Bellara Aramassio's page

With blonde hair tousled by the wind and streaked platinum from the sun, the clear amber color of Bell Aramassio's eyes is striking amidst her finely sculpted features - particularly when one takes into account the contrast of her light eyes against the bronze of her skin. That intelligent gaze periodically sweeps through the interior of the Formidably Maid as she lounges in her seat at a corner table, an expensive glass of wine in her slender grasp.

The masculine fashions she prefers, with their expensive tailoring and elegant cuts, serves to make her seem taller, leaner, though in truth she was but of average height. Her military-styled indigo frock coat, painstakingly trimmed in faded gold piping, hugs her frame before flamboyantly flaring out at the waist. Underneath is a fitted waistcoat rich in embroidery. A fine silk shirt is topped with a froth of lace at her throat tied casually as her cravat. Dark breeches slide into well-worn black boots clearly custom fitted for her, the cuffs bearing elaborate tooling. A low slung belt hangs from her slim hips. By her right side hangs an old pistol, with a cutlass at her left.

Recent years enduring the hard scrabble life at sea has taken some of the sheen off the fine veneer of Taldan manners ingrained into Bellara. As much as the rough pirate tongue has slowly crept into her speech, life on a ship has also given Bell a new found confidence, revealing a daring side to her she never really imagined she possessed. Gone were the days of trying to shrink into the shadows for fear of what people might say. Nowadays, Bell can be found high in a crow's nest, a spyglass pressed to her keen eye, exchanging cutting insults with the rest of the crew.

On the deck of a ship, she can strut around like a queen, certain of who she is. The part of her that yearns to belong is largely satisfied by being in a crew. It is only during the rare quiet night at sea when they await the wind that the pang of loneliness catches her unaware. On nights like those, she stalks the deck like a wounded animal, her gaze fixed east to where her home once was.

All her life, Bellara Aramassio felt as though she had something to prove. Though part of the powerful Aramassio clan of Taldor, the very same ones known for their mighty shipyards and excellent vineyards, Bell always knew she was different from the rest of her family. The only blonde in a sea of brunette-haired family members, the circumstances of her birth often became the topic of conversation once she stepped into a room. Her mother never did reveal who her father was, preferring instead to escape the wagging tongues. Amalia Aramassio quickly withdrew to one of the family's southern estates to focus on the production of fine wine, leaving her unwanted daughter behind.

Bellara's upbringing was left up to her uncle, Tomas Aramassio, and his wife, Juliana. Whisked away at an early age from the main family estate in Oppara, she was raised in Cassomir where Tomas Aramassio tended to the business of running the Aramassio shipyard. In some of Tomas and Juliana's seven children, Bell found a semblance of companionship, particularly with her cousin Rhistia who was closest to her in age. Though the rest of her cousins treated her as though she didn't exist, Bellara found a kindred spirit in Rhistia. Both girls loathed Juliana Aramassio's constant lessons on how to act like proper ladies in order to find a propitious match to further the family's interests. Bell's only saving grace was that her music teacher raved to her aunt about her fine singing voice, a talent that brought the young girl some measure of comfort. Painting, history, embroidery and the fine art of dancing held little interest for the two girls. Bellara's sharp intellect drew her instead to help her older cousins Raffi and Ramon with their lessons in mathematics and engineering, slowly gaining her the older boys' grudging respect.

Soon enough, both girls devised ways to slip away from the watchful eye of Juliana. Devising fictitious visits to the seamstress, the two girls found the time to prowl the shipyards together, befriending the shipbuilders and playing at learning their trade. During those shipyard visits, Bell was particularly fascinated with the firearms and siege weapons found on Taldan navy ships brought in for repairs. Later, she managed to wheedle shooting lessons from Raffi and Ramon in exchange for her covertly tutoring them in their studies. In return, the two boys would often take both Bell and Rhistia on lazy summer sails, a pursuit that instilled the love of the sea in Bellara.

