Ardan Kwinn's page

About Ardan Kwinn

Ardan Kwinn
Human (Oderonian) Noble 5
Init +9; Perception +9

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Defense
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HP 41 (36, +5 Con)
Defenses Ref 19 Fort 17 Will 20
Damage Threshold 17

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Offense
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Speed 6 sq
Melee Survival knife +5 (1d6+2 slashing)
Ranged Sporting blaster pistol +5 (3d4+2 energy)

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Statistics
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Str 10, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 15
Base Atk +3
Force Points 7/7
Background Politics
Feats Improved Defenses, Linguist, Weapon Proficiency (simple), Weapon Proficiency (pistols), Force Sensitivity, Force Training, Skill Focus (Persuasion), Weapon Finesse
Talents Connections, Illusion, Wealth
Skills Deception +9, Initiative +9, Knowledge (Bureaucracy) +9, Knowledge (Galactic Lore) +9, Perception +9, Persuasion +14, Treat Injury +9, Use Computer +9, Use the Force +9
Languages Basic, Binary, Bocce, High Galactic
Other Gear comlink (short range), standard datapad, holster (concealed), 6 sets of luxury clothing, medpack
17,950 credits

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Special Abilities
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Bonus Feat: Humans gain one bonus Feat at 1st level.
Bonus Trained Skill: Humans are versatile and accomplished at many tasks. A Human character chooses one additional Trained Skill at 1st level. The Skill must be chosen from the character's list of Class Skills.
Automatic Language: All Humans can speak, read, and write Basic.

Force Power Suite: Cloak, Mind Trick, Rebuke

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Background
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Ardan is a young scion from a minor noble family on Onderon. Though thousands of years ago this world was the home of Beast Riders and center of wars between the Jedi and Sith, and became the resting place of the infamous Sith Lord Freedon Nadd, that time is now ancient history. Instead, Onderon is a site of turmoil as political factions vie for the world's commitment to various sides in the Clone Wars.
Ardan's family, though, cherishes that old history, and Ardan himself delved deep into the family histories, their old tombs, and lost lore from olden times. To some degree, he saw himself as a throwback. Though he is no physical specimen to match the ancient Beast Riders, he has a keen mind and a willingness to put his influence to somewhat amoral uses... which led to his discovery of certain mind-opening hypnagogic techniques (which he keeps secret, for the most part, but the thrill of "forbidden ancient sorcery" is too much to pass up).
As a youth Ardan had all the training and education that a minor noble could have, and many opportunities offered to him. With his higher education complete, he is now on something of a sabbatical, handling little bits of family business here and there as he travels the Galaxy, looking for diversions and occasionally finding himself in trouble.

Appearance: Ardan is a slim, handsome man who often dresses fashionably. He takes pride in his appearance and cultivates an androgynous look and a casual confidence that says that he is a rake without a care in the world. He frequently wears small pieces of jewelry and sometimes make-up. He has light brown hair, a fair complexion, and well-balanced features, with glittering brown eyes that hint at mischief and cleverness.

Personality: Ardan has an easygoing, happy-go-lucky charm. He often seems bored, but he quickly focuses his attention on people who present him with some new experience or secretive idea. He presents himself as a sybarite and scoundrel, though in truth he avoids the unpleasantries of serious criminal activity. He prefers political machinations, such as the machinery of hidden insurrections and quiet reversals of power. He enjoys all manner of leisure activities, but he also has a keen mind and enjoys learning; he sometimes surprises people with his ability to retain details that they thought he missed due to boredom and inattentiveness.
Ardan plans to eventually become quite wealthy and he hopes to continue to live a life of prestige, pleasure, and privilege for a long time. He is disgusted by the brutal excesses of the Empire and annoyed by what he considers the weakness and softness of the people willing to simply roll over and accept it.
Ardan is not a skilled pilot, but he likes sleek starships. He also likes animals, though since he's not a Beast Rider in the tradition of Onderon, he has a healthy respect for dangerous ones.
Ardan has a broad palette, and sometimes surprises people with alien foods, especially spicy ones. He dislikes "slimy" foods, though.
Ardan has difficulty relating to children, and prefers to pawn them off on someone else. He has no children of his own, though of course as a young noble he has had plenty of offers for alliances and dalliances.

Concept: Ardan is a flawed hero: He despises the Empire, but he is constantly tempted by pleasures and by forbidden secrets to engage his mind. He has rudimentary Force abilities learned by studying scraps of lore from historical records kept by his family, dating back to the time of Freedon Nadd, but he has a very incomplete understanding of the Force and none of the philosophical grounding of a Jedi, which means that he walks a dangerous road between "too weak in the Force to be worth much" and "someone to be snuffed out before the Jedi order tries to train him." For his part, he has disagreements with the Jedi (what little he knows about them) and no interest in studying their ways. Instead, his usefulness to the rebellious elements of the Galaxy comes from his social skills, his connections, his wealth, and his curious mind.
Thematically, Ardan is much like a nobleman-sorcerer from a Conan story: Dissolute, decadent, spoiled by civilization and its comforts, but also dangerous because of his cleverness, a student of forbidden lore and secretive magical arts, wealthy and influential, and potentially a useful ally so long as one keeps his flaws in mind.