Alasdair Cinàed's page

Alasdair was born to Angelica Cinaed in Sandpoint.

His mother hailed from Magnimar, and had come to Sandpoint to work as a clerk for the Valdemar family - meaning that she spent a fair amount of time meeting the traders and visitors who would come through Sandpoint. Angelica was a comely girl, one that attracted more than a bit of interest before finally catching the eye of Stevan, Ethran Valdemar's grand-nephew and the two were betrothed.

It was a scandal, then, was when Alasdair was born with pointed ears and amber eyes.

As one might expect, Angelica was rejected by her fiancee and his family, who took away not only her livelihood, but also her reputation. She managed to eke out a living on the outskirts of town, taking small side-jobs wherever she could find them in order to feed herself and her son -- taking menial, sometimes demeaning, tasks despite her skills and education, and the dark whispers that usually followed when she was in town... especially since her former fiancé and his family, were more than happy to add even more rumours about her.

Angelica was all-but penniless and all-but friendless -- but, fortunately, there were always a few kind souls who were willing to offer her support... and, honestly, charity. Angelica debated moving back to Magnimar to try to start again and have a better life for her son, but, with the support of her few friends and assurances they wouldn't starve, she decided that it was more important to teach her son to be strong and to stand against bullies than it was to have clothes that weren't patched. Still, it was difficult and Angelica was forced to swallow her pride and accept charity, sending Alasdair into the town that hated her so to be educated at the Turandarok Academy. Fortunately, there were always a few kind souls willing to look past a young girl's foolish mistake, even risking the ire of the Valdemar to do so, especially Hannah Valerin. In fact, helping gather herbs became one of Angelica's primary sources of income... and Alasdair was always pleased to join his mother in the woods.

Growing up in all of this, Alasdair knew he was an outsider... even if his young mind could never quite understand why (though that certainly came later). Fortunately for him, there was another outcast at the Academy, Tsuto Kaijitsu. The two bonded over their shared status, becoming friends... and having each other's backs in fights when the others would try to pick on them. And through Tsuto, Alasdair met his sister Ameiko on her visits... Ameiko was kind, she was smart, and she was beautiful, and Alasdair developed quite the crush... enough that he was heartbroken when she left town...and his friendship with Tsuto ended because he kept asking about her.

Alasdair learned what real heartbreak was about a year later, when just after his thirteenth birthday, Angelica was murdered. She would be recorded as Chopper's sixteenth victim -- and Alasdair's life changed.. he began living at the Turandarok Academy full time. While people generally treated the boy somewhat better out of the shock and tragedy of his loss, still, thirteen years of dark rumours certainly didn't evaporate overnight. In fact, Alasdair got into a few fights from people who suggested that his mother was involved with Chopper, or that she got what she deserved. Fortunately for Alasdair, during this rough time, Ameiko returned.. while she wasn't the only person who was kind to him, it was certainly her attention that had the largest effect.

The bullying slowed, and even stopped, as the full details of what would become known as the Late Unpleasantness shocked the town and gave them other things to think about - especially the fire destroying the Chapel and killing the good Father and Nualia, who it seemed almost every boy at Turandarok had a crush on. Of course, it also helped that Alasdair shot up almost a foot over that year, suddenly giving him the ability to look down on would-be attackers. Fortunately, Hannah continued her kindness, allowing the boy to bring her some of her herbs in exchange for a few coin, allowing him to buy a sweetroll or other treat on occasion... something made even sweeter by the fact that he could keep them to himself, now.

In many ways, Alasdair's life improved... but he was still alone, even more so now that the one person that loved him was gone, too. He started to plan, well, really, dream that he would head out to seek adventure, like Ameiko had, and return strong and able to command the respect of the town... and be able to catch Ameiko's eye as more than that poor, lonely ex-friend of Tsuto's. As part of these dreams, he began spending more and more time in the woods, hoping to find enough herbs to let him save some coin... but what he found, instead, were two goblins who were torturing a small horse. Having been bullied, Alasdair simply couldn't watch- he grabbed a thick branch and leapt into battle -- and between surprise, club and hoof, somehow he survived -- if only barely.

Despite the terror of his near-death experience, Alasdair also felt a strange calm in having saved someone.. But more than that, he felt a sense of gratitude and ... an acceptance that he'd never felt before.... and it all seemed to come from the mangy, wounded horse. He didn't even question as the animal followed him back to town, arriving at Hannah's with a handful of bload-soaked herbs, a goblin's shield and a horse. Hannah was surprised by the sight, but she could see that something in the boy had changed -- something that gave her a sliver of hope for him and his future. More, there was a clear connection and kinship between Alasdair and the beast that he'd rescued. She was nearly as surprised as Alasdair when she acknowledged the connection and offered to contact an acquaintance amongst the rangers and druids in the Sanos forest, to train him and allow Alasdair top realize his potential.

