Juliette Aulamaxa's page

Arcane Archery: Juliette’s skill at ranged martial arts allows her to learn to cast a number of powerful, offensive spells that would otherwise be unavailable to her.
At 1st level, Juliette selected a number of spells from the sorcerer/wizard spell list equal to her Charisma modifier (+3) and added them to her bard spell list as bard spells of the same level. These spells are Gravity Bow (1st), Scorching Ray (2nd), and Snowball (1st). At 4th level and every 4 bard levels thereafter, she adds an additional sorcerer/wizard spell to her bard spell list. Juliette must still select these spells as spells known before she can cast them.
In addition, for the purpose of meeting the requirements of combat feats and prestige classes, Juliette treats her bard level as her base attack bonus (in addition to base attack bonuses gained from other classes and Hit Dice). Her skilled blending of archery and arcane magic also allows Juliette to fulfill a spell’s somatic components even when using a bow in both hands (though not other ranged weapons).
Bardic Performance: Juliette is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around her, including herself if desired. She can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + her Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st she can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, Juliette can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that she has mastered, as indicated by her level.
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 Juliette 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. Juliette cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
At 7th level, Juliette can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, she 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 Juliette 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% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If she fails this check, the attempt still counts against her 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 Juliette 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 she fails this check, the attempt still counts against her daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
Child of Kintargo: Juliette gains a +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (nobility) checks, and Knowledge (nobility) is always a class skill for her. The Noble Scion feat (see the sidebar on page 11) does not have a Charisma prerequisite for her. In addition, she starts play with a noble’s outfit, a signet ring, and a single additional nonmagical item worth no more than 200 gp (Composite +1 Longbow).
Countersong (Su): Juliette may counter magic effects that depend on sound (but not spells that have verbal components.) Each round of the countersong she makes a Perform (keyboard, percussion, wind, string, or sing) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of Juliette (includinh herself) that is affected by a sonic or language-dependent magical attack may use Juliette'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 Juliette's Perform skill check result for the save. Countersong does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Countersong relies on audible components.
Fast Learner: When you gain a level in a favored class, you gain both +1 hit point and +1 skill rank instead of choosing either one or the other benefit or you can choose an alternate class reward.
Inspire Courage (Su): Juliette can use her performance to inspire courage in her allies (including herself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive Juliette’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. Juliette must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
Noble Scion (Aulamaxa): Juliette gains a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (nobility) checks, and Knowledge (nobility) is always considered a class skill for her. She also gains a +1 on Perform checks and Perform is always a class skill for her. Juliette also gains 3 additional rounds per day of the bardic performance ability.
Operatic: Juliette grew up in wonder of Chelish theater, and spent countless hours in the opera houses across Cheliax and even more time perfecting her voice. She gains a +1 trait bonus on Perform (sing) checks. Furthermore she has memorized the librettos of many works sung in the ancient Azlanti tongue, granting you a +2 trait bonus on Linguistic checks when trying to decipher the ancient Azlanti language.
Point Blank Shot: Juliette gets a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with ranged weapons at ranges of up to 30 feet.

Step 1: Concept

1) Juliette is an Aulamaxa, a name she is proud of.
2) Juliette is passionate about Opera, both classical and modern.
3) Juliette also enjoys dance and has been seen at times at the Three-Legged Devil.
4) Juliette is a bit of a fashionista and is upset that she is no longer allowed to wear her fineries.
5) Juliette has never been one to follow the rules.
6) At times, Juliette has been known to speak in poetry.

Step 2: Goals

1) Juliette very much desires to to have a leading role in an Opera.
2) Juliette wants to find her father's murderer and bring him to justice.

Step 3: Secrets

1) (Known) Juliette's father, Raphael Aulamaxa a popular Chelish Diva of the Kintargo Opera House died on stage during a performance - it was supposedly an accident but Juliette suspects her father was murdered by a rival.
2) (Unknown) Raphael Aulamaxa is not Juliette's true biological father, instead the man who had him murdered is.

Step 4: Relations

1) Raphael Aulamaxa (diseased) - was a very influential man in Juliette's life, indeed as most fathers are to their children.
2) Unknown Noble Man (Hostile) - Although she isn't aware of who he is, Juliette seeks revenge upon the man who was responsible for her father's death.
3) Archbaroness Eldonna Aulamaxa (neutral) - Juliette's father Raphael was the Archbaroness' second cousin. As the Archbaroness is the leader of her family, Juliette tries to stay in her good graces, knowing that betraying her family would likely result in her never being a part of the Opera.

