Badhbh's page

CN Small Animal (bird)

Init +5; Senses Perception +11 (Low light vision)

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Defense
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AC 18*, touch 17*, flat-footed 13*
(+1 Armour, +5 Dex, +2 Wisdom *Breeze-Kissed +2 vs non-magical projecties)
Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +2

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Offense
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Speed 30ft. (60ft Fly (good))

Melee
Bite (+7) D4+1
2x Claws (+7) D4*+1

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Statistics
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Str 13 (+1), Dex 20 (+5), Con 10 (0), Int 12 (+1), Wis 14 (+2), Cha 10 (0),
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 19

Breezes seem to follow most sylphs wherever they go, but some sylphs are better able to control these winds than others. A Sylph with this racial trait surrounds herself with swirling winds, gaining a +2 racial bonus to AC against non-magical ranged attacks. The Sylph can calm or renew these winds as a swift action. Once per day, the Sylph can channel this wind into a single gust, making a bull rush or trip combat maneuver attempt against one creature within 30 feet. Whether or not the attempt succeeds, the winds are exhausted and no longer provide a bonus to the sylph’s AC for 24 hours. This is a supernatural ability.

Some sylphs are so in tune with the air and sky that they can sense the slightest change in atmospheric conditions. Sylphs with this trait can spend a full-round action to predict the weather in an area for the next 24 hours. The sylph’s prediction is always accurate, but cannot account for spells or supernatural effects that might alter the forecast.

You gain a +1 trait bonus on Sense Motive checks, and Sense Motive is always a class skill for you.

You receive a +2 trait bonus on Perception checks to notice coins, gems, jewelry, and valuable trade goods. You gain a chance to notice such goods whenever you pass within 10 feet of them, whether or not you are actively looking.

With a light weapon, elven curve blade, rapier, whip, or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack rolls. If you carry a shield, its armor check penalty applies to your attack rolls. Natural weapons are considered light weapons.

At will, a shifter in her natural form can extend her claws as a swift action to use as a weapon. This magical transformation is fueled as much by the shifter’s faith in the natural world as it is by inborn talent. The claws on each hand can be used as a primary natural attack, dealing 1d4 points of piercing and slashing damage (1d3 if she is Small). If she uses one of her claw attacks in concert with a weapon held in the other hand, the claw acts as a secondary natural attack instead.
As the shifter gains levels, the power of her claws increases.
At 3rd level, her claws count as magic weapons, ignore DR/cold iron and DR/silver. At 7th level, her claw damage increases to 1d6 (1d4 if Small). At 11th level, her claw damage increases to 1d8 (1d6 if Small). At 13th level, her claw damage increases to 1d10 (1d8 if Small). At 17th level, the damage die does not increase, but the critical multiplier becomes ×3. Lastly, at 19th level, the claws ignore DR/adamantine and DR/—.
While a shifter uses wild shape to assume her aspect‘s major form, her natural attacks gain the same benefits granted by her shifter claws ability. If the form she takes has claw attacks, she can use either the base damage of her shifter claws or the damage of the form’s claws, whichever is greater. If the form does not have claw attacks, she can choose up to two natural attacks that would deal less damage than her shifter claw damage and have those attacks instead deal the same damage as her shifter claws.

A shifter can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions as a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The shifter rolls 1d20 and adds her shifter level and Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly.
To use wild empathy, the shifter and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another and under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time.
The shifter can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the check.

A shifter gains the ability to turn herself into one of her aspects and back again. This ability functions as beast shape II, except as noted here. The shifter can turn into only one of her aspects at a time. Using wild shape to change form or change back is a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. Often a particular aspect’s form grants abilities beyond the normal effect of beast shape II. Each aspect details the abilities the shifter gains with that major form and at what level; she gains these instead of the form abilities from beast shape II, but she still gains beast shape II abilities that are size dependent.
A shifter loses her ability to speak while in animal form because she is limited to the sounds that a normal, untrained animal of that form can make, but she can communicate with other animals of the same general grouping as her form. She can also communicate in nonverbal ways with allies.
A shifter can use wild shape for a number of hours each day equal to her shifter level + her Wisdom modifier. It need not be consecutive but must be spent in 1 hour increments. For abilities that function based on ‘uses of wild shape,’ each hour of wild shape counts as a use.
Shifters can take feats and other abilities that require wild shape; for the purpose of qualifying for prerequisites, her effective druid level is equal to her shifter level.
Aspects:
Falcon: Your shape changes to that of a Small falcon. While in this form, you gain a bite attack (1d4 damage), two claw attacks (1d3 damage), a fly speed of 60 feet (good), low-light vision, and a +4 racial bonus on vision-based Perception checks. At 8th level, you gain darkvision with a range of 120 feet, and your racial bonus on Perception checks increases to +6. At 15th level, you gain blindsense with a range of 60 feet and your fly speed increases to 90 feet (perfect).