Alasdair's mind reeled -- the thought of someone making an effort for him as a person and not a charity case was foreign to him. More, the offer merged with the plans in his mind: he would go to the Sanos and learn to fight, returning to Sandpoint as a skilled ranger, saving the town and finally winning their respect. Unfortunately for that dream, Alasdair's training did not go well - he seemed unsuited to being a ranger, despite the bond with the horse. Fortunately, before they could send him home, the bodyguard of a traveling emissary of noted him and the bond with his horse. Fianchar, the knight, approached the boy, asking him a number of questions about the horse, and his view of the world before offering to take him on as a squire. With the offer, Alasdair's romantic fantasy shifted -- he'd return to Sandpoint a shining knight, and win the hearts and minds of his tormentors. He quickly agreed, not really understanding what he was agreeing to. Training with Fianchar was long, difficult and sometimes painful -- the man was stoic and teaching Alasdair that the world could be harsh, demanding and even cruel -- though it was the knight's duty to push back - to defend those who need protection, to be fair and kind. Alasdair felt as though he had finally found something that suited him, that appealed to his internal sense of justice and true desire to help others who needed defending. Despite the training, Alasdair was finally content - especially when he and Fianchar were escorting the Emissaries, who would often tell tales and sing around the campfires as they traveled. The songs, the tales resonated with Alasdair almost as much as the martial training and mindset. Alasdair took his vows, joining the Order of the Sword on the first day of spring, some four years after he first met Fianchar -- ready to make good on his dream of returning home a shining hero... But when he returned, he was disappointed to learn that he was about two years too late - Sandpoint had been attacked by Goblins and a group of random strangers banded together to destroy the threat...

He was considerably more upset when he learned the role that his childhood friend Tsuto had played in the whole thing. He considered going to Ameiko to offer comfort, but was afraid of reopening wounds that may have healed over two years. And, though he might not admit it to himself, still afraid that he'd sound like the dumb childhood friend of her little brother.

Still, these recent happenings gave townsfolk something new to talk about - something other than his mother's scandal... What's more while he was away, Alasdair had grown another four inches, filled out his frame with muscle, and grown a beard -- a large, competent man had replaced the shy, bullied boy. The fact that he was a skilled warrior and willing to work with the Sheriff to protect the town allowed him a level of acceptance, even welcome, that he'd never felt before (with the exception of the Valdemar family). Still, however, the pain and emptiness of his childhood lingered, the dreams of being well-respected and revered, rather than just accepted... and, despite his attempts to avoid it, the dreams of the first girl he'd ever noticed, and the one that was, to his eyes, still the most beautiful.

Male Companion (Horse) Animal 2 (NG Large Animal)
Init +1; Senses: Low-Light, Scent (Perception +6
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DEFENSE
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AC 16, Touch 10, Flat-footed 15, CMD 16 (20 vs trip)
(+2 barding, +4 natural, +1 dex, -1 size)
hp 20 (2HD)
Fort: +5, Ref: +4, Will: +3 Spell Resistance: 5
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OFFENSE
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Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares) [Woodland Stride]
Melee: bite +3 (1d4+3) and 2 hooves -2/-2 (1d6+1)
Base Atk: +1;CMB: +5;
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ABILITIES
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Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Feats: Light Armour Proficiency (bonus), Toughness
Skills: Acrobatics +1, Acrobatics (Jump) +9, Climb +3, Escape Artist +1, Fly -1, Intimidate -2, Perception +6, Stealth -3, Survival +1, Swim +3,
Possessions: Barding, leather (large);
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Tricks
Knows the tricks: attack (x2), come, down, defend, guard, heel.

Link (Ex) A master can handle her animal companion as a free action, or push it as a move action, even if she doesn't have any ranks in the Handle Animal skill.

Scent (Ex) You can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. You can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights. You can detect opponents within 30 feet by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases to 60 feet; if downwind, it drops to 15 feet. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at twice the ranges noted above. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at triple normal range. When you detect a scent, the exact location of the source is not revealed--only its presence somewhere within range. You can take a move action to note the direction of the scent. When you are within 5 feet of the source, you pinpoint the source's location. You can follow tracks by smell, making a Wisdom (or Survival) check to find or follow a track. The typical DC for a fresh trail is 10 (no matter what kind of surface holds the scent). This DC increases or decreases depending on how strong the quarry's odor is, the number of creatures, and the age of the trail. For each hour that the trail is cold, the DC increases by 2. The ability otherwise follows the rules for the Survival skill. When tracking by scent you ignore the effects of surface conditions and poor visibility.

Woodland Stride (Ex) You may move through any sort of magical undergrowth (such as natural thorns, briars, overgrown areas, and similar terrains) at your normal speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment. Thorns, briars, and overgrown areas that have been magically manipulated to impede motion, however, still affect you.