Byron Radanavich's page

+3 on Perform(Act or Sing)
+2 on Bluff
+3 on Save Vs Stage Fright (Will save using Cha).

Byron is a tall (6'1") Half-Elven male with swarthy skin, brown hair and striking purple eyes. He typically dresses in somber traveler's gear, and always has a silver holy symbol of Sarenrae around his neck. His favored weapon is rarely far from his side: A silvery elven curve blade, with a cunningly cut chunk of rose quartz embedded in the hilt.

Byron has no memories of his parents; from what he has been able to piece together over the years, his mother was a Human chorus girl in the Westcrown opera scene, and his father was a visiting Elven Tenor, who decided to have a dalliance with her after a late-night performance. Of course, the affair was hushed-up, and the Tenor was politely (but firmly) shown the gates of the city... A few months later, when it became obvious that the poor women was 'with child', she was placed in isolation for her confinement, and her bastard offspring was immediately handed-over to a local orphanage.

Byron's early years were harsh. He learned that he was considered to be less than human by many, because of his Elven heritage, and that he could rely on no-one except himself. As he got older, he discovered that he could dish-out the punishment as well as he could receive it; deep within in was a chilling rage and fury, and when he let it out, it was difficult to control him. Things came to a head when, after being provoked by one of the other orphans, he nearly killed the boy. Filled with shame, Byron fled the only home he had ever known, and disappeared onto the streets.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it...), Byron turned out to have a knack for survival, and turned into an embittered street monster, too wary to readily accept aid from others, and perfectly capable of looking after himself, when necessary.

Eventually, he came to the attention of a recruiter for one of the street gangs; although reluctant to join at first, it seemed like it had better prospects than a life alone on the streets (which, from personal experience, he knew was quite dangerous)... He lived from one job to the next, cracking skulls and breaking legs, as his was bid. His life consisted of bouts of rage and pain interspersed with periods of terrible ennui; he knew that there should be more to life, and dreamed of escape, but just did not know what he should do to make it a reality. The only occasional relief he received from this, was when he sneaked away in disguise, and watched a play at one of the more 'rough and tumble' playhouses - for a few hours, he was able to lose himself, and dream about what could have been...

...one day, however, he saw an altercation between a couple of actors, and some inebriated, disgruntled theater patrons. Byron immediately rushed to their defense, *vigorously*. Once the drunkards had been dealt with, the actors put in a good word with him with the theater company, and Byron was hired-on as a bouncer, heavy lifter, procurer, and occasional minor chorus member, when 'massive, brutish muscle' was required.

In some small way, Byron feels that he has finally come home. Certainly, he still runs into people from his old life occasionally (Gian-Luigi is still something of a thorn in his side, demanding that he return 'to the brotherhood'), but for the first time in his life, he is truly happy.

Base Atk: +2; CMB: +6; CMD: 17

Melee
MW Cold Iron Greatsword: +6 to hit; Dmg 2d6+10; crit 19-20/x2; Type S

Ranged
Sling: +3 to hit; Dmg 1d4+5; crit 20/x2; Range 50'; Type B

Skill Points per level:
Rogue: 8 (Class) + 1 (Intelligence) + 1 (FC)
Fighter: 2 (Class) + 1 (Intelligence) + 1 (FC)
Acrobatics +1 (+1 Dex + 2 ranks + 3 class skill - 5 ACP)
Appraise +1
Bluff +7 (+2 Cha + 2 ranks + 3 class skill)
Climb -1 (+4 Str - 5 ACP)
Craft +1
Diplomacy +8 (+2 Cha + 3 ranks + 3 class skill)
Disable Device +3 (+1 Dex + 2 ranks + 3 class skill + 2 MW Tools - 5 ACP)
Disguise +2
Escape Artist -4 (+1 Dex - 5 ACP)
Heal -1
Intimidate +12 (+2 Cha + 4 Str + 3 ranks + 3 class skill)
Knowledge(Local) +6 (+1 Int + 2 ranks + 3 class skill)
Perception +12 (-1 Wis + 3 ranks + 3 class skill + 2 racial + 3 Feat + 2 Alertness)
Perform(Act) +8 (+2 Cha + 3 ranks + 3 class skill)
Ride -4 (+1 Dex - 5 ACP)
Sense Motive +6 (-1 Wis + 2 ranks + 3 class skill + 2 Alertness)
Stealth +1 (+1 Dex + 2 ranks + 3 class skill - 5 ACP)
Survival -1
Swim -1 (+4 Str - 5 ACP)

Blade of Mercy (Sarenrae):
You know that within the heart of even the most hateful and cruel living creature exists a sliver of shame and hope for redemption. You have trained long on martial techniques to use bladed weapons not to kill, but to subdue.

Benefit: When striking to inflict nonlethal damage with any slashing weapon, you do not take the normal -4 penalty on your attack roll, and gain a +1 trait bonus to any nonlethal damage you inflict with a slashing weapon.

