I'll check it out more deeply come morning, but looks fine at this point.
I'll check it out more deeply come morning, but looks fine at this point.
Looking forward to your thoughts. Naqua can pick up healing spells (and, the situationally useful Healing Hex) on a daily basis--yay for swiss army knife Shamans!
Kamina
CG Human Samurai 1
str 12
dex 16
con 14
int 10
wis 8
cha 16
HP 13
AC: 15 (10 base +3 dex +1 cha +1 dodge) T: 15 FF: 10
bab 1
init +3
fort +4
ref +3
will -1
speed 40'
Katana: +5 to hit; 1d8+1 damage; 18-20/x2 crit
Skills:
*Adventuring: Acrobatics r1 +8, Diplomacy r1 +7, Knowledge (Arcana) r1 +4, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) r1 +1, Sense Motive r1 +3
*Background: Linguistics r1 +4, Perform (Oratory) r1 +4
Traits: Rescued (Shalelu), Slayer of the Deep
Feats: Dodge, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (Katana)
Class Features: Archetype (Warrior Poet)
Order (Order of the Hero)
Resolve (1/day)
Challenge (1/day)
Dancer's Grace
Flourish (Exodus of Jinin)
Graceful Warrior
Equipment: Katana, Hakama, 120 gp
Kamina was raised by his master to hunt monsters, typically by travelling in the Darklands beneath Tian Xia; specifically, he was taught to hunt Aberrations, creatures anathema to the natural world.
It was during one such hunt that Kamina lost his way, missing the tunnel he had entered a cavern from. This led to an extended stay in the Darklands before he eventually found his way out, on the verge of starvation. That is where the Elven Ranger name Shalelu found him.
She spent some time nursing him back to health and listening to his story. When he was well enough to travel, she lead him to Sandpoint, where he has been taking odd jobs to pay for his room at the Rusty Dragon. He has not, however, lost his thirst for adventure.
The PCs have not been asked to go on an expedition at this point, correct?
Correct, though all of them are considering volunteering to hunt down goblins in Brinestump Marsh, south of Sandpoint.
I know, right? There's a canonical acolyte for each of the other deities, plus Father Zantus, which results in a cleric for every deity except Abadar, and two for Desna.
Been reading through the splatbook on Sandpoint and there actually are holy people of Abadar in town, they just don't work at the temple. There is a Paladin of Abadar running the mercantile league and functioning as city planner and there is a Cleric of Abadar, the Paladin's sister, running a secondhand store.
Do those Abadarians have names? I can easily use that one instead of the one I made up. I'd rather have a real NPC with a connection to Sandpoint than one I came up with.
They do. Lemme see... the Paladin's name is Jasper Korvaski, the town planner, who's married to Cyrdak Drokkus, of Sandpoint Theater. His sister, Hayliss Korvaski, is the proprietor of the Sandpoint Boutique and infamous for her open criticism of the Scarnetti family, one of Sandpoint's most... disliked noble families.
I think a Paladin with an eye for commerce/town planning would be more keen on taking down a criminal gang and therefore be more willing to try to convert Mick than his sister. Although if there is any suspicion about the Scarnetti family being affiliated with the Sczarni, that would make for an interesting little twist!
Ok, I whomped up Naqua, the Shoanti shaman. Healing, hexes, Diplomacy. I had to kind of shoehorn the friendship with Ameiko, but I think it works. :) And I tried to keep the story short!
** spoiler omitted **...
Hm, okay, now that I'm more awake and able to consider this... I like it. I don't have any questions that leap to the forefront of my mind, but I'd need to research into the Shoanti's treatment of shaman/oracles/magic-users in general before I okayed the exile thing, 'cause that's a pretty serious thing for the Shoanti to do, if I recall rightly.
I think a Paladin with an eye for commerce/town planning would be more keen on taking down a criminal gang and therefore be more willing to try to convert Mick than his sister.
Yep, and he's also (naturally) good-aligned, rather than his sister's more neutral approach to that sort of thing.
