About Castor Varga
Castor Varga never new his father. According to his mother, he was some noble lord who would be back one day to take them away from their life of misery and squalor. In truth, Castor imagines, he was some poor dirt farmer who fled the first time he saw the truth of Castor's heritage. The boy could pass for full-human well enough most of the time, but some times, when he was exceedingly pleased with himself, his smile would become unsettlingly wide.
Growing up on the streets of Daveryn's Cliffward district when it wasn't such a nice part of town, Castor quickly discovered he had a knack for separating fools from their gold. Weaving falsehoods and spinning tall tales came to him almost as naturally as breath. If only he'd picked his most recent mark better. The man had been a fool, sure enough, but Castor had underestimated his pride and, more importantly, his station. Was it really Castor's fault a cousin of the king doesn't better inspect his investments? Castor didn't think so, but his accuser and the Knights of Alerion seemed to disagree. Thus, Castor finds himself in Branderscar awaiting a life of hard labor in the salt mines. Honestly, a complete waste of his talents if anyone were to ask him...
CASTOR VARGA
Rakshasa-Spawn Tiefling (Brazen Deceiver) Bard 2
NE Medium humanoid (human) / outsider (native)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +3
DEFENSE
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AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 10 (+4 Dex)
hp 19 (2d8, +4 Con, +2 FCB)
Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +1
OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +1 (1d6+1)
Ranged —
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Spell-like Abilities
1/day—detect thoughts (DC 17)
Bard Spells Known (CL 2nd; concentration +7)
¤ Cantrips (at will)—bleed, dancing lights, detect magic, ghost sound (DC 15), mage hand, prestidigitation, touch of fatigue (DC 15)
¤ 1st level (2/day)—charm person (DC 16), silent image (DC 16), vanish
STATISTICS
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Str 11, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 15, Wis 6, Cha 20
Base Atk +1; CMB +1; CMD 15
Crime Fraud
Traits Resilient
Feats Improved Initiative, Spellsong
Skills Appraise +6 [1], Bluff +13 [2], Diplomacy +10 [2], Escape Artist +8 [1], Knowledge (local) +7 [2], Perception +3 [2], Perform (oratory) +10 [2], Sense Motive +5 [2], Sleight of Hand +9 [2], Stealth +10 [2], Use Magic Device +10 [2]
Languages Common, Elven, Infernal
SQ beastbrood, pass for human
Combat Gear — [— lbs.]; Other Gear — [— lbs.]
Wealth —
SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Shameless Scoundrel (Ex): A brazen deceiver adds half his level (minimum +1) on Bluff, Disguise, and Stealth checks.
Bardic Performance: A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.
Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.
Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both.
If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description). A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.
If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
Deceptive Tale (Su): A brazen deceiver learns the deceptive tale bardic performance, allowing him to weave magic into his lies and imbue the most fantastic claims with the appearance of truth. While the brazen deceiver maintains this performance, he takes half the normal penalty on Bluff checks for unlikely lies (rounding down to -2). At 5th level, this effect also applies to Bluff checks for far-fetched lies, and at 11th level, it applies to Bluff checks for impossible lies. Deceptive tale relies on audible components.
Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The Distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents the ability from working. For every three levels a bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability. Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature’s saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect. Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.
Inspire Courage (Su): A 1st level bard can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the bard’s performance. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
Blatant Subtlety (Ex): At 2nd level, a brazen deceiver has mastered the art of using magic without being detected. The brazen deceiver gains Spellsong as a bonus feat. Observers do not automatically recognize his bardic performances as anything other than ordinary speech or performance. Those specifically looking for abnormal effects must succeed at a Sense Motive check (DC = 10 + half the brazen deceiver’s bard level + the brazen deceiver’s Charisma modifier) to detect his performances.
