Garrak Tharn's page

About Garrak Tharn

Garrak Tharn
Half Orc Brawler(Shield Champion)/Fighter (Shield Fighter) 3
NG Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +2; Senses Perception +7
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Defense
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AC 22(24), T 13(15), FF 19 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, 3 shield, 1 dodge (3 dodge), 1 enhancement (shield), 1 enhancement (armor))
HP 39 (3d10+9)
Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +2
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.

Melee Spiked Serrated Shield +8, 1d8+5, 19-20x2
Melee Guantlet +8 1d6+5, 20x2
Melee Longsword +7 1d8+4, 19-20x2
Ranged Thrown Shield +6 1d6+4, 20x2

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Statistics
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Str 19, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 10
Base Atk +3; CMB +7; CMD 19
Feats Combat Expertise, Dodge, Improved Shield Bash, Power Attack, Shield Focus
Traits Heavy Hitter, Shield Bearer, Threatening Defender, Drawback Family Ties.
Skills (ACP -1) Acrobatics (1) 6, Climb (1) 8, Intimidate (3) 8, Knowledge Local (3) 8, Perception (3) 7, Perform (Oratory) 7, Profession (Guard) (3) 7, Sense Motive (2) 6, Swim (1) 8, Survival (1) 5
Languages Common, Orc
SQ Active Defense, Bravery, Brawler's Cunning, Brawler's Flurry, Martial Flexibility, Martial Training, Throw Shield, Unarmed Strike
Other Gear +1 Chain Shirt, +1 Spiked Serrated Shield, Masterwork Gauntlet, Fighter's Kit, Masterwork Backpack, Masterwork Manacles, Skeleton Key, Grappling Hook, Crowbar, Tome of Epics, Journal 33gp

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Special Abilities:
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Active Defense: At 3rd level, a shielded fighter gains a +1 dodge bonus to AC when wielding a shield and fighting defensively, using Combat Expertise, or using total defense. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 3rd. As a swift action, he may share this bonus with one adjacent ally, or half of the bonus (minimum +0) with all adjacent allies, until the beginning of his next turn.
Bravery: Starting at 2nd level, a fighter gains a +1 bonus on Will saves against fear. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels beyond 2nd.
Brawler's Cunning: If the brawler's Intelligence score is less than 13, it counts as 13 for the purpose of meeting the prerequisites of combat feats.
Brawler's Flurry: TWF on unarmed and close weapon attacks. Full strength for all attacks. ITWF at 8th, GTWF at 15th.
Martial Flexibility: A brawler can take a move action to gain the benefit of a combat feat she doesn't possess. This effect lasts for 1 minute. The brawler must meet all the feat's prerequisites. She may use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + 1/2 her brawler level (minimum 1). Number of Combat feats increases at 6 and 10
Martial Training: At 1st level, a brawler counts her total brawler levels as both fighter levels and monk levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats. She also counts as both a fighter and a monk for feats and magic items that have different effects based on whether the character has levels in those classes (such as Stunning Fist and a monk's robe). This ability does not automatically grant feats normally granted to fighters and monks based on class level, namely Stunning Fist.
Throw Shield:At 3rd level, a shield champion can throw a medium or light shield as a normal (non-improvised) thrown weapon with a range increment of 10 feet or the shield's range increment, whichever is greater. The thrown shield deals the same damage as a shield bash, and any damage increases from shield spikes apply to this attack. A shield champion is treated as having the Far Shot feat for the purpose of determining range increment penalties for throwing a shield.
Unarmed Strike: Imp Unarmed Strike and die size increases.

Traits: Threatening Defender (Reduces Penalty of Combat Expertise by one), Shield Bearer +1 to shield bash damage and 1/day, give adjacent ally +2 to AC as free action, Heavy Hitter +1 to unarmed damage, Drawback: Family Ties When a family member makes a request of you, you must fulfill that request or take a –2 penalty on all Wisdom- and Charisma-based ability checks and skill checks until you either do what was requested or succeed at a DC 20 Will saving throw, which you can attempt once per day at the start of each day. You can’t take this drawback if you have no family. If you ever lose your family or lose contact with your family, exchange this drawback for the Doubt drawback.

Feats:
Combat Expertise: Take -1 on attack for +1 AC. -1 Attack and +1 AC for every 4 bab. Penalty reduced by Threatening Defender.
Dodge:+1 dodge to AC
Improved Shield Bash: Does not lose shield bonus when performing a shield bash
Power Attack: -1 attack,+2 damage. -1,+2 for every 4 bab
Shield Focus: +1 shield bonus to AC

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Backstory
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Garrak grew up with his large family in the Garrison District, the son of a seamstress and a guard captain. As a child, he was always regaled with tales of heroics and stories from his father's experiences as a guard, always exaggerated to the point of absurdity. And being a kid, he would retell these stories to everyone, whether or not they listened. When people would tell him that the stories couldn't possibly be true, he had but one reaction. Punch them. Which, of course, got him into a lot of fights. He truly tried to live up to those stories and he would always try to protect people. Which got him into more fights.