Although if there is any suspicion about the Scarnetti family being affiliated with the Sczarni, that would make for an interesting little twist!
It's not something that has ever been proven, of course, but that is a suspicion that hangs over them.
A new list of submissions put together now.
Mr Copperpot CG gnome sorcerer
Zvetlana CG human white-haired witch
Gudada Purrun CG human unchained rogue
Ol' Pike CG human high guardian fighter
Avric K NG half-orc brawler
Torra Voliokerdam LN dwarf geokineticist
Samton Verro N human pact wizard
Mickey "the Mick" Santobello LN human school savant (Abjuration [Controller]) arcanist
Gulujak NG half-orc hunter
Ina-Quah-Shtii CG human unsworn animist shaman
Kamina CG human samurai
Nikka Eversong N halfling druid
Kenta Kaijitsu ?? human swashbuckler
Cassiel NG half-elf unchained summoner
This is my submission. (NG human spiritualist)
An alternative for Naqua to leave is simply wanderlust (a "wanderjahr"? :D), but in Siberia, shamans do lead tough lives and sometimes have to live apart from their families, even if they are treasured by their villages. I took this to be his own family's prejudice and disappointment instead of a general Shoanti thing. Naqua simply leaving is less dramatic, but it's fine by me. I don't need my characters to be exiles and orphans a la the usual tropes. Hey, maybe his family brought him to Magnimar! :)
That's reasonable - that they wanted a warrior son, not a shaman. It's up to you whether you want him to have left on his own, though note that a 10 year old in the Shoanti lands would probably die if left on his own. Maybe he briefly had a mentor who helped teach him shamanism to a degree?
Andani looks good!
So Baggageboy here, I was away from the thread from a while working out my background. I see there was another swashbuckling sibling story presented already, but completely inidentantly my background does not conflict, what luck! Also in the future this character would be advancing in urban skald, so long term overlap would be minimized somewhat.
In still working out a few details like equipment and will be updating, but I wanted to get this out there as things are filling up fast.
Lonjiku seems to have had a lot of illegitimate children! xD I think that's two illegitimate Kaijitsu children we have.
Lonjiku seems to have had a lot of illegitimate children! xD I think that's two illegitimate Kaijitsu children we have.
I did a little research, there's precedent for Lonjiku's infidelity.
Yes, indeed.
Alrightey! I got a backstory together. Would love any input.
Something I didn't know what to do with is the fact that my character is a bit older than Sandpoint. Would there be a nearby town that I might have grown up in then moved to Sandpoint at a near age?
Pretty much done. I'll probably get a chance to revise the backstory at least once before the deadline. Happy for any input but totally fine if you don't want to read it until I've finalized the backstory.
I think Magnimar is the source of most of Sandpoint's settlers, aside from local Varisian wanderers who decided to settle down, and a few Shoanti, too. Depending on his ethnic background, he might have been any of those.
Beyond that, there's a few other settlements, but most of them have been annexed by Magnimar.
Seeing as there is a dearth of healing/support characters, I am swapping Torra for this character (future oradin with life link and channel).
In terms of background, I like the idea of Lor-Sinn being a reverse Nualia - someone whose looks may cause hostility and prejudice, but who actually turns out to be a very good and upstanding person.
Still. It was only a baby, and a tiny one at that. And rather cute, the way it was reaching for Shalelu's hair with chubby fingers and blowing bubbles at her. So the elf ranger took it with her, and for lack of a better option, brought it to Sandpoint and dumped it in the lap of a very surprised Father Tobyn. The priest could not refuse, and raised the child in the temple, making sure it lacked for nothing. Shalelu felt somewhat responsible for the child and would often check in on her, and thus Lor-Sin spent much of her childhood and teenage years alongside the elven woman, hunting and trapping and slaying the occasional menace. It was from the ranger that she learned of Erastil, and she started to dedicate herself more and more to Old Deadeye. There was something about life in the wilds that she found very appealing, as she did the idea of living simply, relying on one's skill and wit to survive.
