Search Posts
Adam, I gave feedback to you, didn't I? If not, I will. You responded to my comment about complications, but nothing about Astra's background itself. On that note, I was briefly tempted to recycle her old background from another recruitment for a game set in Cheliax for another character, but that might work better as a backup. Current stats and fluff are in the profile.
Sits in a corner swaying listly, hoping to see the sun again.
Edit: Ah well, good luck to everyone. Happy hunting.
I don't really need an item for Grafelda, but I wouldn't say no to having a few shuriken squeezed between her cheeks. How many would be acceptable? That is the funniest thing I've read in a while. I'm going to be sorely disappointed if this doesn't somehow make it into the Way of the Wicked game we're in.
Ow. That sounds painful. Nice thing about spontaneous casters is that they don't need anything beyond free hands and an open mouth. Besides, after over a year, you'd think the Hellknights would have found anything that she had secreted on her person.
Hawkeye? No, Green Arrow or Huntress, we going DC style here. :) *points to the section that says curse.* Honestly, I think finding a good fit for Astra in the DC or Marvel-verses is going to be tough. She's not like the usual suspects (as far as I'm aware.)
Dibs on "Hawkeye!"
Urban campaign, so CHA will likely be necessary. And I, as a player, am interested in the WJL, My character is just off her rocker enough to agree to it.
Background:
The last time Astra saw daylight was over a year ago. That was actually the last time she really saw anything. She had been a part of a group of Andoran soldiers trying to free some of the slaves being held near the border. But on the night of the raid, her unit was betrayed by a fellow soldier. Expecting gold, he got a hellknight's sword instead. In a way, he was the lucky one. She and the rest were brought to Ostenso, to be interrogated, tortured, and most likely executed.
One by one her comrades succumbed to their constant wounds, until she was the only one left. She has outlasted the rest by at least six months, but she can feel her mind slipping. She has lost most of her memories from before being imprisoned, and barely remembers why she's is there in the first place. The near constant neglect and torture has left her will shattered, but she manages to hold on to her faith in Iomedae in spite of that. Recently, that hope has not proved in vain. Her body is scarred, and her mind is broken, but Iomedae has granted the young woman a boon. Her personality has grown more forceful, and divine power trickles through her veins. Her eyes, blinded by a hellknight's cruel torture not long after she had been brought here, have begun to see again. Things once cloaked in darkness are shone in a calm blue light. Astra knows that Iomedae has something planned, but doesn't know what. What ever it is, she'll be the goddess' right hand in it. All she needs is a chance. Personality:
Astra is a mere shadow of her former self in most respects. She was an intelligent, steadfast soldier that anyone would want to fight beside. Now, she's a muttering, unsure prisoner whose grip on reality is beginning to slip. There is a spark of her old self within. She enjoyed joking and word-play, and still does, but experience has taught her that hellknights have less appreciation than most followers of the Inheritor for her humor. If someone manages to get her to talk without hurting her, though, they may find themselves in the midst of a storm of puns, double entendres, and gallows humor. She is still loyal, and would never leave an ally behind unless it was obvious that they were dead, or dragged away by force. Appearance: While Astra would have been called beautiful a year ago, she's gaunt and scarred from the "care" of the hellknights. Her hands, feet, lower arms, and lower legs are bound in rags and she wears a tunic much to large for her. She stands at a few inches above five feet and weighs less than a hundred pounds soaking wet. Her eyes are pale white orbs surrounded by a mask-like scar. Her hair is a mess, raggedly cut by her gaolers with a dull blade, though it looks like it could be made pretty again if cared for well. Picture of Astra
Worked up an Oracle of Battle. Thinking of Multi-classing into Paladin, but she'll definitely be a dual-role no matter what I do down the line. I've got a basic backstory for her, but I'm struggling with the details. She's originally from Andoran, but got caught in a sting organized by Hellknights to catch the freedom fighters that have been plaguing the slavers on the western border and coast. She's slowly losing her mind after a year of imprisonment and torture that has left her weaker and blind. I'm also trying to reconcile going crazy and LG, so ideas on that would be welcome.
I don't use HeroLab or MapTools for my campaigns, so I just put all the pdfs on a flash drive and carry that around. (OTOH, I spend a lot more time setting up maps on Google spreadsheets than I would if I used MapTools, so I suppose it evens out in the end.) Maptools is written in Java so you can carry that around as well. It's pretty easy to get an image in there for the map and put the tokens in there as well.
Astra tries to twirl her way around the Armigers, but the dusty road is not the same as the cobbled streets of Westcrown.
"Come on Nic. We need that bridge on fire!"
Astra waits patiently for the wagon to be trapped, then she'd make a mad dash for the wagon.
Sounds good to me.
Looks about right to me.
Yeah but we only have, what, 4 hours at the most?