While Rhistia often pestered Raffi about learning to wield the falcata, Ramon nurtured Bellara's interest in firearms. He was quick to notice Bell's natural affinity for guns and took it upon himself to teach her the proper care of a firearm. He allowed her the use one of his oldest pistols to practice on, occasionally letting her use one of his favorites if she did particularly well.

When both girls came of age, the parade of suitors began. It soon became apparent to Bellara that while the hand of an Aramassio daughter was highly sought after, the hand of an Aramassio of dubious parentage was far less so. The upper crust of Taldor couldn't find it in themselves to overlook the stain of Bellara's birth no matter how much care her Aunt Juliana dressed her in the most fashionable gowns. There wasn't enough satin, lace, or jewels to make them overlook the nameless man that left Bell with his blonde hair and fuller lips. "She certainly didn't get those from Amalia," the catty mothers of Taldor's young bucks whispered to each other behind their fans.

It was then that Bell realized she would never fit into her family's opulent life in Taldor. She would always be the source of gossip. And no matter how relatively kind her aunt and uncle had been to her, she couldn't stay. All she left for her family was a note reassuring them that she would be fine. In Ramon's room, she left her jeweled hair comb in place of the old pistol she used to practice with. Nearly all of the rest of her jewelry and fine clothing were bartered for supplies and passage on a ship sailing away from Cassomir and into the unknown.

What little money Bellara had left over soon ran out. Singing in seaside taverns didn't make nearly enough money to keep her off the streets. She had to resort to petty theft to survive. Too often, some drunk bastard thought that her singing should also come with a little show afterwards. Those were the ones Bell followed into back alleys, pistol leveled at their faces as she helped herself to their possessions. One in particular didn't take too kindly to being held up at gunpoint by a woman. He tried to accost Bell after one of her shows a few days after and wound up dead with a bullet in him.

That was six years ago. It didn't take long for her talent with firearms to become useful on board a ship. The sea was Bell's home now. Determined to make a name for herself and not one tainted by circumstances outside of her control, Bell takes jobs on ships that catch her eye, even those deemed reckless by other pirates. Her wealthy upbringing gave her an advantage, making her eye keener than most when it came to picking out the best plunder. The latest of these voyages was on the Tian vessel, the Red Fortune, the only one in Port Peril that boasted a scarlet sea serpent as its figurehead. Fresh off her latest adventure with a little jingle in her pockets, Bellara now sits at the Formidably Maid, celebrating her naming day alone. Her lip curls mirthlessly as she lifts her glass in a silent toast, a fine Aramassio red hard to come by in these parts. "To my family. Yet another year without the black sheep to sully your good name." She takes a healthy sip.

It doesn't take long for the glass to slip out of her hand as she quickly loses consciousness, slumping forward onto the table in front of her.

Init +3; Senses Perception +5
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Defense
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AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10
hp 11 (1d10 + 1hp)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1
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Offense
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Speed: 30 ft.
Grit: 2/day
Ranged Pistol +4, 1d8 (x4), 20ft, B and P
Melee Cutlass +1, 1d6 (18-20/x2), S
Brass Knife +1, 1d4 (19-20/x2), S and P
Dagger +1, 1d4 (19-20/x2), S and P

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Gunslingers are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, and with all firearms. They are proficient with all light armor.

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Special
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Gunslinger: At 1st level, a gunslinger gains one of the following firearms of her choice: blunderbuss, musket, or pistol. Her starting weapon is battered, and only she knows how to use it properly. All other creatures treat her gun as if it had the broken condition. If the weapon already has the broken condition, it does not work at all for anyone else trying to use it. This starting weapon can only be sold for scrap (it’s worth 4d10 gp when sold). The gunslinger also gains Gunsmithing as a bonus feat.

