Jasper Krail's page

When he was merely eight in Kyonin, he remembered riding in trading caravans with his parents. His father, Elko, a human artisan eking out a living with his Elven wife, Nama, provided them with a stable existence. However, his wares’ sales waned one season, so he had to make farther and farther ventures to reach buyers. Though it escaped his mind due to his youth, Jasper remembered traveling to a town known for its business – and thievery. While the goods were perfectly fine one night, Jasper was not; out of his parents’ eyes for just a minute, he blacked out.

Awakening, he found himself in a caravan – but it was not his own. A human child was next to him, awakening then as well. Their terror built upon itself, and they started to cry uncontrollably. From an entrance in the front, a figure in a dark gray robe with a hood held them each up by one hand. “Quiet, brats, or do I need to put you out again?!” They could see the club fastened by his belt. Though still sobbing, they stopped wailing, and the man dropped them, heading back to the front, a drape covering his passage.

The caravan was covered, though there were holes in the sides. The children peered out, realizing the ground actually looked rather lush. Talking things over between sobs, Jasper and the other boy – Brennel – decided they had to escape to find their parents. Brennel’s situation was much like Jasper’s; though he showed only human lineage, the boy had come with his father on a trading trip.

The boys decided to take their chance. Grabbing a knife sitting atop one of the crates littering their wagon, Brennel split open the covering on the side. When it was large enough a hole for them to slip through, he jumped. Jasper was terrified, but he followed suit moments later. The fall was long for them at their age, but no bones were broken. Fortunately, they were the last cart of the caravan – there were a handful of others in front of them though.

Seeing a rather inviting-looking town, the boys took off towards it. Not as close as it seemed, the town took them a few hours to reach, the sun well setting by the time they reached the gates. Not yet closed, the guard still asked the young children what they were doing alone. After their story, he entered the town with them and shut the gates. Arriving at what they would later learn to be a widow’s market, the man knocked on the door and had them recount their story to her before returning to his post. She took them in.

That would be the beginning of the two brothers of circumstance. Their surrogate mother, Syreena, explained to them they had probably been kidnapped from their parents and were now in the hamlet of Mulberry End. With limited knowledge of where they were from and no knowledge of the planes, the boys were essentially stranded. The woman’s husband had been gored to death in a hunting accident a few years ago. Their losses brought the three together. After a few seasons, the memories of their past began to wane.

Over the next 20 years, Jasper developed into a beautifully talented young man while Brennel grew into an emerging adult with an impressive physique. His muscles not only earned him the respect of the town guards and hired hands, but they also got him Jasper’s jealousy. Brennel was bigger and stronger, getting the attention of many girls at a glance. He never stayed with any for long. Jasper, on the other hand, was a very romantic young man. His Elven heritage gave him an effeminate overtone – not popular in the town. His skilled voice and dance did gain some attention, but the envy prevailed.

During that time, despite his convivial nature, sometimes peace could only be found in solitude. To this end, Jasper liked to swim, and he often spent many afternoons - when not working at The Rusty Scythe - in the river. On one miraculous afternoon, he found while floating the water seemed to be flowing beyond what was normal for his movements. After a few trials, it seemed his will and rhythmic movements alone were enough to cause this supernatural force. After researching the change to the extent he could, Jasper concluded he had some latent magical power all his own. Delighted to have a positive surprise in his life for once, he mastered a few cantrips and furthered his manipulation with water.

Rivals though they were, Brennan and Jasper were still as family, and the human was pleased to see his foster-sibling happy with something. It made his job at the inn easier so he had more time to focus on performing, and the cold-shoulders in the town began to melt somewhat.

Unforunately, history has a way of repeating itself; slavers also likely capable slaves....

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% change 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.

List of Bardic Performances:

Countersong (Su): At 1st level, a bard learns to counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components.) Each round of the countersong he makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the countersong is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous sonic or language-dependent magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it hears the countersong, but it must use the bard's Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.

Distraction (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the Distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the bard’s Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform check result proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the Distraction is already under the effect of a non-instantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the Distraction, but it must use the bard’s Perform check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don’t allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.

Waterstrike (Su):T he watersinger can spend 1 round of bardic performance to command any water he is currently manipulating with his watersong performance to lash out and strike an opponent with a slam attack. The watersinger uses his base attack bonus and Charisma bonus to make this attack, and deals 1d6 points of bludgeoning damage plus his Charisma bonus. The attack can originate from any square of water the bard is manipulating, and the water can get a flanking bonus or help a combatant get one, but cannot make attacks of opportunity. The water can make multiple attacks per round if your base attack bonus allows you to do so. At 10th level, the water's slam damage increases to 1d8 points and the water gains a reach of 10 feet. At 15th level, the water's slam damage increases to 2d6 points. At 20th level, the water's slam damage increases to 2d8 points.

