Sorry, guys, but I think I'll drop out here. I hope you'll have lots of fun as the game continues! :)
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Brand merely grimaces in response to witch's last statement; that was precisely what he had been talking about. The former noble extends an understanding look towards Taerine.
The tall Chelaxian, too, moves closer to their apparent host, briefly chuckling. "Don't worry, Treshiell here, she isn't as crazy as she seems at first glance." He briefly adjusts the bow strapped to his back, glancing over at the witch, before he introduces himself. "Brand Tarren."
Brand had, during the last stretches of the journey, been rather quiet. As they approach the fort, he eyes the front wall as well as the palisade, making note of how defensible this structure may still be. He steps through the gate with the rest of the group, calmly inspecting the sight before him. The woman receives a nod as a first gesture of greeting and a short "Good day.". As Rupert is apparently more than happy to begin a conversation, the Chelaxian opts to remain quiet for the moment and let him do the talking.
Here we go. For a second I was afraid I couldn't afford a Longbow, but then I remembered you gave us maximized starting money. Brand, revised: BRAND TARREN CR 1/2
Bran chuckles briefly, watching the witch. "Did he tell you that you're plenty interesting yourself?" He shakes his head. "I could make do without some of them, that's for sure. People. Nature doesn't betray, it just is." The Chelaxian peers at Flo's cage. "Be careful with your Thaal when she's out. Training only goes so far."
"If having a motive beyond what I just told you makes you happier, take your pick," the man sighs. "That's what I get for trying to talk some sense into people."
The Chelaxian fixes his gaze on Rupert once he hears the suggestion. "We may have been lucky so far, not running into anything dangerous and all, but this is still a wild area in which predators may be found." His eyes narrow a little. "And I remember hearing something about bandits. Better to rest for a few minutes than to push ahead when there's plenty of day left to get there twice over." Brand doesn't seem to share Lirisial's exuberance, actually seeming a little dour after his initial reaction to the sight. That look isn't exactly a new one, though: it sat on his face for almost the entire journey.
Yo motteditor, when you get around to saying yay (well, presumably yay, since there shouldn't really be anything wrong with that build) to the new Brand setup, I just wanted to say beforehand that I'll probably shuffle some of the other gear around, depending on how much money I have left (don't have the Hero Lab data available right now) and how heavy it all is I'll get rid of some of the heavier stuff and get a few replacement weapons instead (daggers, probably, and I totally forgot to add arrows to that list up there).
Brand marches without complaint; he has travelled a long way from his native country of Chelaxia, often on foot and isn't about to fall over from the exertion anytime soon. Still, when their goal finally reveals itself before them, he raises his hand above his eyes to block out the sun and a brief smile surfaces. "The fort is in sight," the man announces. "If we want to take a short break, now would be a good time." He looks around, checking on the state of the others and trying to get a feel for the area. He knows that, once they get much closer, most people would be even more reluctant to take a break than they might be now. The warrior sees no need for them to push themselves to exhaustion; after a brief rest they would make good time and reach Fort Kazimir in the afternoon, well in time before the fall of dark.
Aye. Plus, I get to not suck at my job until Duelist kicks in. And even with Duelist it wouldn't be a big improvement with that low Int. My new rolls were kind of horrible for it. One huge high, one normal, the rest low. The Duelist needs to be dextrous, smart and somewhat sturdy. And a big point for me is that a proper swashbuckler has to have decent to good Charisma, too, for roleplaying purposes. As a Ranger, I get to be good at what I do with those stats, though a bit more WIS and CHA wouldn't have hurt. With 20 point buy I'd have gone Str 16 (18 with +2 human), Dex 13, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 12. That's probably not as good in combat as what I have currently, but it looks like a more well-rounded person to me. By the way, Sigurd -- or rather, Martinaj, are you still checking in on the Bleak House OOC thread? Some people are asking for an update on whether things are still going to get started once you're all computerized again.
