Ezmelda O' Dynval
Female half-elf bard 5
CG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +4; Senses low-light vision; Perception +11
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Defense
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AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 shield)
hp 46 (5d8+18)
Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +5; +2 vs. enchantments, +4 vs. bardic performance, language-dependent, and sonic, +2 trait bonus vs. fear
Immune sleep
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Offense
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Speed 35 ft.
Melee +1 rapier +9 (1d6+2/18-20)
Ranged composite shortbow +7 (1d6+1/×3)
Special Attacks bardic performance 22 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate [DC 16], inspire competence +2, inspire courage +2)
Bard Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +9)
. . 2nd (3/day)—glitterdust (DC 16), invisibility, sound burst (DC 16)
. . 1st (5/day)—cure light wounds, grease, hideous laughter (DC 15), silent image (DC 15)
. . 0 (at will)—dancing lights, detect magic, mending, message, prestidigitation, summon instrument
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Statistics
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Str 13, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 18
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Blind-fight, Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Dodge, Extra Performance, Fleet, Lingering Performance[APG], Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perform [sing]), Spellsong[UM], Weapon Focus
Traits courageous, forlorn, poverty-stricken
Skills Acrobatics +14, Appraise +7, Climb +5, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +9, Escape Artist +10, Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +10, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +9, Knowledge (engineering) +5, Knowledge (geography) +9, Knowledge (history) +9, Knowledge (local) +11, Knowledge (nature) +9, Knowledge (nobility) +9, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +9, Linguistics +7, Perception +11, Perform (dance) +11, Perform (sing) +15, Perform (string instruments) +11, Perform (wind instruments) +9, Ride +5, Sleight of Hand +9, Spellcraft +10, Stealth +11, Survival +8, Swim +3, Use Magic Device +8; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, Orc
SQ bardic knowledge +2, elf blood, finesse weapon attack attribute, lore master 1/day, versatile performance (sing)
Combat Gear potion of cure light wounds, holy water; Other Gear +1 leather armor, darkwood buckler, +1 rapier, arrows (20), composite shortbow (+1 Str), boots of elvenkind, fruitful sash, handy haversack, ring of feather falling, bedroll, belt pouch, entertainer's outfit, flint and steel, masterwork Cittern, pot, silk rope (50 ft.), soap, torch (10), trail rations (5), waterskin, 562 gp
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Special Abilities
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Agile Maneuvers Use DEX instead of STR for CMB
Bardic Knowledge +2 (Ex) Add +2 to all knowledge skill checks.
Bardic Performance (standard action, 22 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Blind-Fight Re-roll misses because of concealment, other benefits.
Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deadly Aim -1/+2 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Elf Blood Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Elven Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Finesse Weapon Attack Attribute Finesse weapons use Dexterity on attack rolls.
Lingering Performance Bardic Performances last 2 rds after you stop concentrating.
Lore Master (1/day) (Ex) Can take 10 on any trained knowledge checks. Activate to take 20 as a standard action.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Spellsong Combine spellcasting and bardic performance
Versatile Performance (Singing) +15 (Ex) You may substitute the final value of your Perform: Sing skill for Bluff or Sense Motive checks
Weapon Focus (Light Blades) Choose one weapon group. You become better at using that type of weapon.
Prerequisites: base attack bonus +1.
Benefit: You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using weapons from the selected group. The bonus only applies
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Free Arcane Duelist Archetype Benefits (* Indicates needed level reached):
Arcane duelists gain Arcane Strike as a bonus feat at 1st level. *
Bardic Performance options-
Rallying Cry (Su): At 1st level, an arcane duelist can use performance to rally dispirited allies. Each round he makes an Intimidate check. Any ally (including the bard) within 30 feet may use this check in place of his own saving throw against fear and despair effects. Those already under a fear or despair effect can attempt a new save each round using the bard’s Intimidate check. Rallying cry does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. This is a mind-affecting ability that uses audible components. *
Bladethirst (Su): An arcane duelist of 6th level or higher may use performance to grant one weapon, one natural weapon, one end of a double weapon, or 50 items of ammunition of the same type within 30 feet a +1 enhancement bonus. This enhancement bonus increases by +1 for every three levels after 6th (maximum +5 at 18th level). These bonuses stack with existing bonuses and may be used to increase the item’s enhancement bonus up to +5 or to add any of the following weapon properties: defending, distance, ghost touch, keen, mighty cleaving, returning, shock, shocking burst, seeking, speed, or wounding. If the weapon is not magical, at least a +1 enhancement bonus must be added before adding special abilities.