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.

Watersong (Su): At 1st level, a watersinger can use bardic performance to manipulate and control the shape of water within 30 feet. A successful Perform check allows the bard to animate and control a 5-foot-cube of water. The watersinger can command the water to take various forms, bend, rise, fall, or sustain a shape, and can make it support weight as if it were solid ice. For example, the watersinger could create a pillar of water (to provide cover), ladder, channel, bridge, stairs, slide, and so on. The manipulated water is as slippery as normal ice. This ability cannot create forms more fragile or complex than what could be carved in normal ice. While under the bard's control, the water has hardness 0 and 3 hit points per inch of thickness. At level 3, the manipulated water gains hardness 1, and this increases by +1 for every 3 bard levels beyond that. At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, the volume affected increases by an additional 5-foot cube (these cubes must be adjacent to each other). The manipulated water retains its shape for 1 round after the bard stops spending bardic performance rounds to maintain it.

Lifewater (Sp): Lifewater (Su): At 5th level, the watersinger can spend 1 round of bardic performance as a standard action to manipulate the water, blood, and other fluids within a creature's body, causing the target to become sickened for 1d4 rounds. Alternatively, he may use this ability to attempt a reposition combat maneuver, using his base attack bonus and his Charisma modifier as his CMB. This ability has a range of 30 feet, only works on creatures whose bodies contain fluid, and does not affect creatures that are immune to critical hits.

Dirge of Doom (Su): A bard of 8th level or higher can use his performance to foster a sense of growing dread in his enemies, causing them to take become shaken. To be affected, an enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard's performance. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 30 feet and the bard continues the performance. The performance cannot cause a creature to become frightened or panicked, even if the targets are already shaken from another effect. Dirge of doom is a mind-affecting fear effect, and it relies on audible and visual components.

Inspire Greatness (Su): A bard of 9th level or higher can use his performance to inspire greatness in himself or a single willing ally within 30 feet, granting extra fighting capability. For every three levels a bard attains beyond 9th, he can target one additional ally while using this performance (up to a maximum of four at 18th level). To inspire greatness, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the bard. A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves. The bonus Hit Dice count as regular Hit Dice for determining the effect of spells that are Hit Dice dependent. Inspire greatness is a mind-affecting ability and it relies on audible and visual components.

Soothing Performance (Su): A bard of 12th level or higher can use his performance to create an effect equivalent to the mass cure serious wounds, using the bard's level as the caster level. In addition, this performance removes the fatigued, sickened, and shaken condition from all those affected. Using this ability requires 4 continuous performance, and the targets must be able to see and hear the bard throughout the performance. Soothing performance relies on audible and visual components.

Frightening Tune (Sp): A bard of 14th level or higher can use his performance to cause fear in his enemies. To be affected, an enemy must be able to hear the bard perform and be within 30 feet. Each enemy within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard’s level + the bard’s Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If the save succeeds, the creature is immune to this ability for 24 hours. If the save fails, the target becomes frightened and flees for as long as the target can hear the bard's performance. Frightening tune relies on audible components.

Inspire Heroics (Su): A bard of 15th level or higher can inspire tremendous heroism in himself or a single ally within 30 feet. For every three bard levels the character attains beyond 15th, he can inspire heroics in one additional creature. To inspire heroics, all of the targets must be able to see and hear the bard. Inspired creatures gain a +4 morale bonus on saving throws and a +4 dodge bonus to AC. The effect lasts for as long as the targets are able to witness the performance. Inspire heroics is a mind-affecting ability that relies on audible and visual components.

Deadly Performance (Su): A bard of 20th level or higher can use his performance to cause one enemy to die from joy or sorrow. To be affected, the target must be able to see and hear the bard perform for 1 full round and be within 30 feet. The target 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 target is staggered for 1d4 rounds, and the bard cannot use deadly performance on that creature again for 24 hours. If a creature's saving throw fails, it dies. Deadly performance is a mind-effecting death effect that relies on audible and visual components.

The types of Perform and their associated skills are: Act (Bluff, Disguise), Comedy (Bluff, Intimidate), Dance (Acrobatics, Fly), Keyboard Instruments (Diplomacy, Intimidate), Oratory (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), Percussion (Handle Animal, Intimidate), Sing (Bluff, Sense Motive), String (Bluff, Diplomacy), and Wind (Diplomacy, Handle Animal).