The tall man arches an eyebrow in Treshiell's direction; he's not quite sure how to interpret her musement, but in all probability it might be something very insightful and profound. Or just some philosophical nonsense. His attention quickly wanders back to the knife in his hand, though, finally opting to push it back into the leather sheath strapped to his leg, with practiced ease. "Let's get moving," he suddenly announces as he rises from his position. "We won't get there any sooner just sitting around."
Brand looks somberly in Rupert's direction. "Plenty of food in the forest. They don't need to steal and rob to survive." He pulls a large hunting knife free from his right boot, staring critically at the edge for a moment to see if it needs sharpening still. "But I won't kill anyone who surrenders," he finally adds as he holds the blade up to his eyes to inspect it closely, reassuring Rupert that he'll pretty much do the same. Once the elf speaks, he looks at Lirisial with a wry smile. "And why is that? Already anticipating lots of aches on our journey?"
I was thinking archery, actually, with a composite longbow later when one becomes available to purchase/is found. With a two-handed weapon to fall back upon when getting up close and personal. Okay, here we go. Posting it here in order to leave the original build intact. Human Ranger 1
HP: 12
AC: 17 (Scale Mail +5, +2 dex) Touch: 12, Flat-Footed: 15 Attacks:
Traits:
Feats: Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Combat Equipment:
Other Gear:
Hmm. You know, motteditor, I was thinking and ... I was trying to shove Brand into the skilled/intelligent Fighter/Duelist niche to at least be somewhat similar to a Magus in spirit minus the casting. However, I'm not sure if that's really what I want to play. Would it be terribly much to ask to switch his class/stats around still? Since we don't really have anyone specializing in the nature aspect of things, I was thinking Ranger. Would look something like this: Human Ranger 1
Feats:
Traits:
Brand's eyes follow Sigurd as the Ulfen walks back and sits down again, looking slightly annoyed; he had been eager to get going, but his firm gaze softens after a moment as he unceremoniously plops back down onto his log. The former Chelaxian noble rests his arms against his thighs, looking over to the witch Treshiell. If it wasn't for the strange calming effect her presence had, he may well be a little weirded out by the woman's reciting of their letter in response to Sigurd's question, but he had met stranger people in Chelaxia, far stranger people. Once Sigurd gives his own explanation, he nods in understanding. "Losing your place, your family, is rough." Emotion surfaces in his voice as he speaks. "I know this."
Yay. A belated Merry Christmas! I think we're directly in the 'break up camp' bit now, Rupert, not narrative-skimming over the journey. That's how I read martinaj's (Sigurd's) starter, anyway.
Brand had remained quiet through most of the journey, but never once shirked participation when it was time to set up camp, or for watch duty, even preferring to take the harder times in the middle of the night. What little he has told the others about himself is, of course, his name: Brand Tarren. Formerly of Chelaxia, he is somewhat of a mystery, refusing to speak of his past as if not to invoke the bad memories. He has not really mentioned anything about it, but his bearing suggests that he was trained a warrior, moving gracefully but not without purpose; his armor is an expensive kind that while providing good protection allows for good maneuverability. This, combined with his demeanor, suggest that he may have been part of a rich, perhaps even noble family. It's unusual that he would speak up first without being addressed specifically, but over the last four days he has slowly grown more comfortable with the small group and seems less pre-occupied, though still distant. "Redemption, I suppose," he replies as he finishes sharpening his Scimitar. The Chelaxian rises from the log he had sat upon, placing the weapon in its scabbard as his eyes dart in Sigurd's direction. "Looking for a place to be of use. Do what's right."
Hmm. Well, Brand travelled to the Stolen Lands upon hearing of the opportunities there, so he's only arrived recently, but he may well have met people on the journey. Anyone who met him would find him rather curt and business-like, though it seems more that his mind is on other things rather than him being unfriendly, for those with a good sense of empathy (Sense Motive). So, wait, are we using this as an IC thread already? Man, with the new rolled stat lineup I just realized the 'charismatic' part of his background isn't really true anymore. :(
Indeed. I added them now, thanks. I didn't include the full skills yet, just the ranks I invested. I'll get the full lineup with stat adjustments and such up later.
There we go. What are we doing for starting money? Regular class roll?