At 2nd level, when unarmored, not using a shield, unencumbered, and conscious, the shifter adds her Wisdom bonus (if any) to her AC and CMD. If she is wearing nonmetal armor or using a nonmetal shield, she instead adds half her Wisdom bonus to her AC (minimum 0). In addition, the shifter gains a +1 bonus to her AC and CMD at 4th level. This bonus increases by 1 for every 4 shifter levels thereafter (up to a maximum of +5 at 20th level).
These bonuses to AC apply even against touch attacks and when the shifter is flat-footed. She loses these bonuses when she is immobilized or helpless. These bonuses do not stack with the monk AC bonus class feature.

At 2nd level, a shifter adds half her level as a bonus on Survival checks to follow tracks.

Five concept capturing points
1) Badhbh is a sylph in the wrong time. His intellectual and philosophical curiosity cannot be satiated in Light, he has a burning desire to make a dent in the world.
2) He is frustrated by the acceptance, the complacency of his people. Sylphkind deserve their seat at the table but they must take it with action, not mere existence.
3) There are many depths to Badhbh. As a sylph he is calculating, philosophical, passionate but considered. When the air within him wells up he can show violence, lashing out with avian viciousness and speed. When he fully embraces the wild he resigns himself to bestial instinct.
4) Even when resisting the wild there is still a little of the avian in Badhbh, his movements are staccato and his eye is often caught by trinkets and curios. He listens and sees carefully.
5) Badhbh is tall and svelte. His skin tone and hair colour are somewhere between ivory and pearl. His hair is always left to flow freely and seems to have a life of its own. Blown by a breeze that no one can feel, drifting around his head and often over his face, this doesn’t seem to bother Badhbh in the slightest. He wears simple clothes and takes little pride in his appearance.

Two character goals
1) To strengthen the power, authority, and respect of the sylph people.
2) To gain a deeper understanding of the history of his people and Fallen Sky in particular, in order to find his place.

Two secrets
1) His parents waved him off on his “first flight” with proud smiles on their faces. Then went inside and celebrated. Inquisitiveness is to be encouraged, but he questioned the status quo and brought trouble to their door, he is no longer their problem. They have thought little of him since, and then only with relief.
2) From the very first time he shifted he has longed to fly upwards and not stop, up-up-up into the unknown. Cowardice holds him back.

Dramatis Personae
1) Mael and Esme Jewel Badhbh’s parents are comfortably well off, skilled craft-eles, owners of a large jewellery workshop in Light. He had a comfortable childhood but could never reconcile himself to a life so… constrained.
2) Uncle Chem Badhbh’s maternal uncle. Badhbh would go and visit his uncle when he needed hope, his cover was alchemy lessons. Chem always supported and encouraged Badhbh’s passion and drive, if not his radical philosophical leanings.

