 About Ardeshir QahremaeArdeshir Qahremae
Drawback:
Feats: Rapid Shot(Combat Style Feat): Full attack option, may take a -2 to hit to make a second ranged attack.
Class Abilities: Track (Ex): A ranger adds half his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks. Wild Empathy (Ex): A ranger can improve the initial attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person (see Using Skills). The ranger rolls 1d20 and adds his ranger level and his Charisma bonus to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. Ranger's Focus (Ex): At 1st level, once per day, the guide can focus on a single enemy within line of sight as a swift action. That creature remains the ranger's focus until it is reduced to 0 or fewer hit points or surrenders, or until the ranger designates a new focus, whichever occurs first. The ranger gains a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls against the target of his focus. At 5th level, and every five levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +2. At 4th level, and every 3 levels thereafter, the ranger can use this ability one additional time per day. This ability replaces favored enemy. Aura of Good (Ex): The power of a paladin's aura of good is equal to her paladin level. Detect Evil (Sp): At will, a paladin can use detect evil, as the spell. A paladin can, as a move action, concentrate on a single item or individual within 60 feet and determine if it is evil, learning the strength of its aura as if having studied it for 3 rounds. Smite Evil (Su): Once per day, a paladin can call out to the powers of good to aid him in his struggle against evil. As a swift action, the paladin chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is evil, the paladin adds his Charisma bonus to his attack rolls and adds his paladin level to all damage rolls made against the target of his smite. If the target of smite evil is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 2 points of damage per level the paladin possesses. Regardless of the target, smite evil attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess. In addition, while smite evil is in effect, the paladin gains a deflection bonus equal to his Charisma modifier to his AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the paladin targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect. The smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the paladin rests and regains his uses of this ability. At 4th level, and at every three levels thereafter, the paladin may smite evil one additional time per day, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level. -------
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Description:Ardeshir is tall like most of the Keleshite nobility standing just over 6’2 feet in height. He is slender in build, with corded muscles that stand out only when he exerts himself. His skin is deeply tanned with the kiss of the sun. His hair is coal black, though when it catches the light just right there appears to be strands of crimson within the darkness of his mane. He tends to wear his hair long and untied. Unlike many who travel the deserts he rarely wears any headgear. Ardeshir presents a welcoming and confident smile to all he meets, often disarming and lowering the guard of friends and enemies alike. His most striking feature however are his eyes which shine like the new dawn, a brilliant orange yellow. His outfits tend to be attractive, but practical at the same time. His hardships in life have dulled some of the Kelishite extravagance, though he takes pride that his weapons are kept sharp and in excellent quality. The blood red leather armor he wears he crafted himself and it fits him perfectly. The metal studs were treated so as to not reflect the light, while the leather itself was embroidered with miniature depictions of myth, most focused around Sarenae and her faithful. Personality:Ardeshir is quite friendly and outgoing. Most people consider him to be gregarious and good company, though his demeanor hides his internal struggles. He is fighting a battle to be a better man and to deny his inner demons. In years past he used his charismatic manner to manipulate and deceive for his own benefit. Now he has pledged himself to a higher purpose and forces himself to act against his natural impulses. Ardeshir thrills at being in control. So much of his life was spent being in anothers thrall, that he can not tolerate the thought of submitting against his will. Despite his new faith his love of wealth has not diminished. Why should the righteous be denied the comforts of the material world? Ardeshir enjoys being around people and does not enjoy time in solitude. One of his favorite activities is campfire or ale house discussions, and while he will not discuss his own personal demons with others, he has no problem speaking with others about their own. His faith in Sarenae is pure and while he is new to the calling of redemption, he holds it above all other things. Background:
Tala al-Ablin had done well for himself. Coming from a small family that bred and traded camels, he had established himself as a skilled rider and a excellent shot with a bow. His performance had earned him the recognition of the governor of Lopul and a position within the armed forces of the Satrapy of Qadira. Furthermore, his physical prowess and salt of the earth manner allowed him to win the affection of the beautiful Fereshteh Qahremae. Fareshteh was the jewel of his ambitions and marrying someone of her higher station was a coup his family was proud of. The marriage was joyful at first, but soon enough the differences in prestige between husband and wife created trouble. Fareshteh was an ambassador of the Qadiran Satrapy and as such was often away, sometimes for long months at a time as she traveled to the other parts of the Great Padishah Empire of Kelesh, including the splendor of the capitol. She demanded much of her husband, urging him to greater prominence and roles that were not fitting with his own more simple ambitions. Within the second