Arnulf Juniper's page

About Arnulf Juniper

Arnulf Juniper
Male Human Hunter 1
NG medium humanoid (human)
Init +2; Senses Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 Armor) CMD 15
HP 10 (1D8 + 2 con bonus)
Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +3
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft
Melee Bardiche +3, 1D10+4, 19-20 x2, S, reach
Ranged Javelin +2, 1D6+3, 20 x2, P
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Statistics
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Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 17 (+1 BAB, +4 Str, +1 Dex)
Feats Combat Reflexes
Traits Bastard of House Medvyed (+1 will save), Suspicious (+1 sense motive, is a class skill)
Skills Perception +6, Stealth +6, Survival +6, Knowledge Nature +5, Knowledge Geography +5, Climb +7, Swim +7, Handle Animal +3, Heal +6
Skill mods +3 sense motive
Languages Common, Taldane, Sylvan
Combat Gear Bardiche, javelins (5), club, dagger, studded leather
Other Gear Explorer’s outfit, backpack, belt pouch, spell component pouch, waterskin
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Hunter Spells Per Day
Level 1 (2)
Level 0 (unlimited)
Hunter Spells Known
Level 1 (x2) Cure Light Wounds, Magic Fang, Summoner Nature's Ally I
Level 0 (x3) Light, Guidance, Mending, Create Water
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Special Abilities
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HUMAN:
Eye for Talent +2 sense motive, +2 to any stat for animal companion
Skilled +1 skill rank per level
HUNTER:
Animal Companion As per the druid power
Animal Focus Gain a buff for 1 minute / level a day. Persists all day on the animal companion. Swift action to activate or change.
Buffs: +2 strength, dexterity or constitution, +4 perception, swim and acrobatics, climb or stealth, +2 attack on AoO and AC vs AoO, +5 ft base movement speed, 10ft scent.
Nature Training Count as ranger/druid to qualify for feats that improve the animal companion
Orisons
Wild Empathy +0 on diplomacy checks to influence the attitude of animals
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Gear
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Studded leather, javelins (5), club, dagger, bardiche, spell component pouch, water skin, flute