Key memories
1) Wings
My earliest memory. Travelling with my parents. I don’t remember seeing the Wing from afar, just stood below it, staring up. Beautiful it was. I have dreamt of that shape ever since. Never in the foreground, but always there in the background. One day I will see them again.
2) First Shift
How is it that the table never breaks, there must be some reinforcement… My thoughts continue to wander as the ifrit master pounds his fists on the hardwood desk again and again. ”Look out of the window el! Forest, River. And how do you see any of it?!” Reflected light bounces into my eyes, causing neural impulses to… “Volcunus. The Volcano. Three gods. There is no Sky el!” He softens, knowing I cannot be intimidated into belief “Make life easy for yourself, Sky is gone. You have to learn to keep your feet on the ground.” Then the sensation I have come to know so well, my vision blurs for a moment, I remember shaking my head to clear it; curling my toes, spreading my wings. Then I am through the open window. What is this? Freedom. Sky?
3) Acceptance.
He laid his hand on my wrist. I remember his fingertips were hard, cold, gentle but rough. “Stones don’t fly el, you cannot be what you are not. Why do you keep up the farse of this tuition? Put the phials away, sit with your uncle, free of pretence. Let us be truthful to each other at least.” We sat and spoke then. I’m not sure I had ever had a true conversation before, the candles burned way.
4) Power and Control
I was so hungry. I’d only had berries for days. I was riding up-draughts, somewhere that was nowhere. Enjoying the air through my feathers. I caught the movement below and before I knew it I was dropping. It wriggled in my claws, something small; all fur and teeth and tail. There was pressure, a pop, and then nothing. Blood. Life. Death. I would never be hungry again.

…and a fear!
1) Drowning. Water is false freedom. Water holds, presses. Restricts.

Badhbh seems tall and slender. Spindly would be an appropriate term. He is all limbs, reminiscent of a spider or, more appropriately, a crane fly. His skin tone and hair colour are somewhere between ivory and pearl. His hair is always left to flow freely and seems to have a life of its own. Blown by a breeze that no one can feel, drifting around his head and often over his face, this doesn’t seem to bother Badhbh in the slightest. He wears simple clothes and takes little pride in his appearance. His long fingered hands are clever hands, he holds things and manipulates them with reverence and care. His facial features are sharp but not cruel. His movements are staccato and almost bird like, he observes intently with a tilted head. This is contrasted beautifully by his voice which is melodic and free flowing. He often absentmindedly whistles.

Badhbh’s first bird form is most like a Eurasian Magpie in colouring. Smooth oily plumage that at first glance seems just black with white shoulders and wingtips, but if you look closer or the light catches him in a certain way there is a wonderful blue and green iridescence to his wings and tail. The bird is about the size of a large raven (ish), standing just over 2’ from the ground, when fully spread its wings span ~5’. He hops/jumps from one place to another when travelling on the ground, preferring to perch off the ground when he can. But will fly whenever feasible. His eyes are large, shiny, and pure black. His beak is large but not sharp or hooked.

Badhbh leaves his home in Light. He thought his parents would need more persuading to be honest. He is going to map the Wings, that’s what he tells people, what he tells himself. But really he is just going. At first things are good, he prepared well for travelling and living alone outside. But soon the ample travelling rations he had brought began to dwindle, that’s when he began to hunt his own food.

It was dim and cold, tyr as he might Badhbh could not light a fire. Normally not a problem, he had customised a flint and steel to light more reliably, on this day it just would not light. Eventually he gives up, stones don’t fly after all. There is a flicker of light at the edge of his vision, a campfire. The cold dulls his caution and he is quickly airborn.

At first he and the Oread he finds talk awkwardly. There is no conflict, no discourtesy between them, just two els finding one another’s shape in the world. Over the following days they become friends. Badhbh appreciates the Oread’s confidence and security in his own purpose. Eventually, organically, they talk of their respective ‘quests.’ Badhbh is hooked.

Resupplying in Hearth they find themselves propositioned by an ifriti, the el is respectful but Badhbh is unsure. Just as Badhbh is about to decline something caught his eye, a wandering trader with a flying stone. Stones don’t fly. It had to be a sign. Soon the three (four) of them are traveling south to an Undine village at the behest of the ifrit.

Looking to take Branch Pounce feat, dropping out of the sky to mess stuff up sounds fun.
Shifter’s edge for damage.
Given I am losing Shifter aspect et al. in return for early and more limited Wildshape, I may fall a bit behind after level 4.
In terms of other bird forms I had two ideas depending on where the story goes:
Badhbh begins to bring elements together, gaining the forms of elemental birds. Phoenix, Owlbear… Pelican?!
Badhbh just gains more standard bird option. Roc, great eagle, maybe a gryphon type thing.
Long term some way of getting pounce effect would be ace.

Limited reliance on items means I can take more interesting items