Mass Bladethirst (Su): An arcane duelist of 18th level or higher can use his bladethirst performance to enhance the weapons of as many allies as desired within 30 feet. The bonus provided by this power is +4 if conferred on two allies, +3 for three allies, +2 for four allies, and +1 for five or more allies. The power granted to each weapon must be identical.
Bonus Feats:
2nd level—Combat Casting*
6th level—Disruptive
10th level—Spellbreaker
14th level—Penetrating Strike
18th level—Greater Penetrating Strike.e allies. The power granted to each weapon must be identical.
Arcane Bond-At 5th level, an arcane duelist gains the arcane bond ability as a wizard, using a weapon as his bonded item. He may not choose a familiar or other type of bonded item. He may use the hand holding his bonded weapon for somatic components.*
Arcane Armor-At 10th level, an arcane duelist gains Medium Armor Proficiency and can cast bard spells in medium armor with no chance of arcane spell failure. At 16th level, he gains Heavy Armor Proficiency and can cast bard spells in heavy armor with no arcane spell failure.
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FLAW: A rock and an Island- During her formative years, Ezmelda had little agency over her life, and this has lead her to being cautious about letting anyone too close. She also resents any sense of obligation others try to instill. This means while she has many admirers, she has few true friends. She’s working on it as she gets older.
Step 1: write five things about your character’s concept and background, five things that you think are the most essential parts of your character. You don’t have to stop at five, if you like…this is just a minimum.
Thing 1) Ezmelda is a bard first and foremost. Her musical talent brings her joy, her skills with magic and rapier keep her alive.
Thing 2) Ezmelda is a half-elf, betwixt and between two races. She leans closer to understanding humans better but still feels out of sync with both despite her social skills.
Thing 3) Despite her flaw, Ezmelda can be surprisingly kind and generous, but at times of her choosing and on her terms. Random Acts of Kindness are often her thing.
Thing 4) Having lost everything more than once, Ezmelda savors the finer things in life when she gets them.
Thing 5) Ezmelda has never spent more than three consecutive years in the same location after her family left Hillsfar in late 1357. She has moved from Hillsfar, to a doomed town whose name is forgotten, to a Sembian City, and then roamed a great deal.
Step 2: List two goals for the character that you, as a player, think would be cool to see accomplished in-game. During any session in which you take positive action to achieve that goal, I will award you an action point that can only be used in scenes furthering that goal. These Action Points are separate from the action points you gain by resting and reaching milestones. You can change goals later, though you lose all the accumulated Action Points for the goal you abandoned.
Goal 1) Ezmelda actually overcomes her flaw enough to form true friendships with at least another party member without flaking and moving on, or finds some NPCs to get a ‘found family’ that she isn’t too scared will go away.
Goal 2) Ezmelda achieves fame as a bard of renown, and creates an original song or two that catches on to outlive her.
Step 3: List two secrets about your character. One is a secret the character knows, one is a secret that involves him but that he is not actually aware of yet. This will help me in creating plots that center around your character. I will also be creating a third secret which you as a player will not be aware of, so expect some surprises!
Secret 1) While still very young, and on their own, Ezmelda had to escape a city hurriedly by boat. She got on, only to see her sister was still on shore. The crew refused to wait, but offered Ezmelda a chance to swim to shore while it was still close to stay with her sister. Ezmelda gave into fear and left her sister on the shore, saving herself. She assumes her sister is dead. Every now and then, Ezmelda has nightmares about her betrayal.
Secret 2) What Ezmelda does not know is that, her sister, Ezmara is not dead. Is Ezmara now a loyal member of the Zhentarim or Cult of the Dragon? Or perhaps a goodly cleric rescued by a kindly priest whose faith she took up? Or just a survivor who is now living an uneventful life as a farmer’s wife? Up to the GM.
Step 4: Describe three people that are tied to the character though blood, romance or honor. Two of them are friendly to the character, one is hostile. All can do something useful for you, if you can get the situations to line up. If you like, you can include an enemy of yours here as well, so I have an instant NPC nemesis to throw at you.
Person 1) (Friendly) Migim Trodnash- No nonhuman was treated well during the Hillsfar purge, but halflings had it worse than others. Migim’s family lost their property and was given no time to prepare before being thrown out of the city. Ezmelda’s father snuck inside their home, and gathered wealth and food before slipping out to find Migim’s family and pass it on. This saved their lives and let them get to a new home. Now grown himself, Migim has an inn in a new area, and is always happy to provide a roof for the daughter of the good man who did the right thing. Ezmelda tells him her father is dead and he doesn’t owe her anything. The halfling disagrees.