Astra will hide behind the tree on the left at CH 29
I think I'll leave the planning to those who know what they're doing. I'll just pick the locks when I get a chance.
"Just remember to protect yourself as well. We don't need the both of us dyin' on a Hellknight's pike. Do we have a way of covering our retreat."
Astra nods her agreement and finishes gathering her things. She goes with Mathalen and Rizzardo to get a scarf and a new shirt.
Tired and sore from her trip through the sewers, Astra finds a nice place to lie down after giving Hyngrot his vest back. She's out almost instantly.
"I can pick the locks, but I'll need time."
"Damn." Astra turns and rushes back to grab Pontia and pull her along.
"True." Astra gives Pontia a broad grin. She again lowers her voice and whispers in the two guides' ears. "Do you have a plan for being followed?"
"Might help, but we have to get back now. Do you have a speel that could light the area up?"
Astra keeps her voice low and her eyes open. "Something is moving in the shadows. I think we're being followed."
Astra keeps walking, but keeps an on the shadow. Out of the corner of her mouth she whispers to Pontia. "Keep walking, but I think we're being followed."
Pontia & GM: I did. I don't think Astra would really say anything beyond, "Nice guy. Too bad we couldn't have met under different circumstances."
Noticing that the sun is dipping ever lower in the sky, Astra hurriedly makes her way to her apartment in one of the poorer regions of town. She has no one to warn, so she just quickly gathers her things and heads back to the place that the others were supposed to meet them at. The whole time she keeps an eye out for anything, or anyone suspicious.
Astra leans close to Pontia and whispers "All good so far, just sounds like he's writing."
Astra quickly changes and bundles up the clothes she was wearing under her arm. "Okay, we need to hurry. I still have to get my things."
"Alright, but you probably know where to go better than I do."
Astra helps Pontia out using whats left of her shirt to bind Pontia's chest. Once out on the streets, Astra drops her voice and says, "Lead the way."
"We'll stick together, and we'll be careful." Astra changes into the vest away from the others, she uses some of the cloth from her ruined shirt to try and bind her breasts and disguise her more feminine features. She offers to so the same to Pontia, even asking if she can borrow a set of clothes to help sell the disguise. Once they are out on the streets, Astra whispers to Pontia, "I sure hope you don't live in the high rent district."
"I guess me and Pontia need to get going fast then. Is there some spare clothes that the two of us can borrow, and a place with some privacy?" Astra looks around to see if anyone answers and then focuses on Hyngrot. "I doubt they're looking for two scrawny bruisers. That's the reason I wanted to borrow your vest."
"I know. I think I can disguise myself and Pontia well enough to make it out and back, but I need a change of clothes, and I was...thinking...that...maybe...I could borrow your vest?" After finishing, it is obvious why Astra was blushing before and her face is positively red now. "Nevermind, it was a stupid idea anyway."
Astra finishes eating and thinks for several long moments. Hyngrot speaking of spilled blood and the prospect of going against the Dottari and the Hellknights has her frightened. But then again, I'd be a fool not to be scared. "I'll help. I need to get some things, though." She looks at Hyngrot and opens her mouth, but closes it and blushes under the grime covering her face.
Astra quietly eats as the others talk. She was going to need a new shirt, at least. She also needs to find out where she is so she can get her gold and some of her other belongings. but mostly she was going to need a disguise to do those things. I hope Janniven can point me in the right direction. I need to wait, though. Hopefully I know what I'm doing this time.
Astra merely smiles and gives him a simple blessing. "May Desna give you good fortune and may the stars ever light your path."
Astra smiles and gives Pontia a nod of thanks. "That would be great." ------ "Sorry." She looks sheepishly at the armiger. It's pretty much my fault he's in this situation. ------ Once outside, she wastes no time getting inside the building. When everybody is inside she'll pull Janniven aside and away from the armiger. "Could you tell me where we are? I need to get my gear before word about us gets too far."
Astra takes on of the potions and drinks it. The gash on her stomach and the cut on her thigh both heal up as she drinks the poultice. Her tunic is ruined, but the trousers look like they just need to be stitched up. "Thank you Nicolai." After that she takes her place in line and makes a mental note to talk to Daxius after they all got out of here.
"Make sure the others are all right first." She says to Nicolai. Astra then turns on Daxius and drops the punching dagger to the floor. Tears are in her eyes, but there is something else there as well. "If you feel that I am a traitor then you can kill me and the armiger. I saved him because it would have been wrong to let him die. I have no love for the empire that fosters this hatred and fear." She points to the notch in her ear. "This and the scar on my back are constant reminders that I am not welcome here. I am not human. I do not worship Asmodeus. I am just a scared little half-elf that would love nothing more than to sing beneath the stars to Desna. Believe what you want, but I speak the truth."
Survival is not affected by an ACP. If you need a list... |
