Joseph Blackhand's page

Joseph “Blackhand” Darrenbar
male human cleric of Besmara 1
CN medium humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +3
defense
AC 14, touch 11, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex)
hp 9 (1d8+1)
Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +5
offensive
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +0 (1d6/18-20) or
dagger +0 (1d4/19-20) or
brass knuckles +0 (1d3/x2)
Ranged heavy crossbow +1 (1d10/19-20)
Special Attacks channel positive energy 5/day (DC 13, 1d6), Icicle +1 (1d6+1, 30 ft)
Domain Spell-like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +)
5/day – copycat (1 round)
Cleric Spells prepared (CL 1st; concentration +)
1st - Cure Light Wounds, Disguise Self (D), Shield of Faith
0 (at will) - Guidance, Resistance, Stabilize
D Domain spell; Domains Trickery, Water
Statistics
Str 10, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +0; CMB +0; CMD 11
Feats Athletic, Deceitful
Skills Bluff +7, Climb +2, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +4, Heal +7, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Perception +3, Profession (sailor) +8, Survival +3, Swim +6
Languages Common, Varisan, Aquan, Polygot
Combat Gear ; Other Gear studded leather armor, heavy crossbow with 10 bolts, dagger, rapier, brass knuckles, backpack with 10 days rations, flint and steel, manacles, belt pouch, silk rope, grappling hook, flask of water, waterskin filled with wine, wooden holy symbol of Besmara, crowbar, 12 gp

Silver Tongued: Humans are often adept at subtle manipulation and putting even sworn foes at ease. Humans with this trait gain a +2 bonus on Diplomacy and Bluff checks. In addition, when they use Diplomacy to shift a creature's attitude, they can shift up to three steps up rather than just two. This racial trait replaces skilled.

Buccaneer’s Blood: One of your ancestors was an infamous Free Captain of the Shackles, whose very name struck fear in the hearts of those who sailed the seas in search of an honest living. Piracy is in your blood, and you’ve always longed to follow in your forebear’s footsteps and plunder the shipping lanes. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Intimidate and Profession (sailor) checks. In addition, you gain a one-time +1 trait bonus to your Disrepute and Infamy scores.

Charming: Blessed with good looks, you've come to depend on the fact that others find you attractive. You gain a +1 trait bonus when you use Bluff or Diplomacy on a character that is (or could be) sexually attracted to you, and a +1 trait bonus to the save DC or any language-dependent spell you cast on such characters or creatures.

Joseph is an exceptionally tall man with handsome features. His wavy, black hair hangs loosely just past his shoulders and his clean cut features are accentuated with a neatly trimmed goatee beard. His tanned skin compliments his dark hair and sly chestnut brown eyes.
Joseph prefers to dress in a combination of fashionable finery and practical sailor's clothes consisting of predominantly wears a puffy-sleeved maroon shirt, dark breeches, and leather boots. A deep violet sash around his waist and leather cord necklace baring the holy symbol of Besmara hanging around his neck make up the rest of appearance. Perhaps the most important part of his ensemble is the black glove of which he has replaced the knuckles with silver studs resembling skulls, completing his attire and earning him the name Blackhand.

Joseph is a decent, if self-serving, man who adheres to the Pirates' Code. He is not above risking himself to save others making him unusually altruistic for a pirate, however by the same token Joseph is not above tricking his allies and those he saves to serve his own purposes. Similarly he finds slavery distasteful due to Cayden Cailean's belief in freedom and refuses to partake in affairs pertaining to the capturing and/or transporting of slaves, though this bit of morality has never prevented him from finding ways of coercing others into his servitude. Joseph considered himself sensitive to the opposite sex, he has proven himself quite adept at sweeping ladies off their feet although he is not one to commit to intimate relationships. He maintains himself to be a man of his word, for which reason he makes it a point to rarely give it. While he adheres to the Pirates' Code he prefers interpreting the Code in his own favor, seeing it more along the lines of a guideline than actual rules. Even so Joseph respects the right of Parley and takes great care to avoid openly breaking the Code.

Joseph is not a conventional priest of Besmara in that he pays tribute to both Calistria and Cayden Cailean as well, seeing the three deities as the truest embodiment of piracy. Besmara for her stance as the patron of piracy and the wealth it brings, Calistria for lust and pleasures of the flesh every pirate craves, and Cayden Cailean as the embodiment of freedom piracy represents.

Bastard son of a Varisan pirate and a Taldan noble, Joseph grew up sailing with the latter where his love for the sea and devotion to Besmara became apparent. While in port he spent his days amongst the local pubs with his shipmates where his good looks and silver tongue got him out of more than a few scrapes and into a few beds. His love for the hedonistic pursuit of pleasure and freedom eventually brought him into contact with both Calistria and Cayden Cailean, taking up their teachings and devoting himself to both deities. Eager to make a name for himself Joseph eventually set out on his own to try his hand at piracy away from his family, chartering a ship from his home port of Bloodcove to the metropolis of Port Peril in the Shackles. While frequenting one of the ports notorious pirate hangouts, the Formidably Maid, Joseph found himself press ganged after a whirlwind night of booze and romance with a flirtatious corsair who'd caught his eye the night before.