Person 2) (Friendly) Glinda Rowanmantle, a Cormyrian noble who is younger than Ezmelda but does not appear so thanks to Ezmelda’s elven blood. Glinda has tried to become a full time Patron to Ezmelda but Ezmelda balks at that sort of obligation. That said, they do enjoy each other’s company from time to time. Both grieve for the loss of Tilverton and it must be said, Glinda is trying to help smaller villages in the area. She has a ‘hunting lodge’ in Thunder Gap, but in truth it’s really just a rustic cabin, little hunting is done.
Person 3) (Hostile) Brodick Culumbar, Cleric of Helm, former member of the Wandering Shepherd Adventuring company, and brief lover. It is said that opposites attract, and perhaps that’s why Ezmelda and Brodick ended up in a romance. She sought a fling, he thought it was more serious. Adventuring together also creates shared burdens and excitement. But as Brodick tried to make more of their relationship than it was, Ezmelda grew a bit worried, then annoyed. Their break up was not amiable, and it contributed to the adventuring company breaking up completely. Brodick is not a bad man, but he is a proud one and Ezmelda pricked that pride. She now has a rule that she doesn’t sleep with anyone in the same adventuring party.
Step 5: Describe three memories that your character has. They don't have to be elaborate, but they should provide some context and flavor.
Memory One) There was the sound of shattered glass, and cries of anguish everywhere. Red plumed soldiers trod through the streets, going door to door. Ezmelda huddled with her sister as the halfling family next door found themselves pulled out in their night clothes and shoved and, if need be, whipped, to depart the city. Their own door was kicked open, and a Red Plume looked at the two girls, close in age, “Got two mongrels here, elf taint” He announced as he looked at them with contempt.
“Focus on the halflings, for tonight,” Another voice called to the soldier, his superior no doubt, “We’ll work our way down the Vermin chain as the Maalthiir directs, but eventually? Eventually this city will be pure.”
The soldier looming over the girls smiled, but there was no kindness in it, “Pure. Which you two brats? Are not.”
Memory Two) It had all gone so terribly terribly wrong. Mother had deserted them, left them for areas in Cormanthor where father wouldn’t be welcome, and half elves not likely to be either. Father insisted she would be back, but father said a lot of foolish things. They had escaped Hillsfar’s hatred, only to find the small town they had tried to make a new life in caught in a cataclysm of spells gone wild. When gods fall, and mystra dies, it is unwise to have it happen on a day where two wizards were doing a working. Magic fire and supernatural sinkholes spread everywhere! Their father yelled “Get to the boats!” when a wall of fire erupted under him and turned him to a burned corpse right there. Ezmara screamed, and then began to blubber...Ezmelda pulled her along, calling out “We have to go, we have to go!” But the town only had so many boats, and there was only so much room. The survivors swarmed the docks. Somehow, Ezmelda lost her sister’s hand by the time she got to a boat, she clambered on, and said “Get on, Ezmara! There won’t be another … “ Only to see her sister calling out “But father , his body… “ She was back in the crowd, lost on shore, starting where their father had been consumed by a still growing wall of fire.
“No more room and we’re leaving NOW,” A sailor yelled, “Off if you want to rejoin your sister!”
Panic filled Ezmelda, then with tears in her eyes, she muttered “go. Just go.” She didn’t want to die. She didn’t want to die even if it meant she’d be alone.
NOW Ezmara turned, confusion on her face, even as the ship took off and then she was lost in the desperate mob, and then… she was lost in fire. Ezmelda sunk into the boat and began to sob, as grim faced men took her far away to safety. They were packed in like small fish in a can, and yet she never felt so lonely… or so guilty.
Memory Three) The old man had scared her at first. So curious as she sang the songs her mother and father had taught her while she worked for her so called foster family. The job of applying bootblack took little skill beyond nimble fingers. Ezmelda was ‘adopted’ so she could be exploited, and she was bright enough to see it. So she sang to pass the time in one of the few forms of slavery allowed in Sembia. The orphanage had been less work than this. But then Dynval the Crooner had happened by.
