Keiji Kentaika's page

Heart of the Streets: Growing up in the massive Xa Hoian capital of Ngon Hoa, Keiji became very accustomed to the presence of large crowds of people. He receives a +1 Dodge bonus to Armor Class and a +1 bonus on Reflex saves while adjacent to at least two allies, and he does not treat crowds as difficult terrain.

Defensive Strategist: What he lacks in physical strength, Keiji makes up for with his mind. Not merely content with mastery of arcane knowledge, Keiji has studied extensively in the theory of combat as well, memorizing long tomes and sacred texts of his goddess Shizuru, patron of swordplay an honor, which detail famous duels and battles between grand warriors. As a result of his constant focus on combat, Keiji is not flat-footed during surprise rounds or before he gets to act during a combat.

Sword Scion: Though not originally from Brevoy, Keiji has wholeheartedly thrown himself into the study of swordplay as if to make up for lost time, and has established a bit of a reputation in Restov and other nearby cities among those who watch for promising young talent in the dueling schools. He still possesses the same lovingly cared for dueling sword he acquired in Xa Hoi, and wields it with great natural talent, receiving a +1 trait bonus on all attack rolls and combat maneuvers made with a dueling sword.

Favored Class (Magus): Ever since Keiji first witnessed the Aldori dueling style, he realized it was his destiny to master it. He receives an additional hit point each time he gains a magus level.

Canny Defense: Keiji's budding skill in the Aldori sword style has enabled him to carefully watch for opportunities to maneuver out of the way of his enemies' attacks, allowing him to add a single point of his Intelligence bonus to his armor class while he is wielding a dueling sword.

Arcane Pool: Keiji has developed an innate reservoir of magical energy, which is restored each night as he rests to a maximum of four points. As a swift action, he can expend one point to imbue any weapon he wields with arcane power, granting it a +1 enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. As he improves in skill, he will unlock even greater powers.

Spell Combat: Keiji is naturally talented at both swordplay and spellcraft, and has learned to wield the two simultaneously. As a full-round action, Keiji can make a full attack with his weapon while casting a single spell with his off hand, either before or after the weapon's strikes. He takes a -2 penalty to all attack rolls while using this technique. Furthermore, he can choose to take an additional penalty up to his Intelligence bonus in order to add the same bonus to a concentration check to cast the spell from this ability.

The Kentaika clan, widely known throughout Xa Hoi for their mastery of diverse sword styles, traditionally sends the second-born child of each generation out into the world to discover a foreign style of swordplay, learn its secrets, and return to the clan an absolute master of its techniques. With his older sister groomed to take up the responsibilities of leading the household, Keiji was expected to follow in the footsteps of his uncles and aunts of former generations, and study the exalted art of swordplay. His family was extremely disappointed when he grew up frail and uninterested in the clash of blades, developing instead a fascination with the study of arcane magic. Sorcery, of course, is common in the Empire of the Dragon, with the Tian-Dans' claim of dragon blood strongly supported by a common gift for innate magical talent. Wizardry, on the other hand, is far less common, leaving the young boy with few resources to call upon to further his skills. He persisted, though, and eventually managed to master a few basic spells, deciding that wizardry was his true calling.

One day as he neared adulthood, however, Keiji witnessed a xijan (foreigner) swordsman visiting the vaulted city. He carried a strange sword with an almost imperceptibly slight curve, and spoke loudly about the strength of his dueling style. Usually uninterested in the ways of the sword, Keiji was nevertheless drawn in by the man's strange presence and foreign nature. Settling down nearby, he watched as the man challenged the infamous master of the xian-dao sword school, widely feared for his terrifying reputation as a master warrior and ruthless, if honorable, combatant. In a dazzling flash of blades and the clanging of steel, the foreigner's blade had pierced the xian-dao master's guard and nicked a single drop of blood from his cheek.

Wide-eyed, the young man clutched his spellbook to his chest. He had never seen such perfection in his life. The shining blades... the gleaming point... This! he thought. This is why my family has devoted itself to the sword. This is my destiny! He clambered to his feet, to go speak with the man, to drop to his knees and beg to be accepted as his student... but the surging crowd rushed around him, clamoring with respect for the man's skill and awe at his sudden appearance and achievement. When Keiji had forced his way to the front, the man was gone, headed off somewhere to another dojo, or another city. Keiji never found him again.

He did, however, discover the name of his style. Aldori, he repeated to himself, the hundredth time in as many hours. The young man now stood at the prow of a sailing vessel, passage paid for by his family, grateful he had "abandoned" his persuit of spellcraft. In truth, his spellbook and other magical implements lay hidden away in his pack. He fretted often about his decision to bring the spellbook with him. His grandfather always insisted that single-minded focus was the key to mastering the sword. "Any distractions upon the mind will dull the edge of your blade," he would say.

The lure of magic was too great, though. Keiji knew he could never give up either - neither the magical spark that crackled within his blood, nor the gleaming rush that came from the feel of a dueling sword in his grasp. He let one hand slip down to his waist, feeling for the smooth hilt of the foreign sword there as if afraid it might vanish at any moment. His family had managed to find the blade for him before his departure, and he wore it everywhere since it had made its way into his possession. It's exactly like his, he thought, remembering the foreigner duelist whose skill had changed his life. Someday, this sword will be as much a part of me as my own arm. He smiled, looking out over the spray of the sea against the vessel's hull. Soon, I shall find my destiny... and walk the path of the Aldori!

Though pleasant and willing to make friends, Keiji is inexperienced with Avistanian culture and is prone to making others uncomfortable from time to time. Unused to socialization with large groups, Keiji is far more at ease when talking one-on-one, and tends to ramble on at tremendous length once he gets comfortable talking. He is good-natured, but can be easily offended if one is disrespectful of him or dishonors him or his clan. He has overcome his hesitation to study wizardry, and has decided to devote himself to the mastery of both magic and swordplay, even developing a few tricks to combine the two disciplines.

Standing at 5' 10", Keiji is of average height, with a lithe, almost frail build, but possessing great agility and reflexes. Unused to heavy lifting or physical labor, he spent much of his childhood reading books rather than playing games outdoors with other children. His skin is dark, almost brown, and his straight black hair is thrown into dazzling contrast by the brilliant streak of blue hair that jags across his head (not uncommon among Tian-Dan humans, who take it as a sign of a strong draconic bloodline). His eyes are a matching hue, an almost unnatural electric blue. When he uses magic, particularly electricity magic, his eyes seem to glow with their own inner light.

There is no outward indication that Keiji is a spellcaster without seeing the interior of the spell component pouch at his belt. He wears a delicate suit of lightweight, exotic armor that covers part of his torso, but does almost nothing to restrict movement.