Westcrown Firebrand:
There’s something very wrong with the world. Spouses were not meant to huddle at their windows hoping and fearing day after day that their loved ones returned from work safely. Parents were not meant to hush their children when questioned about what happened to their neighbors. Citizens were not meant to avert their eyes and hurry by as guardsmen beat old friends in the street. The people of Westcrown have suffered long enough! It’s time for a change. But how? You’ve heard rumors of bands of free-thinking individuals meeting after the citywide curfew. Perhaps they might share your ideals? You are quick to react to opportunity, both physically and mentally, and know that it is with sudden and swift action that many conflicts are best resolved.

Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Initiative checks, and if you act in a surprise round, you gain a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls.

1st: Enforcer
1st (Racial Bonus): SF: Perception
2nd (Rogue Bonus): Intimidating Prowess
3rd: Power Attack

Low-Light Vision: Half-elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Adaptability: Half-elves receive Skill Focus as a bonus feat at 1st level.
Elf Blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities: Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
Keen Senses: Half-elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception skill checks.
Multitalented: Half-elves choose two favored classes at first level and gain +1 hit point or +1 skill point whenever they take a level in either one of those classes.

Sneak Attack: +1d6
Frightening (Ex):Whenever a thug successfully uses Intimidate to demoralize a creature, the duration of the shaken condition is increased by 1 round. In addition, if the target is shaken for 4 or more rounds, the thug can instead decide to make the target frightened for 1 round.
Evasion
Rogue Talent - Strong Impression:
Mutagen (Su):
At 1st level, a mutation warrior discovers how to create a mutagen that he can imbibe in order to heighten his physical prowess at the cost of his personality. This ability functions as the alchemist's mutagen ability.

This ability replaces armor training 1.

Familiar (Ex):
At 1st level, an eldritch guardian gains a familiar, treating his fighter level as his effective wizard level for the purpose of this ability. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 1st level.

Explorer's Outfit
+1 Full Plate
MW Cold Iron Greatsword (400)
MW Alchemical Silver Greatsword (530)
Weapon Cord (0.1)
Dagger (2)
Sling (-)
Silver Unholy Symbol (Asmodeus)
Waterskin (1)

Backpack: (2)
Crowbar (2)
Grappling Hook (1)
100' Hemp Rope (2)
Bedroll (0.1)
Winter Blanket (0.5)
10' Pole (0.05)

Belt Pouch: (1)
MW Thieves' Tools (100)
Flint and Steel (1)
Whetstone (0.02)
Chalk [x3] (0.03)
Sling Bullets [20] (0.2)
Tanglefoot Bag

Coins: 303gp, 1sp, 7cp

The Hellcat Brotherhood is a street gang led by a semi-mysterious figure known as ‘Il Gatto’, for the over-the-top Carnivale mask that he wears at all times. They have several lines of income, notably protection rackets, breaking-and-entering, prostitution rings, and at least one floating fight club, but what they excel at is making unwanted or inconvenient members of society ‘disappear’. Not coincidentally, the slave market is right next door, and there is more than one trader unscrupulous enough to accept a consignment of slaves that need to be shipped out of the city quickly, no questions asked.

The Quarrelsome Imp:
Outwardly a condemned pub, in the Rego Crua, the Quarrelsome Imp is the headquarters of the Hellcat Brotherhood. There is a large central room where rank-and-file members gather to eat, drink, and wench, but the building has other purposes, as well - torture chambers for information extraction, and appraisal rooms for fencing goods.

Gian-Luigi 'Hellstalker' Prominos:
Gian-Luigi is a giant bear of a Tiefling, with swarthy skin, flaming red hair, and purple cats’ eye pupils, whom Byron knows as the chief enforcer of the Hellcat Brotherhood (and Il Gatto’s right hand man), and with whom he has something of a love-hate relationship. Over time, they have grown to respect one another's battle prowess, but their lives outside the Brotherhood could not be more different - whilst Byron mourns what could have been, Gian-Luigi revels in his Fiendish heritage, and spends his life drinking and wenching, when he is not breaking the bones of those who default on payments, or cross the Brotherhood.

As far as Gian-Luigi is concerned, once you join the Brotherhood, they only way to leave it is in a coffin; he most certainly has not forgiven Byron for leaving, and would be quite eager to have a ‘chat’ with him to discuss his failings.

Gian-Luigi specialises in close-quarters fighting, deriving a great deal of pleasure from feeling the terror and pain of his victims; it calls to something deep inside him, a black rage that occasionally scares even him, but which makes him feel so viciously alive whenever it spills forth…

(I imagine Gian-Luigi as being a multiclass Fighter(Brawler) / Barbarian, who uses brass knuckles.)