Grit (Ex): A gunslinger makes her mark upon the world with daring deeds. Some gunslingers claim they belong to a mystical way of the gun, but it’s more likely that the volatile nature of firearms simply prunes the unlucky and careless from their ranks. Whatever the reason, all gunslingers have grit. In game terms, grit is a fluctuating measure of a gunslinger’s ability to perform amazing actions in combat. At the start of each day, a gunslinger gains a number of grit points equal to her CHARISMA modifier (minimum 1). Her grit goes up or down throughout the day, but usually cannot go higher than her CHARISMA modifier (minimum 1), though some feats and magic items may affect this maximum. A gunslinger spends grit to accomplish deeds (see below), and regains grit in the following ways.

Critical Hit with a Firearm: Each time the gunslinger confirms a critical hit with a firearm attack while in the heat of combat, she regains 1 grit point. Confirming a critical hit on a helpless or unaware creature or on a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the gunslinger’s character level does not restore grit.

Killing Blow with a Firearm: When the gunslinger reduces a creature to 0 or fewer hit points with a firearm attack while in the heat of combat, she regains 1 grit point. Destroying an unattended object, reducing a helpless or unaware creature to 0 or fewer hit points, or reducing a creature that has fewer Hit Dice than half the gunslinger’s character level to 0 or fewer hit points does not restore any grit.

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Deeds
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Deadeye (Ex): At 1st level, the gunslinger can resolve an attack against touch AC instead of normal AC when firing beyond her firearm’s first range increment. Performing this deed costs 1 grit point per range increment beyond the first. The gunslinger still takes the –2 penalty on attack rolls for each range increment beyond the first when she performs this deed.

Gunslinger’s Dodge (Ex): At 1st level, the gunslinger gains an uncanny knack for getting out of the way of ranged attacks. When a ranged attack is made against the gunslinger, she can spend 1 grit point to move 5 feet as an immediate action; doing so grants the gunslinger a +2 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. This movement is not a 5-foot step, and provokes attacks of opportunity. Alternatively, the gunslinger can drop prone to gain a +4 bonus to AC against the triggering attack. The gunslinger can only perform this deed while wearing medium or light armor, and while carrying no more than a light load.

Seadog's Gait (Ex): At 1st level, the buccaneer gains Sea Legs as a bonus feat. If she spends 1 grit point, she can ignore difficult terrain until the end of her turn. This replaces the quick clear deed.

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Statistics
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Str 10(+0), Dex 16(+3), Con 10(+0), Int 16(+3), Wis 13(+1), Cha 15(+2)
Base Atk +1; CMB 1; CMD 14

Feats
Gunsmithing
Sea Legs: You gain a +2 bonus on Acrobatics, Climb, and Swim checks.
Point Blank Shot: You get a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.
Precise Shot: You can shoot or throw ranged weapons at an opponent engaged in melee without taking the standard –4 penalty on your attack roll.

Traits
Eye for Plunder: +1 to Appraise, +1 to Perception checks to find concealed or secret objects including hidden doors and traps, start with an extra 50g in trade goods.
Just Like New: Your first attempt to remove the broken condition from your starting firearm and to upgrade it to a masterwork weapon costs 150 gp instead of 300 gp. In addition, when wielding a firearm that has the broken condition or is treated as if it had the broken condition, you take a –1 penalty on attack rolls made with it instead of the normal –2.

Skills: (4 per lvl + 1 human + 3 int mod = 8, and 1 skill point Acrobatics +9, Craft (Clockwork) +7, Intimidate +6, Knowledge Engineering +7, Perception +5, Perform (Singer) +6, Profession (Siege Engineer) +5, Survival +5, Swim +6

Languages: Common, Kelish, Halfing, Polyglot

Gear & Treasure:
Kit, Gunslinger's: Price 26g, Weight 31 lbs.
This includes a backpack, a bedroll, a belt pouch, a flint and steel, a gunsmith's kit, an iron pot, a mess kit, a powder horn, rope, torches (10), trail rations (5 days), and a waterskin.

Other possessions here: Mythweaver's Character Sheet