Genta's page

Genta is the rightful holder of the Cynama family's estate in the Tandak Plains of Taldor. But Lady Genta never gives any hint of her true birth or station, if she can help it. She only ever mentions her title if it's of some immediate advantage. Calling her by her title otherwise just upsets her.

Lady Genta never expected to inherit from her father, Lord Gelric Cynama of Bushlege in the Tandak Plains. She had two older brothers, Geor and Geccob. (The Ge-names are a family tradition.) All three of brothers are half-elves, for Lord Gelric fell in love with and married a highborn elven lady of Kyonin named Jathal.

Genta never interested herself in politics or affairs of state growing up, and no one encouraged her to, either. Instead, she spent almost all her time reading in the impressive library a previous ancestor assembled in the family manor, and which her father maintained. Her father Gelric and his heir Geor thought she was very odd to do this. They told her that with her natural beauty, she could easy attract and wed a lord of higher station - but not by looking in books! Her brother Geccob, on the other hand, encouraged her to use her mind.

Geccob and Genta were quite close. Unlike Geor, who took his role as future count and things like Taldan pride and family honor very seriously, Geccob was an incorrigible prankster, and he often took his younger sister under his wing in his japes. Geccob also had an unexplained talent for magic, quite odd since there had never been any sorcery in the noble line of Cynama, nor in Jathal’s elven family. Geccob seemed to know where this magic came from, but whenever Genta asked him about it, he never gave a straight answer. He would wink, and make up a ridiculous story on the spot that would be different every time, to make Genta laugh and forget her question. Only later she would realize that the mystery still remained.

When Genta was 16, Lord Gelric Cynama was called to Oppara by the Grand Prince on Senate business. However, Lord Gelric was old and sick, and decided to send his heir Geor to the court instead. Lord Gelric also sent his daughter Genta, against her wishes, wanting her to get out of the library for a change and give her a chance to meet a man. He sent several servants to go with them. He told Geccob to stay home, but as Genta parted from him, he gave her a covert wink.

On their way, they were ambushed by bandits. Geor, foolishly acting the hero, whipped out a falcata and tried to fight them off. He fought well, but the bandits fought dirty, and they cut Geor down. Then it was just Genta and the servants against the bandits. She offered them the gold she was carrying, but, leering, they demanded more. Just then, one of the servants stepped forward and summoned a choking, black fog. In the few moments it afforded them, the servant turned towards Genta and took off his glamour - it was really her brother Geccob, travelling in disguise. Brushing aside Genta's shocked questions, he told her that the spell would not last. “Run for your life!” he warned her. She did, but when she turned back, he wasn’t following her. He just winked and stood there.

Genta just managed to get behind cover of the trees before the smoke cleared, and she heard Geccob exchanging words with the bandits. Not stopping to listen, Genta just kept running. Nearby she found a hole, and took cover there.

Genta was so scared, she didn't even realize she was hiding in a fox den, and there was a silver fox, right next to her. Rather than attacking or running away, the fox just curled up at her feet and went to sleep. Genta dozed off, too. When she woke up it was night, but the silver fox was still there. It followed her as she went back to the road, and saw that her servants and the bandits had all long since gone. The only thing they left behind was the lifeless body of her brother Geor... and her brother Geccob. Genta sat down in the road and wept, but the fox pushed itself beneath her arm consolingly. Still crying, she looked down at the fox. The fox looked back at her, and winked.

It has been 5 years since then. As the Count’s last surviving child, Genta became the heiress to the Cynama estate. But even though she has a healthy Taldan pride, she has no desire to be a proper, respectable lady, nor to attend the Senate in Oppara whenever the Grand Prince decides to call her. So when her father passed away, Genta ran for it. She left a note for her mother explaining her reasons for running away, but she got the idea at the last second to drop a false hint implying that she was heading for KaerMaga. Instead, she hopped a boat for Absalom, thinking of seeking her own fortune by joining the Pathfinder Society. She took with her only a small pouch of coins, and, of course, her fox.

The silver fox has never left her side since that day 5 years ago when Genta became the heir to Bushlege and the Cynama family name. Genta has taken to calling him Renyrd. Also in the time since that day, Genta has begun to discover her own magic power - or rather, hers and Renyrd's. She can sense his emotions and his intelligence, even if she doesn't entirely understand the source of the power she is being granted. She's tried asking Renyrd aloud what this magic is. But Renyrd just winks.