It wasn't long until she wanted to make her dedication to Erastil a little more formal, and she started training with sheriff Hemlock in the use or arms and armour. She joined the militia and split her time between duties - the duty of worship at the temple, the duty of defending the town and keeping the peace, the duty of accompanying Shalelu on her expeditions. Lor-Sin relished each and every one of these duties, as they made her feel useful and she hoped that by throwing herself into her tasks and working really hard, people might overlook her failings and her flaws.
That zeal almost cost Lor-Sin her life when the goblins attacked during the Swallowtail Festival. Not content with defending the new temple, she had waded into the fray, seeking the leader of the goblins to slay them. She was grievously wounded and left for dead, her body half buried under a collapsed stall. It was Koya who had found her, and was moved to check for signs of life. Finding that the girl still clung to life, Koya used her last shreds of magic to bring her back from the brink. Gratitude alone would have been enough for Lor-Sin to dedicate her life to her saviour, but more than that - Father Tobyn had died a few years past and Lor-Sin did not find quite the same welcome at the temple as when he had been alive. Feeling a little lost and aimless, she had latched onto the competent and kindly figure or Koya. Even better, the Varisian's frequent travels took her outside of Sandpoint, which meant that Lor-Sin would be away from the stares and mutterings. Those had always been there, of course, but after the revelation of just who had been the instigator of the goblin attack, there was an increased dose of mistrust towards people with... unusual heritages.
Ooh, gotcha.
A few things to keep in mind - depending on how old Lor-Sinn is, she might have been something of a contemporary of Nualia, who burned down what was then the Sandpoint Chapel in 4702, a few months after the Chopper was stopped.
Um, what else is there... Erastil is an interesting choice, one that might not be the best one, given that his worshippers tend to be rather homebody-ish, and this whole campaign's about a big ol' journey. That said, it's up to you - I won't make that a hinge on which I decide whether or not she is chosen.
Lor-Sin and Nualia being contemporaries was my intention, indeed. Lor-Sin would have been a few years younger, and grew up very much in Nualia's shadow. She is conflicted about that - on one hand she empathizes with Nualia and regrets her fate, on the other hand she can't help but be a little frustrated about how much stock people put in appearances, and how Nualia was viewed as good and holy simply based on her looks and heritage. Lor-Sin tries to squash those unvirtuous feelings, but every now and then they burst out. She also blames Nualia for the death of Father Tobyn, layered with some survivor's guilt (Lor-Sin was away with Shalelu when the chapel was burnt down).
Regarding Erastil, I think a little conflict here would be good. Lor-Sin has invested a lot in her little community of Sandpoint, but she never truly fit in. And she has a duty towards the two people who saved her life, so she will follow them if asked. It might be difficult for her to step out of her comfort zone at first, but it might make for interesting character development.
Sounds good to me! The current representative of Erastil in Sandpoint Cathedral is named Yannah Aurlaveu, though my impression is that she's fairly new, and probably came post-Late Unpleasantness, if not even more recently.
I am something of a sucker for character conflict, so that's fine by me.
I normally love to help out with utility, buffing, healing, etc but I don't see a way for a build like that to make sense with this character. He's too rough and tumble to be a pally even.
Ok I think this should have everything now. Let me know if you have any questions or feedback. My backstory can be adjusted as needed to fit with the group. I am on MST right now and can post frequently during the week and shouldn't have any problem getting a weekend post in.
I didn't mean to end up with a story so close to Kenda's, I thought spectrevk would be making an Oracle when I wrote my story. I can change it, but this is what I had out together so I thought I'd put it forward for now. It doesn't bother me if both characters were plagued along side each other, but idk if eveyone else would feel that way.
Sounds reasonable, Caeldren.
Also, Pike's fine. He's pretty neat as he is.
Hey, sorry, I won't have time to finish my submission. Hope you have a good game!
No worries. Sorry to hear that you won't be able to join us, but RL comes first and all that.