Money: 57 gp

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Animal Companion
Medve, Small Bear
Init +2; Senses Perception +5
Defense
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AC 17, touch 12, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +3 Armor, +2 natural armor) CMD 17
HP 14 (2D8 + 2 con bonus)
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
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Offense
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Speed 40 ft
Melee Bite +5, 1D4+4, 20 x2, B, P and S
Claw (x2) +5, 1D3+4, 20 x2, B and S
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Statistics
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Str 17 (19 with animal focus), Dex 15, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 17 (+1 BAB, +4 Str, +2 Dex)
Feats Light Armor Proficiency
Skills Perception +5, Survival +5
Special Low-Light Vision, Scent, Link, Share spells
Tricks (7) Attack (2), Heel (1), Stay (1), Track (1), Down (1), Rattling Strike (1)(If attack hits, target is shaken for 1D4 rounds)
Tricks special: The animal companion can use special tricks (1/2 level+wisdom modifier) 2 times a day
Gear Studded leather
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Background
Juniper, a name that reminds all of the sins of the father. Juniper, Oak, Yew, Magnolia – the last names of Medvyed bastards. What did he know about his father? He was a little older than his mother, rich enough to see to it that she wants for nothing and a big enough coward to never come see his son. His name remains a mystery to this day. The anger burned strong in young Arnulf, but like every fire, its intensity faded over the years. The all-consuming fire is now nothing more than a glowing bead, visible only in the dark of night, and it is when the warm embrace of the sun leaves the forests and fields of Brevoy that the ghost of his past stares at him from the darkness.
The man’s past steered him away from home when he was a young teenager. The never-ending taunts from other kids and the looks Arnulf and his mother got from the Erastilites and the fact he could never make a career because of his name; all of it made the boy want to run away. With nothing more than a backpack, a hand-axe and hunting bow he had left his home and ran off.
The teenager made it all the way down south to the Narlmarches, where no one would find him, where no one would bother him. Through a marriage of natural talent and necessity he learned how to feed himself of the land, sinking his teeth into the juicy meat of a hare on a good day, sucking on a rotting root to quench his hunger on the worst of days. On one such a bad day, Arnulf found himself staring at the forest canopy overhead and wondered why it was spinning: he had poisoned himself. The teenager woke up only to be greeted by a pounding headache. It took him a moment to notice the dry yellow leaf, rolled up into a crumpled ball, that was stuck in one corner of his mouth. It filled his mouth with taste so disgusting that he involuntarily gagged, spitting out the remains of the leaf. The voice of an old man reached him then, repeatedly saying “don’t!” as strong hands pushed him back against the bed. “Here, bite on this, then sleep.” Another leaf was brought to his lips, but this one smelled ever so sweet, like cinnamon. That was his first encounter with Erickos Graun, a devotee of the Green Faith, who lived in the hollowed out trunk of a giant oak.
The elderly druid had lost most of his sight and knew that now was his last chance to tutor a student. He took the boy under his wings and taught him everything he knew: how to hunt, how to treat nature and how to become one with it. But Arnulf lacked the connection to the land that he as a druid had, and no matter how much they tried, the connection could not be made. The boy missed a sense of calmth and if anything, had the desire to tame his urges and desires, not listen to them and let them be. He could not find serenity. Still, Erickos taught him everything he knew and was most pleased to see his student be able to befriend animals, taking a young bear into his care that had lost its mother, and channel the gift of nature in the most simple of spells.
But as Arnulf entered the spring of his life, so did Erickos enter his autumn. The man now needed help getting out of bed in the mornings and if Arnulf didn’t help with the cooking, every meal would be a surprise. It was this very cooking that brought doom upon the student and master. A small group of bandits, having fled a Restov border patrol after plundering a couple of farmsteads, stumbled upon the area and followed the trail that Arnulf’s cooking laid out for them: the delicious scent of rabbit stew. The four men and a single woman waited until nightfall, taking no risks, and sneaked to the entrance before storming the door. It wasn’t locked and they poured into the small room, holding the rising figures of Arnulf and Erickos at swordpoint, who realized they had woken up to a nightmare. Erickos was enraged, showing an anger Arnulf had never seen, and threatened to destroy the men. He claimed to wield the power of the wilds. They laughed, and the man who must have been their leader told Erickos to shut up or he’d make him. What happened next would be etched into his mind forever. The shape of the man blurred and arms turned into paws, nose into a snout. A bear the size of an ogre roared at his assailants. Immediately one bandit fled while the other four started to stab and hack at the druid. The leader managed to get away while Erickos mangled the remaining three, but managed to get in a parting shot. The black-feathered shaft left behind a nasty wound – the arrow was covered with poison. Everywhere the bear was riddled with cuts and punctures. The form shifted into that of Erickos and he fell onto the ground, his lifeless body laying amongst the wreckage of the three dead bandits. Arnulf’s life was in shatters.
The wild had taken care of him, but now civilization had reared its ugly head once more to ruin his life. Arnulf did not understand the final lesson of Erickos, that the old would always give their lives to defend the young, and couldn’t swallow the pebble of hate that was stuck in his throat. Erickos had been a good man. Doing the only thing that seemed logical, Arnulf buried Erickos under the foot of the oak that had been his home and then packed his stuff and left. To the borderlands of Brevoy to find a new home and protect those who needed protection.
And soon after an opportunity came by that Arnulf could not refuse. The Swordlords of Restov were looking for capable individuals to remove the scourge of banditry from the Stolen Lands. The exploration part of the mission was a side note for Arnulf. For once he used his last name, knowing well the political weight it carried: the swordlords would love having a spiteful bastard serving them and if he passed away, well, they might be rewarded for getting rid of someone else’s problem.
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Description
Broad like a bear and strong as an ox, the golden haired Brevoyan looks at the world through dark almond eyes. It’s obvious that he carries a burden with him, but a bundle of life and joy follows him in the form a small black bear. The wild clings to the man and whenever he isn’t close to nature, the man’s unease is palpable. Leaves and twigs decorate his hair, giving the impression of a druid or ranger or someon raised by wild elves. He carries with him a fiercesome bardiche and has a javelin bag slung around his shoulders, keeping five well-maintained throwing spears ever at the ready. Both the man and bear are clad in rough studded leathers: whatever their occupation is, they seem to be prepared for trouble.
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Personality
Reserved, gloomy, driven, teamplayer, opens up when drinking alcohol – awkward in large groups of people, but talkative when with just a handful of people.
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Personalia
Age 22
Height 6”
Weight 160 lbs
Hair Golden flax
Eyes Almond brown
Special A black-feathered tail end of an arrow hangs like a talisman around his neck.
Born Duchy of Medvyed
Home Narlmarches
Mentor Erickos Graun
Goals
Immediate: Find the ones responsible for killing his mentor, Erickos Graun
Future: Rid the Narlmarches and its surroundings of the bandit plague
Dream To be known for his deeds, not his last name
Fear Social gatherings involving many strangers
Like The serenity of the great outdoors, where it is you versus the elements
Dislike Social straight-jackets, an example being fashion
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Desired Kingdom Role
Marshall, general, royal enforcer or warden. It depends on how he grows as a person throughout the adventure.
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Roleplay Example
“Arnulf Juniper! Please step forward.” Fingertips roamed over the coarse paper that he held in his hands. He still couldn’t believe it, couldn’t get his head around the fact that he had been chosen – nay, honored, to be part of the expedition to rid the Stolen Lands of the bandit scourge. Yes, the mission was to be one of exploration, but Arnulf knew they’d run into bandits and brigands at some point. The desire for revenge burned like a hunger inside him and the news of being chosen caused it to be overwhelming. Somehow it made Arnulf smile and be in a good mood. If only he knew how Erickos would have disapproved of that, but so is the folly of the young. The man patted his companion, scratching the back of the bear’s neck as he talked to him, “We’re going to bring justice to those who harmed Uncle Erik, Medve. And after that, we’ll visit his grave and tell him how much we miss him. You do miss him, don’t you? I sure do. He was the closest thing I’ve had to a father. Everyday he’d be there for me, no questions asked. Without him I’d have died there in the forest, choked on my own bile because I was dumb enough to suck on a poisonous root. What idiot would do that, right? Well, that idiot would be me. By Asmodeus’ burning balls, without Erik I’d have never been able to bond with you.” A sense of melancholy then assaulted Arnulf and he sat down to hug Medve, realizing how much he owes the man and how he would never be able to give anything back in return. Because Erickos was gone forever.