After the Decemvirate permitted Genta to depart Skyreach, she flew across the night sky straight for her apartment above Silver Fox Books. She cradled her silver fox familiar, Renyrd, in her hands. Something was wrong with him. Ever since being in the Decemvirate's inner sanctum, Renyrd had been glowing with a dangerous yellow light. He seemed unwilling or unable to open his mouth, but Genta could sense a sharp sense of urgency from him.

Genta suspected the worst. After all, foxes don't normally live that long, and she'd been with Renyrd for many years, ever since her older brother Geccob sacrificed himself to save her from bandits. Or, at least, he seemed to sacrifice himself. The man had prodigious magic powers. It was right after losing Geccob that Genta first encountered the silver fox in a cave, and started to bond with it. Maybe it was for that reason that Genta had always considered Renyrd a sort of extension of her older brother and protector. They even shared the same habit of winking to emphasize important moments.

Then again, Renyrd was mentally bonded with Genta, too. Perhaps he had only picked up the winking from Genta's memories of her brother... a kind of wishful thinking on her part.

Genta arrived at the bookstore. Renyrd glowed more intensely now, and he seemed to have trouble keeping his eyes open. Was this the end? Had Renyrd absorbed too much magic in that final fight?

Not bothering to go upstairs to the apartment, Genta set Renyrd down softly on the floor. The fox just lay there. He was breathing, yes, but very softly now, and only through his nose. Genta stroked him softly while she mentally raced through her book collection to try and think of a reference that might shine some light on the situation. But nothing was coming to mind. Her own magic was all but exhausted from the day's long adventure.

Genta couldn't bear the idea of losing Renyrd. It would be like losing her brother all over again. She closed her eyes and whispered a silent prayer. "Calistria... Geccob... anybody. Please, help."

Genta opened her eyes. Nothing had changed. There wasn't much that could be expected from the Calistria, fickle as that goddess was, but Genta wished Geccob's spirit could guide her now, like he used to when she had been a little girl and he had encouraged and protected her. Geccob was the only one in the family to see more in Genta than the potential for another political marriage. He must have known she had magical talent inside, like him. Though, come to think of it, Geccob clearly wasn't a witch, like Genta was. He had no familiar spirit to store his magic. He could not have been a sorcerer, because he and Genta shared the same bloodline, and Genta knew for certain that her magic was not in the blood. Nor could he have been a wizard, as he had no spellbook. (Genta knew every book in the house by the time she was a teenager.) As a little girl, Genta had not the knowledge of spellcraft to tell one type of magic from another. But now, thinking back... Geccob's magic wasn't very much like arcane magic at all. Could he have been... not a cleric, no holy symbol... an oracle?

Renyrd whimpered and opened his eyes to look up at Genta. His eyes pled for... something. If only Renyrd would speak to her, like he normally did! If only he would even open his mouth!

Genta knelt down and gently examined the fox's jaw. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with it, except... "What do you have in your mouth?" Genta asked. She felt the side of his cheek, which was bulging. Maybe if he couldn't open his mouth, she could open it for him. Carefully, Genta stuck her fingers between the fox's lips, and started to pull.

Something exploded. The force threw Genta back five feet, onto her back. She quickly sat up. Renyrd's mouth opened wide, and an enormous cloud of crackling golden electricity was spilling out of it. The electricity formed itself into an oversized humanoid shape, at least 11 feet tall.

"C...Calistria?" asked Genta, in awe.

The shape chuckled and shook its head. In a few moments, it had solidified, changing from crackling energy to an actual giant human, a woman with flowing silver hair and golden skin.

Renyrd yipped weakly at the sight of her.

"I am not Calistria," said the being. "I am the thief who robs thieves, the liar who deceives liars, the one who corrupts the souls of the already corrupt." The being smiled. "I knew your brother."

Genta bowed her head. "Geccob... I always assumed he was my patron, the reason for my powers. But all along... it was you?"

"It was and it was not," the being said with a light chuckle. "I operated through him, at first. When he sacrificed himself for you, I joined my power to his, and in the body of a simple fox, created the means for you to fulfill his quest. I trust you have it?"

"I don't..."

But Renyrd, his mouth still open, howled softly, drawing Genta's attention. The energy no longer poured out of his mouth, but a glint of gold still shone at the back of his throat. Carefully, Genta pulled it out. The thing was a curved half-circle of gold, patterned with runes, inlaid with strange gemstones Genta had never seen. It looked like part of a crown. And its magical aura was so bright it nearly blinded her. "Where did you get this?" Genta said in amazement.

