Bej Vanskian's page

Bej Vanskian was born an ambitious man in northern Brevoy, in the land called Issia. His father was a rich merchant, controlling half the fishing that went on in Lake of Mists and Veils. Food on the Vasnkian table was plentiful and varied, and young Bej grew up strong and smart. As many men from Issia he aimed at nothing more than to learn how to use his arms to defend his home in time of war, and learn how to use his mind to prosper in time of peace.
He was lucky enough to be able to do both: in the mornings he practiced with bow and sword, and in the evening, after dinner, his father would sit with him by the fire and teach him how to do business while playing a friendly but competitive game of chess.
A bit of luck complemented Bej’s hard work. As he was out on a fishing boat on the lake he taught he’d gone crazy as he saw a man coming out of the mists walking on water. But soon he realized the vision was very real: the man called out to them, and got into the boat.
He explained Bej and his men that he was a battlemage fleeing from Mendev after witnessing the horrors of the Worldwound Crusade. He was freezing and almost out of spells – the boat that smuggled him out of Mendev left him on a tiny island in the middle of the lake to die.
In exchange for a hiding place from the inquisitors of Ragathiel, coming to snoop out the fugitives from the Crusade, the mage taught Bej the basics of his trade, finding in Bej a mind ready to grasp the principles of magic and applying them to the necessities of everyday life.
Now a grown man able with bow and magic alike, Bej has crossed all the Brevic country, coming all the way to the south into the River Kingdoms, promising his father to put his training to use and gain the Vanskian family the title, land and power that was long needed.

IMAGE

He is in his 30ies, tall, wiry frame, and pale: his Taldan origins have probably been mixed with quite a few Ulfen and Chelaxian ancestors and now he hardly resembles any pure race. He has thick, ash blond hair that is cropped in a short, militaristic cut, and an equally short and functional beard. Countless hours of studying spellbooks and practicing chess moves left him far-sighted: while his aim with the bow is good, to read he requires spectacles and has a web of tiny wrinkels around his eyes.
He dresses in a practical outfit of good manufacturing, and wears quite proudly a coonskin hat.

Bej enjoys battlefield tactics way more than throne room politics: that’s why conquering the wildlands with bow and spells looks like a better opportunity than scheming and lying and sucking up to major nobles.
As an avid chess player, he sees companions as fellow pieces, everyone moving in its own way to reach the same goal: and even a pawn can be crucial in close quarter maneuvers.
He has a strong dislike for magic without a practical use in times of peace: many arcanists who go around hurling fireballs or creepy rays of necromancy find themselves ill at ease once the fight is over. Bej does not wish to be one of such casters – in his grimoire will always find place spells to help rebuild once the fight is over.
His biggest flaws are having a very bad poker face (hey it’s not his game… he is a chess man) and having a hard time thinking outside the chessboard – that is, if a frontal fight is the most direct solution to a problem, why look for another one?

Bej Vanskian
Male Human (Brevic) Figther (lorewarden) 1/ transmuter (enhancement specialist) 5
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Initiative +3 ; Senses Perception +6

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Defense
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AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+2 dex, +3 armor)
HP 42 (1d10+5d6+12)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5 (+1 vs mind-affecting)

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Offense
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Speed 30 feet
Melee battleaxe +4 (1d8+1, x3)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +7 (1d8+1, x3)
Special attacks

Transmuter spells prepared (CL 6th, concentration +9)
3rd—haste (DC 16), force punch (DC 16), heatstroke (DC 16),
2nd—resist energy, bull's strength, alter self, invisibility
1st—enlarge person, shield, gravity bow x2, endure elements
0—detect magic, prestidigitation, message, read magic

Opposition schools: necromancy, enchantment

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Statistics
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Str 12, Dex 16*, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 8
BA +3; CMB +4; CMD 16
*14, but usually 16 due to physical enhancement

Feats: Point-blank shot, Rapid shot, Arcane strike (+2), Arcane Armor training, Scribe scroll, Precise Shot
Skills: Knowledge [arcana] +10, Knowledge [nature] +9, Knowledge [history] +7, Knowledge [geography] +7, Knowledge [nobility] +7, Knowledge [planes] +7, Knowledge [local] +9, Knowledge [engineering] +12, Knowledge [dungeons] +7, Knowledge [religion] +7, Linguistics +9, Perception +7, Ride +7, Spellcraft +11, Survival +8
Languages: Common (Taldan), Draconic, Giant, Skald, Sylvan, Aklo
Traits: Issian, Magical knack
SQ: physical enhancement (+2), augment, item bond (amulet)

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Gear:
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Starting gold 1175 gp

Worn

• Mwk composite (+1) longbow [400 gp]
  
• +1 composite (+2) longbow [2600 gp]
  
• Quiver with 25 arrows, 5 cold iron arrows, 5 silver arrows
  
• Battleaxe [10 gp]
  
• Dagger [2 gp]
  
• +1 leather armor [1160 gp]
  
• Ioun torch [75 gp]
  
• Explorer’s outfit [10 gp]
  
• Extra Spell component pouch [10 gp]
  
• Waterskin [part of wizard’s kit]
  
• Spellbook [free]
  
• Scroll case [1 gp] containing scrolls of bull's strength,invisibility,unseen servant, disguise self, comprehend languages, silent image
  
• 1st place Medal in the “Kaspar Garoff Memorial” Chess Tournament in New Stetven [Bonded Item masterwork amulet - free]
  

Fortune, Light Horse (combat trained) [110 gp], with Riding saddle [30 gp], leather barding [40 gp] and Saddlebags [4 gp]
In saddlebags

• Quiver with 40 arrows [2gp]
  
• 2 x Dagger [4 gp]
  
• Morningstar [8 gp]
  
• Signal horn [1 gp]
  
• Cold weather outfit [8 gp]
  
• Wizard’s kit + rope [22 gp]
  
• rare inks and scroll writing implements [100 gp worth]
  
• Extra scroll case (empty) [1 gp]
  
• Chess board [10 gp]
  

Spells on spellbook (57/100 pages):
0th: all but those of enchantment and necromancy (24)
1st: gravity bow, feather fall, shield, enlarge person, endure elements, unseen servant, grease, disguise self, liberating command, silent image, comprehend languages (11)
2nd: resist energy, bull's strength, alter self, invisibility, make whole (5x2)
3rd: force punch (DC 16), heatstroke (DC 16), haste, fly (4x3)

1945 gp left