Wait a second. "Real life comes first". You're saying TV lied to me all these years?
What? No, of course not! That would be silly.
Just filling in my backstory now -- Any problem with a parent having been one of Chopper's 25 victims?
Nope, not at all. There're almost certainly fewer than the 25 accounted for canonically.
Ok, I'm gonna tweak Naqua somehow to fit a little better with Ameiko and and shamanism. Also, the Shikiiri-Quah aren't from near Kaer Maga, oops. Apparently most shamanism is self-taught, via the spirits (er, at least in Siberian shamanism, not sure about Shoanti), but still, one needs a mentor at least part of the time. Oh these literary bits to arrange! Gimme a few. :)
Ina-Quah-Shtii (Naqua) Trading-Waters
Male human (Shoanti) shaman (animist, unsworn shaman) 1 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 35, 110, 112)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +7
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +1 Dex)
hp 12 (1d8+4)
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +6
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee boar spear +0 (1d8)
Ranged light crossbow +1 (1d8/19-20) or
. . sling +1 (1d4)
Special Attacks minor spirit hex (healing[APG])
Shaman (Animist, Unsworn Shaman) Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +5)
. . 1st—bless, cure light wounds; speak with animals[S]
. . 0 (at will)—daze (DC 14), guidance, light
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 11, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 11
Feats Alertness, Toughness, Virtuous Creed (humility)
Traits battlefield disciple, best friend
Skills Acrobatics -2 (-6 to jump), Diplomacy +15, Heal +8 (+10 to stabilize a dying creature), Knowledge (nature) +4, Knowledge (planes) +4, Lore (Spirit stories) +4, Perception +7, Perform (percussion instruments) +3, Sense Motive +6, Survival +8
Languages Common, Shoanti
SQ spirit animal (thrush named Quiyu)
Other Gear studded leather, boar spear[APG], crossbow bolts (20), light crossbow, sling, sling bullets (10), 37 gp, 9 sp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Empathic Link with Familiar (Su) You have an empathic link with your Arcane Familiar.
Familiar Bonus: +3 bonus on Diplomacy You gain the Alertness feat while your familiar is within arm's reach.
Healing (1d8+1) (Su) Heal touched creature, but each target can only benefit once per 24 hrs.
Share Spells with Familiar Can cast spells with a target of "You" on the familiar with a range of touch.
Spirit Animal (spirit animal (thrush named Quiyu)) If spirit animal is slain, cannot use spirit magic or prepare new spells.
--------------------
Ina-Quah-Shtii was born a small child to a large family, of the Shikiirri-Quah who frequently traded from the waters of Roderic’s Cove down to Galduria. His size and odd quiet were noted by the tribal elders as auspicious, and when the boy, known as “Naqua”, wrestled with nightmares and visions, it was clear; his destiny was to be a shaman of the people. At an early age, he was sent to study with an old shaman of the Quah, Klar-Shun, in the Churlwood.
His tutelage was cut short, however, by an incursion of bandits led by a vicious duo of werebats. Klar-Shun fought them off for a time, but was bitten by one of the bandit leaders. All seemed lost until several adventurers came upon the scene and rescued the elder and novice shaman—Ameiko Kaijutsu and Sandru Vhiski and their compatriots. Together, they drove off the lycanthropes and their henchmen, but it was clear that Klar-Shun would need to seek more powerful healers in the far North to stave off a curse. After some discussion, Ameiko agreed to take Naqua on as a helper for the party—she was headed home to retire and buy up that old tavern she’d had her eye on anyhow.
Ameiko proved to be an excellent employer, but soon after the Shoanti youth started, the Troubles began in Sandpoint, and after a short time, the town suffered many losses from goblin attacks—and Ameiko found herself short a brother. The timing never seemed right for Naqua to leave to the Churlwood. Instead, her new hire became something of a foster sibling to her, and they became fast friends as he grew into a teenage mystic.
