ago, it was discovered that a member of the order had become romantically involved with a member of a Merchant guild house. To betray not only the trust of the order, but of their benefactors in the Guild, was a heinous crime, and the Merchant family had the offender put to death. What none of them knew then, was that a child had been born. Vedra, half-human and half-undine. Her mother approached Vados secretly and told him that her affair had happened years ago, and that her lover's discovery was only recent. He had been caring for the child to prevent his lover from being found out, and without him, Vedra had no caretaker. Despite his better judgement, Vados took Vedra, then just 5 years old, and ferreted her away in Issust Hold. There was a family there, dispatch couriers by trade, who he pays to look after the child. So far her existence has been kept secret, but Vados fears the day when he must either give up the child to save himself, or lose himself to save her.

Occupation:
*Bondsworn Monk in the employ of the Merchant's Guild
*Member of the Myrmidos Order

Primary Motivators:
*Challenge himself physically and mentally
*Fulfil oaths and duties to the Merchant's Guild
*Overcome his father Nurl, both physically or socially
*Protect Vedra

Fears:
*Being disgraced and kicked out of the order
*Never being able to best Nurl
*Losing Vedra

Gharak fears sharks and lightning. He is repulsed by land octopi (spiders). Their small size and the way they crawl creep him out. He dislikes blood in certain situations. Blood in water is like a flower blooming that loses coherence. He can watch the changing patterns for quite some time, at least until the sharks appear. In the air, blood is too bright and red. This is why he prefers using bludgeoning weapons while on land.

From an early age, Gharak had a sense of numbers and math abilities that surpassed his other siblings. When he was old enough, Ovren began Gharak’s family business education. He spent a year tending and harvesting the plants for spices; he spent a year building ships and another sailing them; he spent a year driving caravans and then another year guarding the caravans that would go to Akleta. In his time of learning the spice trade, he fought pirates, sharks, goblins, and desert nomads, had dinner with a prince of one of the western kingdoms, and played a strategic game of stones, straight edge, and compass with a monk guarding an oasis. Gharak’s favorite activities were working with the ledgers, recording revenues and expenses, changing various currencies, and meeting and negotiating with customers and other merchants. Before the crisis of silence with the Tower began, Gharak was working on a special project his father called insurance. He wants to start providing a service that if a shipment doesn’t reach its destination the owners will be covered for the monetary loss provided they paid a certain fraction of it’s networth beforehand. Ovren wants Gharak to figure out what that fraction should be.

On Ioso he has two undine wives and five children. In Coran he has a mistress and a five-years old son. His wives know about the mistress and met her once three years ago when she and Gharak’s natural born son accompanied him to Ioso. Since intermarriage is common for undine culture they don’t have any problem with her. His father also lives in Coran.