Awakening, he found himself in a caravan – but it was not his own. A human child was next to him, awakening then as well. Their terror built upon itself, and they started to cry uncontrollably. From an entrance in the front, a figure in a dark gray robe with a hood held them each up by one hand. “Quiet, brats, or do I need to put you out again?!” They could see the club fastened by his belt. Though still sobbing, they stopped wailing, and the man dropped them, heading back to the front, a drape covering his passage.

The caravan was covered, though there were holes in the sides. The children peered out, realizing the ground actually looked rather lush. Talking things over between sobs, Jasper and the other boy – Brennel – decided they had to escape to find their parents. Brennel’s situation was much like Jasper’s; though he showed only human lineage, the boy had come with his father on a trading trip.

The boys decided to take their chance. Grabbing a knife sitting atop one of the crates littering their wagon, Brennel split open the covering on the side. When it was large enough a hole for them to slip through, he jumped. Jasper was terrified, but he followed suit moments later. The fall was long for them at their age, but no bones were broken. Fortunately, they were the last cart of the caravan – there were a handful of others in front of them though.

Seeing a rather inviting-looking town, the boys took off towards it. Not as close as it seemed, the town took them a few hours to reach, the sun well setting by the time they reached the gates. Not yet closed, the guard still asked the young children what they were doing alone. After their story, he entered the town with them and shut the gates. Arriving at what they would later learn to be a widow’s market, the man knocked on the door and had them recount their story to her before returning to his post. She took them in.

That would be the beginning of the two brothers of circumstance. Their surrogate mother, Syreena, explained to them they had probably been kidnapped from their parents and were now in the hamlet of Mulberry End. With limited knowledge of where they were from and no knowledge of the planes, the boys were essentially stranded. The woman’s husband had been gored to death in a hunting accident a few years ago. Their losses brought the three together. After a few seasons, the memories of their past began to wane.

Over the next 20 years, Jasper developed into a beautifully talented young man while Brennel grew into an emerging adult with an impressive physique. His muscles not only earned him the respect of the town guards and hired hands, but they also got him Jasper’s jealousy. Brennel was bigger and stronger, getting the attention of many girls at a glance. He never stayed with any for long. Jasper, on the other hand, was a very romantic young man. His Elven heritage gave him an effeminate overtone – not popular in the town. His skilled voice and dance did gain some attention, but the envy prevailed.

One day, a traveling group of minstrels came to the town. Awestruck by their performance, he learned by chatting with them they were taking new additions. Jumping on the opportunity, Jasper bade Syreena and Brennel farewell; even though he and his pseudo-brother were rivals in a sense, they were still on good terms with each other. Just before leaving, Syreena gave him one of her marvelous loaves of bread along with a ring her husband used to wear; it looked as if it were copper but had no tarnish, and a small tigerseye cut in a triangle was set in the center.
Learning much about the ways of performing, talking, swindling, in the troupe, Jasper longed to use his talent for something more meaningful. He had been to many dicey towns where his street fighting skills were more needed than his singing voice. Nakom, a performer-protector of the troupe, taught Jasper how to use a whip with an expert’s touch – in more ways than one. Over the years, they developed a duality in their relationship. The sexual components and trainer-student components blended together at times, but when neither area ensued, the men never saw each other. In fact, the women Jasper saw on the side from town to town never saw the two of them.

After a few years on the job though, Jasper felt a lack of meaning to his life. While he often lived in the moment, his mind kept coming back to Syreena and Brennel. In time, he felt as if he’d lost a family – a second family! Like a rushing stream, the memories of his parents became fresh to him. He missed feeling safe and loved, something the troupe didn’t provide. When the Sons of Mercy’s herald preached a message of their purpose in the town the troupe came to one day, he felt compelled to join them. While he was a weak as a protector – even though his whip stung like lightning – his song could boost nearly any spirit, and if others’ spirits were like his at the moment, they needed boosting. And maybe from the City of Doors he could find one of his families again…

• Currency: 0 PP ; 10 GP ; 18 SP ; 20 CP
• Leather Armor (10 GP) (15 lbs)
• Rapier (20 GP) (2 lbs)
• Whip (1 GP) (2 lbs)
• Shortbow (30 GP) (2 lbs) + 20 arrows (1 GP/20) (3 lbs/20)
• Bard's Kit (41 gp) (33 1/2 lbs)