Naqua became a well known oddity in town—a humble, young, “uncivilized” Shoanti wearing dull greys, sometimes stained with earth, and the white and blue strips of cloth tied here and there to mark a shaman, with the bare minimum of tattoos, and yet, extremely personable, and quick to share a laugh with his ‘big sister’ Ameiko. Naqua noticed Ameiko’s restlessness at at night, and felt the same thing—was something calling to him, addressing his abbreviated shamanic training? Upon his 15th birthday, a sign appeared; a thrush came down from the sky and he could feel new spirit powers flowing through him. But that was a year ago, and nothing new has happened. Uncertain of where to go, he polishes glasses in the Rusty Dragon, speaks to rocks and plants, and looks toward the cold North with longing.
--------------------
Quiyu CR –
Thrush (Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic)
N Diminutive magical beast (animal)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +1 natural, +4 size)
hp 6 (1d8-2)
Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +4
Defensive Abilities improved evasion
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee bite -1 (1d2-5)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 1, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 6
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 3
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
[b]Skills Acrobatics +2 (-6 to jump), Diplomacy -1, Fly +12, Heal +3, Perception +9, Survival +3
SQ empathic link
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Empathic Link (Su) You have an empathic link with your master.
Fly (40 feet, Average) You can fly!
Improved Evasion (Ex) No damage on successful reflex save; half on failed save.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Share Spells Spells with a target of "You" can be delivered by a familiar with a range of touch.
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No crunch changes, just a better background. :)
GM, would you allow this alternate campaign trait from James Jacobs? I really like the flavor of it. If not, not a huge deal, I am still lining out fluff and can work a different one in.
Sounds reasonable, Caeldren.
Also, Pike's fine. He's pretty neat as he is.
Thanks, GM. If selected and others are up for it, I'd like to entangle our backstories somewhat as/before we would start gameplay.
Kamina is most likely going to just stay Samurai.
DBH here with my Cleric of Desna.
Just an Ulfen girl with a touch of wanderlust and looking for some adventure.
MARNI TORSDOTTOR
Female Human (Ulfen) cleric 1. CG medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +8,
Aura Aura of Chaos, Aura of Good, Languages Aklo, Common, Skald
AC 13, touch 10, flat-footed 13. hp 10 (1HD)
Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +5
Defensive Abilities Bit of Luck (6/day),
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares), Agile Feet (6/day)
Ranged crossbow, light +0 (1d8/19-20)
Melee dagger +2 (1d4+2/19-20)
Ranged dagger (thrown) +0 (1d4+2/19-20)
Melee morningstar (cold iron) +2 (1d8+2)
Face 5 ft. by 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Base Atk +0; CMB +2; CMD 12
Special Actions Channel Positive Energy (1d6, DC 12, 5/day),
Prepared Spells Prepared Spell List
Cleric (CL 1st):
1st - bless , longstrider (DC ) , protection from evil (DC 14)
0th - detect magic , light , stabilize (DC 13)
*: Domain spell.
Deity Desna; Domains Luck, Travel,
Abilities Str 14, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 14
Special Qualities Agile Feet (6/day), Aura, Aura of Chaos, Aura of Good, Bonus Feat, Orisons, Skilled, Spontaneous Casting,
Feats Fast Learner, Selective Channeling
Skills
Acrobatics -1,
Acrobatics (Jump) +3,
Appraise +1,
Bluff +2,
Climb +1,
Craft (Untrained) +1,
Diplomacy +2,
Disguise +2,
Escape Artist -1,
Fly -1,
Heal +7,
Intimidate +2,
Knowledge (Religion) +5,
Perception +8,
Perform (Untrained) +2,
Ride -1,
Sense Motive +7,
Stealth -1,
Survival +8,
Swim +1,
Possessions outfit (traveler's); studded leather; holy symbol (iron); morningstar (cold iron); Crossbow, Light ; Wrist Sheath [ Dagger; ]; Backpack, Common [ Gear Maintenance Kit; Grooming Kit; Mess Kit; Rations (Trail/Per Day) (x10); ]; Belt Pouch [ Sewing Needle; String (50 ft.); Flint and Steel; ];
Agile Feet (Su) As a free action, you can gain increased mobility for 1 round. For the next round, you ignore all difficult terrain and do not take any penalties for moving through it. You can use this ability 6 times per day.