Fahroni Borgale:
As a Half-Elven male, Fahroni tends to stick-out on the streets of Westcrown. Fortunately for him, however, what he excels at is forgery, and second-storey work. Utilising his keen Elven eyes, he has made a career out of targeting buildings at dusk and dawn, running along a knife’s edge between when the creatures of the night return to their dens, and the daytime guards arise from their beds, replacing priceless objects with cunningly crafted fakes.

Prospero Cimiducci:
Prospero is a middle-aged human of Taldan stock, with balding black hair and pince-nez glasses, who acts as the Brotherhoods primary fence – he has a reputation for being able to move expensive goods quickly and quietly. It is rumoured that he skims a little off the top with each transaction, but so far, Il Gatto has not sent Gian-Luigi to ‘pay a visit’, as he is still quite useful…

Ettore Malpreggia:
A middle-aged human of Taldan stock with greasy blonde hair, a crooked nose (supposedly broken in bar fight, and then poorly set), with a habit of licking his lips when excited, Ettore is the Brotherhood’s man when it comes to dealing in flesh – whether for rent (prostitution), or sale. Rumour suggests that his own tastes turn a little to the… exotic… but if there is any actual evidence of this, he works hard to suppress it.

Alfredo Battista:
A young Taldan male who grew up on the streets, before being ‘adopted’ into the Brotherhood, Alfredo is a low-level operative, primarily responsible for delivering messages, and the occasional package. Possessed of a modicum of intelligence, he understands more than he lets on, but as a rule, manages to keep his mouth shut, although his tongue can be loosened with the suitable application of coin.

Sergeant Mathos:
Sergeant Mathos is a middle-aged Taldan male with salt-and-pepper grey hair, who tends to dress immaculately in a Dottari uniform that has been starched to within an inch of its life, and wears a breastplate polished to an almost mirror-like sheen. Unsurprisingly, he is largely retired from active duty, but still puts in several half-days a week as a drill instructor for the Dottari, trying to knock the greenness out of the new recruits.

However, when he was active on foot patrol, he had more than a few run-ins with Byron, whilst the latter was still a child. Despite his bluster, though, Mathos is a kind soul at heart; he knows that the Dottari have been reduced to little more than a private militia for those wealthy enough to afford it, and he honestly wishes that something could be done about it, but feels that the political inertia that would need to be overcome to do so is more than an old soldier is capable of by himself.

Still, over the years, Mathos has come to grudgingly respect the way the 'Half-Elf wretch' has found a vaguely useful (and moderately legal) way to spend his existence. Whilst not exactly friends, they do meet-up every so often and share a few beers, whilst Mathos 'checks-up' on how Byron is doing...

A small theatre (with room for an audience of a hundred or so) in a rather run-down section of the Rego Pena, The Second Flute nonetheless manages to put on a string of fairly respectable shows, year round; they need to, as the audience has been known to throw substantially more dangerous things than rotten food when they do not like a performance. Byron attends performances when he can, and occasionally moon-lights as a bouncer, so that he can be closer to the actors who provide a spot of calm in his turbulent life.

Filippo, Gavino, and Matteo Pacello:
Three Taldan brothers, all with black hair and brown eyes, who work as stage hands at The Second Flute. The pay is not particularly great, but it is a step-up from dock work, and at least they can watch the performances from the side-lines. Their fondness for spirits has gotten them in trouble more than once, however, and at least once a month, Byron needs to bail them out of their latest bar-brawl.

Nuncio Marinalova:
A huge mountain of a half-orc, Nuncio is very much a gentle giant, and an absolute wizard with a paintbrush, when it comes to set design. Shy, because he knows that his ‘kind’ are somewhat feared by the general populace, he rarely leaves the Flute, relying on the good graces of the other employees to provide him with food, and the raw materials he needs to ply his craft.

Xiomar Falspeth:
This middle-aged Elf has been the conductor at the Flute for the last hundred years or so, and remembers much better times, back when the city was still the capital. However, even though standards collapse all around him, Xiomar refuses to allow his personal fiefdom to deteriorate, treating every performance as if the Empress herself was in attendance, delivering a brilliant musical accompaniment to every production… despite the fact that as the years go by, the theatre gradually deteriorates, and the patrons become rougher, and more impoverished.

Christina Pacci:
An obese, middle-aged Taldan female, Christina is the troupe’s resident Soprano (and behind her back, the troupe’s resident diva). It is not that she is mean-spirited; she just cannot comprehend that others could have an opinion that differs from hers. Still, she has stuck with the troupe, despite its declining fortunes, rather than seeking employment elsewhere.

Umberto Richenza:
Umberto, an intense, middle-aged Taldan male, is the Flute’s director. He is the one responsible for balancing the books, and bringing in fresh plays to attract and titillate the masses. This has been more difficult recently, and the worry from this has been causing him to lose a significant amount of weight. Still, he maintains the illusion that everything is alright, to keep up appearances, and maintain the troupe’s spirits.