year of their marriage Fereshteh returned from a six month diplomatic trip pregnant. She claimed that the child in her womb was Tala’s and unwilling to risk humiliation or the wrath of her powerful family Tala completely agreed. When Fereshteh gave birth, it was not to a full blooded human, but to a child with blood of fire, eyes like the new dawn and hair as dark as coal. Fareshteh was overjoyed, exclaiming how Sarenae had blessed this child with a semblance of her fiery radiance. Fereshteh’s family chaplin agreed and having already committed to the lie, Tala did not refute them. Despite his silence, Tala knew the truth, and it made him bitter. He no longer sought to prove himself to his wife and while passion still existed between him and his life, beneath the respect, there was an unspoken anger forever kindled by the child they named Ardeshir. Ardeshir would have two younger brothers and a sister, but he was ever the most beloved by his mother. She would shower him with attention, praise, and stories how he was destined for greatness. The tale that he had been blessed by Sarenae was told to him so often that he knew each iteration of his mothers telling of the story. His father was another thing entirely. It was clear from the start that Ardeshir was despised by his father. In the early years, it was noticeable only through the lack of kind words or praise. Tala offered modest praise of his other sons and daughter, but never were Ardeshir’s accomplishments met with approval. When it became evident that Ardeshir’s growth and development were stunted, Tala began to encourage his other sons to torment and bully Ardeshir. This abuse by his younger siblings did not last long however, for Ardeshir soon learned that Sarenae had gifted him with a means of defense, allowing him to take on a form far more impressive than that of his child-like body or reduce his larger brothers to the size of house cats. Ever after Tala kept his true born sons away from Ardeshir. At Fareshteh’s insistence Tala taught young Ardeshir the ways of manhood, teaching him to ride and shoot a bow, though never with enthusiasm. Ardeshir for his part tried to win his father’s affection and strived to excel, but no matter his skill, there was never a kind word from Tala. By the time Ardeshir was twenty five, he still possessed no more physical maturity than a thirteen year old boy and both his brothers and sister had married and left the home. His mother too had given up her travels, having become afflicted with a dry cough that year by year sapped her vitality. It was during these years that Tala’s hate and loathing for Fareshteh’s first born was revealed openly. Venom was never far from Tala’s tongue, throwing out insult or derision whenever the chance presented itself. When Ardeshir was 29 years old, Fareshteh died, succumbing to the disease which afflicted her. Tala al-Ablin never struck a physical blow to Ardeshir, but he confronted Ardeshir and declared that he would no longer live with the constant reminder of Fareshteh’s unfaithfulness. He claimed that the boy was a blight upon his life, a lodestone of shame and humiliation he had to carry about for almost three decades. Within a short few weeks he arranged for Ardeshir to live with his aunt Nephele and her husband across the Obari Ocean in Sothis. He provided Ardeshir with little in the way of luxuries to bring with him and did not even offer a goodbye when the small boat was ready to embark. The small vessel Tala al-Ablin had put Ardeshir on was attacked on the second day of its departure by yellow sailed slaver ships. Though he never discovered any actual evidence, Ardeshir for decades held hate in his heart for Tala – believing him to be the instrument in his enslavement. Ardeshir was captured and delivered to the island city of Okeno. In no time at all he was sold in one of the fleshfairs of Okeno to a Garundi rogue and treasure hunter named Iokuno Sehul. Do not scorn a weak cub, for he may become a brutal tiger. Iokuno was a hard man, but he was not overtly cruel. He made the boy his squire of a sorts and took to mentoring Ardeshir as if he were his apprentice. He saw the potential in Ardeshir, having recognized him as an ifrit. For his part Ardeshir saw the tutelage of Iokuno as a step up from the scornful words of his father, but chaffed under the truth of his situation – he was not an apprentice mentoring under a journeyman, but a slave squire to an ignoble rogue. In the decades he spent with Iokuno he never forgot this. He swore to himself that his days of ignorance were over. He took the occasional beatings well, learned additional techniques with the sword, as well as the moral flexibility of the Katapesh based rogue. Within six years he knew how to tell the difference between a sand snake and a sand eel, how to detect the presence of Dhabba’s, and how best to cover his tracks in the desert. For seventeen years Ardeshir served Iokuno Sehul. Together with a small band of like minded scoundrels Iokuno led them on raids on old tombs, questionable treasure hunts, and the occasional foray into banditry. With skilled guidance, Iokuno molded Ardeshir, drawing out the most violent tendencies of his Ifrit nature. After a rather profitless expedition to a long ago pillaged desert monastery Ardeshir decided it was time for a change. Iokuno had grown older and in his age he had lost some of the spring from his step and strength from his sword arm, whereas Ardeshir had only grown stronger. His youth was an ever burning flame. When a disagreement erupted in their desert camp between Iokuno and his shiftless cousin Yokuno, Ardeshir ended the argument by putting two arrows through the back of Iokuno’s neck. Without lowering his bow, Ardeshir declared that he was the new leader of this band and any who wanted to leave could go the same way as Iokuno. Unsurprisingly, they fell into line. All had seen Ardeshir’s talent and capacity for violence over the years. Now they witnessed a ruthlessness that had been nurtured by Iokuno. The best of men are but men at best. |
