Animal Companion: Tiger--Daniel-ST 14 DX 18 CN 13 INT 3 WIS 15 CHA 10; AC 19,T14,FF15, HP 27/27; Fort+5, Ref+8*, Will+5; Speed 40'; BAB +3, CMB +5, CMD 19(+4 v.trips); Attacks: Bite+5(1d6+2+PA), Claw+5(1d4+2+PA), Claw+5(1d4+2+PA); Special:Rake(2 claws,+5,1d4,grappled only), low-light vision, scent; Skills: Acrobaticsx1+8, Intimidatex2+5, Perceptionx1+6, Survivalx1+6; Feats: Lt Armor Proficiency, Iron Will, Power Attack(-1/+2); Tricks: AttackX2, Flank, Defend, Guard, Seek, Down, Heel, Aid, Intimidate, Track- Lvl4=Link, Share spells, Evasion*, +1Int
Equipment: Leather armor barding (+2AC, 20#)
Background:
You might not know it to look at her, but Dura is descended from nobility. Her mother's family has occupied land in Versex for centuries. Her grandfather, Galt, often told her how their family was one of the first to sign up for the Shining Crusade, eager to throw off the yoke of immortal tyranny. Growing up on an estate outside of Rozenport, Dura led a sheltered, if somewhat spoiled life, learning what was expected of her as a young noble and a soon to be heir. That all changed when she was 14.
It started with a growth spurt, not uncommon among her kin. She grew tall and broad and was clearly becoming a breath-taking young lady. But then her curse showed up. Her parents were horrified and did what they could to hide her from view, to cover their shame. Her father was a superstitious man and believed they had been bewitched by one of the other noble families, possibly jealous of their holdings. He relentlessly sought information on their neighbors, hoping to ferret out ehe guilty party, growing more paranoid as the years went by.
The only one who paid her any attention during those days was her grandfather. Galt understood that though she had been cursed, she had also been gifted with unusual abilities. While it isn't unusual for a young person to talk to their pets, it seemed like they actually listened to her, and responded approriately. She was able to work magic without having any formal training. And it seemed that when the moonlight struck her, she would glow. Though he hated to do it, Galt knew that she needed to be sent far from her home to learn about her abilities. Late one night, Galt gathered up what supplies he could and secreted her away. He made arrangement to send her off to Lepidstadt. There he believed she would be able to thrive and come into her own.
Dura used the funds that Galt gave her to enroll at the University. It was there that she met Lorrimor. Apparently, he was very interested in those individuals who showed magical abilities gifted by the gods and they spoke at lengths about his various hypotheses on who was chosen and why. It was also where she met Kendra. Lorrimor's daughter and she were of similar age and became fast friends. Although Kendra didn't spend much time in Lepidstadt, Dura always looked forward to the time they would spend together. Dura was heart-broken to hear that this kindly old man, and her best friend's father, had died and rushed to Ravengro as quickly as she could for the funeral and to help poor Kendra.
Appearance:
Dura is nearly 6 feet tall with broad shoulders and bright red hair. She's somewhat shy around strangers, but very charming once she begins speaking. It's clear to anyone who watches her that she struggles sometimes to stay calm. When she becomes agitated, her speech breaks down into a series of growls and whines. She is rarely far from her tiger, Daniel, whom she rescued from a traveling circus in Lepidstadt.
Future Plans:
Basically, Dura will stick with Oracle. The Lunar mystery has some pretty solid revelations that are very flavorful for Ustalav. It might be worth it at some point to dip a level of fighter or 2 levels of paladin for the various bonuses that each provide. Between her and her pet, she's a pretty good secondary combatant, along with individual and group buffing abilities, and some healing to boot.