Aura (Ex) A cleric of a chaotic, evil, good, or lawful deity has a particularly powerful aura corresponding to the deity's alignment (see the detect evil spell for details).
Aura of Chaos (Ex) You project a faint chaotic aura.
Aura of Good (Ex) You project a faint good aura.
Bit of Luck (Sp) You can touch a willing creature as a standard action, giving it a bit of luck. For the next round, any time the target rolls a d20, he may roll twice and take the more favorable result. You can use this ability 6 times per day.
Bonus Feat Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
Caravan Guard You recently hired on to Sandru's caravan to serve as a guard, but the job, while it paid well, gave you little chance to scratch the adventuring itch, since the caravan never really ventured into dangerous territory. You understand why Sandru avoided the more dangerous routes, of course, but that didn't help assuage your urge to seek adventure. You've just told Sandru that you're quitting the job in order to try your hand at adventuring - he seemed to understand, and even gave you some good tips on how best to survive potential challenges. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Survival checks, and Survival becomes a class skill for you.
Channel Positive Energy (Su) You can unleash a wave of positive energy. You must choose to deal 1d6 points of positive energy damage to undead creatures or to heal living creatures of 1d6 points of damage. Creatures that take damage from channeled energy receive a DC 12 Will save to halve the damage. You can use this ability 5 times per day.
Domains
Orisons You can prepare a number of orisons, or 0-level spells. These spells are cast like any other spells, but they are not expended when used and may be used again.
Seeker You are always on the lookout for reward and danger. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks, and Perception is always a class skill for you.
Skilled Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Spontaneous Casting You can channel stored spell energy into healing spells that you did not prepare ahead of time. You can "lose" any prepared spell that is not an orison or domain spell in order to cast any cure spell of the same spell level or lower (a cure spell is any spell with "Cure" in its name).
I'm writing up a little roleplay sample and will put it in soon.
GM, would you allow this alternate campaign trait from James Jacobs? I really like the flavor of it. If not, not a huge deal, I am still lining out fluff and can work a different one in.
That sounds fair to me, sure.
Thanks, GM. If selected and others are up for it, I'd like to entangle our backstories somewhat as/before we would start gameplay.
I wasn't planning for that, but I really should've been. I like the idea.
Cool. I've found that really gets and keeps people engaged. It seems especially doable and useful in this campaign where we are all tied to the major NPCs who are somewhat interconnected.
I love that idea. Given how how closely many of the PCs stories relate taking a little time to weave them together before starting should make it feel more real as well. Sandpoint really isn't that big a twon, so if they've been there for very long it's be pretty unlikely that people wouldn't know each other at least on an acquaintance level.
I would be game. There are several submissions that I would love to create a few tales with...this looks to be a great cast of characters!
Yeah, Sandpoint's also filled with rumormongering citizens, who tend to spread whatever they hear about everyone as soon as they hear it, pretty much. xD So even if they don't know each other directly, they probably know of each other.
GM, it might even be worth coming up with some rumors based on the PC's backstories and giving each player a different set of rumors about each character. Talk about shaping perception!
Ooh, good idea. Cue malevolent GM giggling.
For some, the rumors won't be unusual. Not they won't be negative, but, more, Varisian Wanderers are used to a laundry list of negative assumptions every time they arrive . . ..
I hate that Paladins are not proficient with their deity's favored weapon like clerics and inquisitors. I would love to play a dex-based Paladin of Shizuru with a one-handed katana. He's all about honor on and off the battle field.
Hm. That does seem odd. I'd guess that your primary issue is that he would be forced to wield it two-handed, rather than one? Derp, totally just didn't read that through, now I see the one handed part in your post.