Step 5: Memories

1) Juliette remembers very clearly the night that her father died. It was during the second act of a very popular piece, Raphael - Juliette's father was the leading man, and at the conclusion of the second act, he died on stage - in front of hundreds, but yet it's still unknown how the man died. Juliette was not around to see what happened after the second act, she couldn't stand to watch.
2) Juliette will never forget her first kill. After her father's death, Juliette took up hunting - joining her family on outings as a way to improve her skill in archery. At first, she was reluctant to end the life of another creature, and the first time she did kill a deer - she vomited at the sight of the blood and almost fainted. Others laughed at her, but she eventually got used to it.
3) When Juliette was young, she would often go to the theater to see her father perform, she has many wonderful memories of her father's performances and he inspired her to follow his path.

Juliette Aulamaxa, born 4698 AR in the city of Kintargo, has lived her life surrounded by the theater. Born into the noble line of Aulamaxa, a family which prides itself in the Chelish Opera. Juliette was noble enough that it was assumed she would become involved in the Opera one way or another. Though as she was only a close cousin to Archbaroness Eldonna Aulamaxa, and as such was never important enough to be given a role simply based on the circumstances of her birth.

As a child, Juliette spent much of her time either going to Operas or practicing to become part of the Opera herself. She had little time for anything outside of a life of theater, and indeed she knew little beyond the Opera. At least that was true before the last performance of her father - Raphael Aulamaxa, second cousin to the Archbaroness.

Raphael Aulamaxa was a true Chelish Diva if there ever really was one in Kintargo. Everytime he would perform at the Opera house, it was virtually garrenteed that there would be a full house. So of course there would be a full house on what would come to be known as the last performance of Raphael Aulamaxa. However, it was not known beforehand that this performance would be his last.

During the final scene of the second act, Raphael's character was involved in a sword fight on stage. Although his character won the sword fight, shortly after Raphael collapsed on stage and began to bleed out. Many among the audience had not seen this particular performance before, but those who had knew that this was not part of the performance. Hundreds watched in horror as Raphael Aulamaxa died, Juliette herself included. After that, the show went on, as it must - but no one recalls any of it after Raphael's death.

Raphael's death was labeled as an accident, any wounds from the actual sword fight were not fatal, and the cause of his death was never actually ditermined, but Juliette was convinced that someone was responsible for her father's demise. Knowing that she wasn't anywhere near strong enough to defend herself should she come face to face with her father's murderer, Juliette sought out a way to become stronger.

Luckily for Juliette, the Aulamaxa family were not solely focused on Opera, they were also hunters, and so Juliette would take up a bow, and join her family in these hunts whenever possible. Her skill with a bow, naturally was medoicre at best, but that didn't stop Juliette who took every opportunity that she had to become more skilled at the art of archery. Archery did not come naturally to Juliette, unlike singing, she had to practice every day - not because she enjoyed it or because she wanted to, but because she had to in order to survive.

As Juliette became older, she also became more skilled with the bow, but she never did find out who was responsible for her father's death. She did however come to enjoy fashion, song, and dance.

"The sun no longer shines as brightly as it once did on our fair city. Darkness and depravity now rule our once great town of generosity. I fear for what is to come next, but mostly I just don't know what to do..." tears drop from the fair face of lady Juliette as she lays on her bed, hopeless and alone, holding a picture to her chest.

"Father, I miss you." She manages to utter behind her veil of tears. It had been years since her father's passing, but still she yearned to see his face. Metaphorically speaking, darkness had indeed fallen upon Kintargo - the darkness of Thrune.

"Father if you could see what this man has done to the Opera house. It's appalling. Nobody goes in anymore, he won't even allow a mouse! How am I supposed to follow my calling?"

"Tomorrow, there will be a riot, in the square. I cannot remain quiet, I will be there!"

Juliette has a lot to offer to the party, inspire courage (with 10 rounds/day!), ranged support, and oh my god her skills. With 14 intelligence, being a human, and picking up Fast Learner, Juliette ended up with an astounding 12 skills, she's a solid face character with +7 Bluff/Diplomacy, can deal in subterfuge with stealth (+6) and disguise (+7), knows a thing or two about local knowledge (+6), and knows nobility inside and out (+9), she's also a really good singer (+9).

I'm not 100% sold on Juliette staying pure bard, she may dip into Arcane Archer as the archetype seems perfectly poised for that Prestige Class, in any case - Juliette will specialize heavily in archery and tricks involving archery, most of her spells will be either direct damage or buffs for archery/the party. She's still a bard however and has her inspire courage and tons of skills, she just won't be the traditional jack of all trades - master of none that most bards are. She has her trick, but she's not a one trick pony, I guess that means she ends up somewhere in between. Also, fair warning - I want Juliette to get this item.

1 skill rank in Perform (Oratory) was awarded here.