But then, at the age of 14, his father died in the line of duty. And with him being the eldest and the family being as large as it was, it was up to Garrak to pick up the slack. At first, he found work in the fields, but that didn't pay enough for the family to survive on. So he started fighting in underground rings, making bets on himself to make some money on the side. He managed to make a bit of a name for himself, but eventually he started getting too greedy with the bets. The gang that was running it took notice, and they didn't like one of their fighters making that much money. It affected their bottom line and they wanted it back. They gave him an option. Work for them, or lose his hands. So he started working for them.

They started him out as hired muscle. Mainly just stand there and look threatening. After awhile, they started using him as an enforcer, sending out to collect on debts, some times "persuading" them to pay it back in a timely fashion. He hated every second of it. It was against everything his father stood for. Eventually, he did work off his debt and his younger siblings grew old enough to help the family on their own. He got out of the business and applied to be a guard.

And for the next few years, that's what he did. It seemed that his life was going well. His family was taken care of, he was able to be independent, and he was following in his father's foot steps. Until, that is, he got caught up in the wrong case at the wrong time.

While working his beat on evening, he noticed something odd. A cart was traveling in the middle of the night with some hired muscle. He followed them for a while, discretely, and managed to follow them to too a warehouse filled with recently arrived goods. He saw two of the guard posted there opening it up. The group of thugs went inside and came out with several crates and one of the thugs handed the guard a bag full of coins. Garrak tried to get in for a closer look in order to get their faces, but he managed to kick a pebble toward them, alerting them to his presence. The thugs took after him, but Garrak managed to narrowly escape.

The next day Garrak went in to report the incident to his immeadiate superior, but oddly enough, the he told Garrak to drop it and that he would investigate the matter himself. But nothing seemed to come of it. Whenever Garrak would ask about it, he would just get the run around. Knowing that something illegal was going on and that nothing was being done, Garrak couldn't leave it alone set out to investigate the matter himself. For a few weeks, he followed leads in his off time, keeping detailed notes under his floorboards, and he eventually tracked the shipments down to one of his old gang mates, one Jarn Maks. It seems like now Maks was now into smuggling counterfeit coin, anti magic devices, and whatever artifacts people wanted to quietly come into the city. And a few of the guard were being paid off to let the operation happen unmolested. Garrak worked to build up a case against the operation and the guards involved, but his questions manged to tip Maks off. Maks came to Garrak as an old friend and made him an offer. Take some payoff, or be dealt with.

Garrak refused and took the case to the Captain. Or tried to at least. Garrak came home to find the guard ransacking his home. It seems that an anonymous tipster told the guard that one of their own was a thief and that they would find stolen goods under the floorboards. It seems that Garrak was screwed. He was taken away, but instead of being arrested, he was brought to the Captain. Out of respect for Garrak's father and not wanting the scandal, Garrak was told that he should resign rather than be tried as a thief. Seeing no better option, Garrak left the guard.

Jobless once more, but not wanting to work for the criminal element ever again, Garrak went to the Agency. He had heard about them as a guard, seen them in action as a hired thug, and now he figured that they did enough good in the city that he could work for them. But doing work of this nature has taken it's toll. He has lost some faith in the rule of law and the ideals of his father. After a year working in the agency, he has become a bit more mercenary in how he acts.

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Appearance and Personality
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Garrak is tall, hulking, and hard looking, but he is friendly to those he knows well. Like his father, he has a propensity for telling tall tales, but when he gets to business, he is as serious as they come. He his close to his family and he still lives with them. Currently he has 6 brothers and sisters and 4 nieces and nephews. He bears the shield of his father. It is battered and beaten, but it is exceedingly well made. Garrak has a story for every mark and dent, some from his father's stories, and some from his own, which he'll tell you all about if you get him drunk enough or you happen to be one of his nieces or nephews. He has a strong sense of justice and it pains him to break his code, but he will break the rules if it serves a higher good or to protect those he loves. He is more than a little bitter about leaving the guard, and he has lost faith in the legal system and how the city is run.

His shield's name is Carapace and is of Orc make. Garrak inherited the shield from his father, who inherited it from his father and so on. Garrak isn't sure of it's origins or it's age, but his father passed down many stories of it's deeds. It appears much like a turtle's shell, with overlapping black metal plates over a disk. These plates extend out from the shield to flat points angled toward the bottom of the shield, making the edge sharp and serrated except the part that rests on his arm, as well as giving the shield spikes. The solid part shield itself is circular, but the extension of the plates give it a tapered appearance. He uses his shield as his main weapon, wearing over his right arm. On his left, he wears a wicked looking metal gauntlet extending to his elbow. Thought the guard trained him in heavy armor, his training as a brawler has told him that mobility is key. Instead, he wears a chain shirt, giving him the flexibility he needs to duck and weave around the battlefield.

His orc heritage is fairly distant, with his extend family being human or half orc. As such, his orc features are fairly muted. His skin only has a tinge of grey and his tusks only slightly protrude past his lip. His orc features really come in, however, with his frame, hulking and heavily muscled. His eyes are hazel and his hair and beard is a deep dark red-brown color.