I might be willing to say that paladins can be proficient in their deity's favored weapon, for the purposes of this game. It's a minor change, relatively speaking.
Murakami Kaede
Female LN Human Ninja (Unchained), Level 1, Init 3, HP 10/10, Speed 30 ft
AC 15, Touch 13, Flat-footed 12, CMD 13, Fort 2, Ref 5, Will 1, CMB 0, Base Attack Bonus 0
Dagger +3 (1d4, 19-20/x2)
Unarmed +3 (1d3, 20/x2)
Shortbow +3 (1d6, 20/x3)
Leather armor (+2 Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 10, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 14
Condition None
We do not belong here.
Seventy years ago, we abandoned our homes, abandoned our craft, abandoned our gods, abandoned our pride - fled into the night to preserve our lives, yet were it not those very lives we were leaving behind? Such foolishness. Oh so pround the noble houses of the newly established Minkaian diaspora were when we reached Varisian shores and settled down, wealthy and safe, confident in our prosperity. And yet, now less than a score of survivors remains, some dwelling on the ruins of our fathers' delusions, others scattered to the four winds.
I am Murakami Kaede, of the Murakami clan, of the Minamoto line. I do not know what that means. It is something that grandfather Takashi used to tell me to remember back when I was little, usually when my parents were out of earshot, lest they quarrel and accuse him of bringing up matters best left forgotten. Grandpa looked really sad when they did. He passed away when I was six, so I never got to learn more, and for the time being, all I could do was preserve what little I remembered.
Other Minkaian families had largely drifted apart by then. For a while we were close to House Kaijitsu, landholders from Sandpoint, but only because aunt Atsuii had married their new head, and so we stopped seeing them after she died two years after grandfather did. That was somewhat regretful - I never liked Lonjiku, but the heiress was quite pleasant despite our age difference.
My parents used to be traders in Magnimar - father's marriage was an alliance with a local fabricant house. He was... wealthy, I guess? At first, at least. Important, certainly. Happy, now that I have never seen him be. Looking back at those days, father was a pretty terrible merchant. Too stiff, painfully prideful, bound by his expectations and too focused on maintaining face. I was growing increasingly distant from them around that time, both disinterested in their new business and unwilling to invite punishment for my attempts to puzzle together our clan's old craft out of grandpa's tales, records from his remaining possessions and whatever local equivalents I deemed fitting. Still, the long and short of it was that father's undertakings were less successful than he hoped, and he felt that the way to correct that was via decisive action. Eventually, he left on a trade trip to Cheliax along with mother and neither of them ever returned.
Technically, I stood to inherit. Realistically, said inheritance had little to no worth to me, and that's before considering that it held as much obligations as assets. I think mother's relatives had some designs on me, but I laughed in their faces as I left - they had always been strangers to me, and I to them. I had heard of Kaijitsu Lonjiku's death earlier that year and, having a pretty favourable impression of Ameiko, headed to Sandpoint, hoping to find a place to stay for a year or two until I'm ready to go look for my own fortune. Instead, to my great, but, perhaps, uncalled for surprise, my cousin without a slightest hesitation invited me into her household.
I must admit, my stay in Sandpoint has been more pleasant than I expected. I was told the town had seen its share of peril before my arrival, but nowadays it's a peaceful place to live, settled largely by friendly, good folk, my new big sister being one of the finest examples. I earn my living - even though Honored Sister keeps saying I don't need to - hunting and gathering herbs in the hinterlands east from the town, sometimes alone, sometimes with the local woodsmen or Ameiko's friend Shalelu, and I keep calling Ameiko Honored Sister even though, or, rather, because it makes her twitch and hiss at me in a fairly amusing manner.
It's a good life, and yet I am still lost. I have made some progress in making sense of my grandfather's notes, recently. For now, I'm not too different from any local skirmisher, other than being better than average for my age, but I'm so close to getting it, I can just tell. Then, it'll be time for me to go. I wonder what tomorrow will bring?