I'm still in, sure. Even if it's not a Magus, I can probably adjust Brand to a different vocation fairly easily. Probably some sort of Swashbuckler. Background and Personality would remain largely unchanged, except for where and how he was educated.
Wow, that's ... all sorts of horrible. Since you said you like Big Damn Heroes (tm) and I'm in a pretty different timezone than most US folk, I'll just roll a second time in case you'd let me with those horrible results. If not, I can take the first rolls.
Indeed, best of luck.
Aye. How'd you like my writeup, by the way? Any suggestions?
Heh. So far, from reading the various profiles, I really like Rupert -- too bad it won't be the monocled gentlemen picture going all swashbuckler on us --, Sigurd -- who can probably relate to my character fairly well, what with the whole father thing going on -- and Treshiell. Always fun to have a blue-blooded Witch with a pet snake around. Not to say that all the others aren't great as well, I just wanted to express my compliments to those that stood out to me in particular. Mozi and Shana sounds pretty awesome as well. Master Spy always looked really neat to me, and I've been wanting to see an Alchemist in action.
Brand Terren Human Magus 1 Favored Class: Magus Str 14
Background:
Brand Tarren is the third son of a minor noble house belonging to the Chelaxian empire; having demonstrated a talent with the sword at an early age and, later, the ability to perform magic. This proved a detriment to him when he reached the young age of twelve, after his father had remarried -- none of his new wife's children were close enough to be in line for inheritance of the title, thus a hunger for power was not the cause of Brand eventually being sent away. No, that was the newly renamed and retitled Lady Valeria Tarren's superstition in regards to magic. Still, it wouldn't do to send him to any wizard guild or academy, when he was clearly apt with the blade -- and his father, at least, valued such skill greatly. Thus he was sent to a rather new and unorthodox, but nonetheless very expensive, school which taught him a combination of both arts -- magical and martial. He took to their practices like a sponge, growing not only tall and strong-limbed under their tutelage, but also quite intelligent and learned in the arcane ways. His natural charm quickly made him a favorite amongst his peers and endeared him to his tutors and he began to grow proud of his rather rare skills. Not all was happy sunshine, however, as after a good seven years of intense instructions his father fell out of favor in court and, soon, was ruined by his rivals. Shortly before the money stopped coming, Lord Pellius Tarren ended his life -- suicide, as they called it, by duel, when he challenged a known superior master of the sword and was killed. With his own mother dead and his stepmother being pretty much a stranger, Brand was devastated. Enough money remained to complete his instructions, but his friends there soon found that he had grown more distant and a little cold, concentrating far more on perfecting his technique than interpersonal relations. Once deemed a proper Magus he set about traveling Golarion, earning some money here and there with minor heroics while seeking some sort of purpose in life. He eventually wound up in Brevoy, a land that suited him rather well, with its penchant for nobles that actually are regal as well as skilled warriors. Once he heard of efforts to secure the Stolen Lands, he quickly stepped forward to lend his aid. Motivation and Goals:
His main motivation in aiding the securing of the Stolen Lands is to be recognized for his abilities and deeds, but once he learns that a new nation may be established he will be out to reclaim part of his heritage and secure himself a position of worth, so that he can both protect a budding nation and its people and honor the memory of his fallen noble ancestors. Personality:
Brand is proud of his skills and school, and rightfully so. Challenges or insults to both are met with strong opposition. He is well-disciplined, intelligent and holds a certain charm and regality, but the dishonor and death of his father has left him bitter. He'll need some time to get over it and good friends and comrades to return to his more open, friendly self of the past. He likes to help people when possible, but is pragmatic enough to understand that being utterly selfless will get no one anywhere and thus is likely not to reject rewards and, when in need of it, even ask for one when not offered in the first place, though dependent on the circumstances involved he may well relent and help nevertheless, as he can't really abide just standing by when he could change something for the better. Alignment:
Whew, awesome, that's a huge plus point for me. Von Doom here. Also, now that I could finally manage to decide on a picture and that I have a visual, I'll be writing up the background and expand on the personality direction I noted above. I've found that recently I like to choose a picture before actually finishing the character concept. |