"From the inner sanctum," rasped Renyrd. Wearily, the fox winked at his mistress. Genta hugged him.

"Ah, yes, that's it," said the giant golden being. From somewhere Genta could not see, the being withdrew an identical item. The other half of the crown. "It belongs to me. See, I have the other half. Return the rest of it to me, and your brother's vow will be fulfilled." It extended its hand to collect Genta's half. But Genta didn't move.

"I don't know if I should trust you. These runes," Genta turned her half of the crown over in her hands. "I recognize the writing. It's Infernal, the devils' tongue. I can read the name. It says Archd-"

"Stop!" said the entity in a booming voice. "Do not say his name aloud!" The entity paused, then it smiled. "Well played. You have learned much, it seems."

"So this doesn't belong to you?" Genta asked, with a sly grin.

"No. This belongs to an Archduke of Hell. I am his foe." The being raised the other half-circle of gold. "Another servant of mine recovered this for me a year ago, from a ruin in the River Kingdoms called the Emerald Spire. Of course, he did not know it was I he was serving."

Genta stared at the being, then at Renyrd. Suddenly, it all clicked. "You are my patron," Genta said. "An angel of deception. A solar, if I remember my Summa Sacrae Celestiae. But I've never heard of an angel who lies before."

"I wouldn't be a very good angel of deception if you had. But you are right, Genta. My name is Shekriel." Genta knew for certain that was not the angel's true name, but she did not interrupt. "I stand for the persecuted ones who must lie to survive, the undercover spies who infiltrate villainous cabals. I use the powers of evil ones against them. My servant in the River Kingdoms was an abusive con artist who exploited the people who followed his supposed religious teachings in the name of Sarenrae. I granted him true divine power, allowing him to think I was the Dawnflower, but only permitted him to use it for the benefit of others. As for you... I trusted you with a bit more freedom. But if you had known that your ultimate mission all along was to steal an artifact from the Decemvirate's inner sanctum, well. Let's just say I could no longer be quite so sure of your loyalty."

"But you used Renyrd, in the end," Genta said.

"It's not my fault, she made me do it," Renyrd said in protest, nodding at the angel.

Shekriel laughed. "True. Once I have completed the crown, then by the laws of Hell, I will inherit all of the Infernal Archduke's powers. I will rule a subcircle of Hell. And just in time, too, for their influence is already starting to spread in your land. But think of what chaos I could unleash upon their plans, to be an angel ruling over devils!"

Genta laughed, too. She handed over the half-crown, thinking what Ksarress would say to this plan. Shekriel took Genta's half in her right hand, and held the other half with her left. Slowly, the angel brought the two halves together. Genta shielded her eyes, in case the artifact's fusion released another flash of electricity. But, no. They clinked as the angel pressed them together, but soon fell apart again.

"This... should not be," said the angel. She held the pieces together and frowned at them. "Something is missing."

Genta examined the crown closely. "You're right. See that depression in the middle? There's supposed to be something to connect them."

"The Crown Jewel." Shekriel sighed. "Curses. I had hoped it would be on your half. That means there's still one piece left to find before my coup is complete."

"What does it look like? Maybe I can help you find it!" Genta said, trying to stay cheerful. But the angel shook her head.

"I don't know. And you will not be the one to find it. Your destiny lies along a different path now." Shekriel smiled. "Worry not, dear Genta. I see great things ahead for you. You shall become a mentor to many Pathfinders, and your deeds will continue to be read about for years yet to come." Three sets of wings unfurled from their hiding places as the angel withdraw towards a window. "But you will not find the Infernal Archduke's Crown Jewel. That will be a job for..."

Genta waited. The angel seemed to have frozen in place. "A job for...?"

"I just remembered something. I did promise you a reward." Shekriel turned around and started to rub her hands together.

"You did?" Genta looked surprised. "I don't remember that."

"Not you." The angel closed her brilliant eyes and spoke a powerful incantation. Then she opened her eyes. "There we go. And now, farewell!" Clutching the two pieces of the golden crown in her hand, the angel flew off into the night as a flash of yellow lightning up into the heavens. She was gone.

Genta stared after her in amazement. "...Gods. Did that really just happen? I can't believe it. And what was that about a reward?" She turned to smile at Renyrd, her familiar fox. Only Renyrd wasn't a fox anymore.

http://paizo.com/people/Renyrd