“You are so young, and yet already your voice shows promise. I am old, and won’t be around much longer. One last apprentice I’m thinking. Care to learn how to be a minstrel?” He looked at the prison of the workshop, “Or would you rather stay with your family?” He stressed the last word with contempt.
“If I go with you, will I be free? Or just your servant?” she inquired.
“I’ll teach you music, lore, and more, and then? “ Dynval grinned, “Why young lady, you’ll know enough to free yourself. We must all earn coin and a life in this world, but if you love music and have the gift and train hard? Then you will sing for your supper, but you’ll be able to pick where you want to eat, eh? There is magic in music, and it is a magic of freedom!”
Ezmelda nodded, “Then let’s go,” Cautiously she added, “I’ll probably run away from you if this takes too long. I do that. I … leave people before they leave me.”
Dynval the Crooner looked at her, tilted his head, then said “Then it’s a race, isn’t it? You milk me for learning, I use you to help my act, and we see if I can die afore you rush off to become some famous bard adventurer or what not. Deal?”
“Deal,” She smiled, taking a liking to the old man after all.
In the end, the Crooner would win the race. He was the closest thing she ever had to a second father.
”Appearance”:
What does your character look like? What kind of gear do they wear or carry? Do they have any remarkable features?
Ezmelda is a half elven half human beauty. From her father she gained a strawberry blonde rather human hair but it has a raven blueblack streak from her moon elf mother. Her eyes are vibrant blue green. She is pale of skin and doesn’t seem to tan, at all. Her build is slender but not stick like, and honed like a dancer and duelist, which makes sense as she is both.
”Personality & Motivation”:
As her flaw and ten minute background indicate, Ezmelda is bravado and confidence wrapped over a heavy layer of distrust and skittishness. She loves attention and praise, but doesn’t trust close friendship. At one time, she was far more selfish than she is now, but that was born of desperate survival. She is definitely a ‘good person’ now, but a flawed one. She bucks at authority presumed, rather than authority chosen, but isn’t a fool looking to spit in the eye of everyone who gives her a directive. She reserves the right to ignore it if it strikes her as stupid though. She’s also kind, generous, and brave in the face of danger.
She’s motivated by a desire to remain free, and make her mark on the realms. She detests slavery in its myriad forms and would be happy to help weaken institutions like debtor prisons and the like. She does want to live lavishly when she can but isn’t spoiled about it. Subconsciously, she does want real friends who will put up with her ‘runaway bride’ attitude about life.
”History”:
As her memories indicate, while around for less than thirty years, Ezmelda has been through a lot. From the take over of Hillsfar by a xenophobic bigot wizard, to the Time of Troubles, and on, Ezmelda has had a youth with a lot of tragedy happening around her and to her. Only once she gained skill in song and rapier, was she able to assert herself against the oncoming dooms, and fittingly, this had lead to a happier life as an adult. She has been part of more than one Adventuring party, but almost always they stayed in the Eastern Heartlands. Even on her own, Ezmelda tends towards the Semi-nomadic. Her favorite locales are High Moon (In Deepingdale), Moontassel (In Tasseldale), Immersea and Arabel (In Cormyr), and Starmantle (Dragon Coast). Sadly, the destruction of Tilverton hit her hard. She loved what it was becoming and she knew many there well.
In her adventures she has already stopped a Zhent slaver plot, killed orcs in the stonelands, and nearly died due to an owlbear attack in the forests of the Dalelands. Indeed, this last gave her a profound respect for what she had seen previously as a ‘silly creature’.
”Allies & Associations”:
With her father Ezra dead, and her believing her sister Ezmara like wise; the only living family she has that she knows of is her elven mother Laltasha. If Ezmelda meets her mother again, her reaction will probably be contempt. Her bardic mentor is long dead but was dear to her so much so that she uses O'Dynval as a surname rather than her true family name. She visits his grave whenever she is in Moontassel. Migim the halfling innkeeper and Glinda Rowanmantle are probably her truest friends but she isn’t always in their areas. Not all her past lovers parted on bad terms. A wizard by name of Dargo Stormbrow and she had a lot of fun when they were adventuring together. Not a lover, but a friend, the dwarven ranger Korza Hillstride might welcome her as a friend, assuming Kozra is not dead from her wanderings. As a bard, Ezmelda has heard of the Harpers, of course, but she’s not sure if she wants to be one even if they’d have her. She loves what they fight for, but she fears she’d chafe at taking orders from any organization. That said, there is more than one Tavern, Inn, and Feast-hall where she is quite the local celebrity.
