About Lyle LangstonHistory, Appearance, & Personality:
History Lyle Langston has lived his whole life on the road. When he was young he travelled the world with his mother and father, a pair of hunters who were most skilled in their craft. Unfortunately disease claimed both of their lives when Lyle was just 15 years old, leaving the boy to make his own way through life. There were many ups and downs for the young child of Risur. While his parents had done their best to instruct him on how to track, trap, and kill a variety of wildlife, an existence spent butchering animals had never quite sat right with Lyle. There was just too much natural beauty out there, and all of it so extraordinary, for him to contribute to such destruction. But this left the human without a profession, and once he had spent the last of his family's savings he had nothing. But Lyle soon discovered something. His nimble fingers might not be destined for a huntsman's knife, but his silver tongue was certainly destined to speak before a crowd. Rather than beg or steal, the human found great success in selling fake tonics, faulty remedies, and some (not so) lucky amulets. This all became even easier once Lyle discovered he had a talent for the druidic arts. After all, if a man waved real magic right before your eyes, why would you ever think that what he was selling you was fake? At home in his little wagon, Lyle Langston travelled the world. He toured the Weftlands of Risur, and touted his wares before the people on the island city of Sid Minos. He hitched a ride on the Avery Coast Railroad, and even ventured into the wilderness of the Elfaivar Lands. Selling his false merchandise to those with more money than sense, the entrepreneur always moved on before the local authorities caught onto his deceit. For almost 25 years Lyle lived the life of a liar and a conman. Though he normally travelled alone, for the last few years he came to care for a young heron. He discovered the bird caught in a hunter's trap in the middle of one of the great bayous. The bird was injured and malnourished, and it was only thanks to the care of Lyle that the creature survived at all. Lacking a seige, the heron has remained with the entrepreneur ever since. Since that day Mr Beakins (as he has since been named) has grown tremendously in size, and now stands 6 feet tall and weighs over 300 pounds. The creature's features, plumage, and markings are all strange, and Lyle has never seen another bird which looks quite like it. Unfortunately Lyle's adventurers recently came to an end. He isn't quite sure what happened. Perhaps he recently sold something to someone he shouldn't have? Or perhaps someone recognised him from a business deal a long time ago? They came in the middle of the night, flaming torches in their hands. They attacked Lyle, set fire to his wagon, and mutilated his only friend and companion. He fought back, and it was only thanks to his skill with a blade and his ever present luck that Lyle Langston managed to escape, dragging the broken body of Mr Beakins with him. The assault was well-organised and well-planned. With no knowledge of his attackers Lyle knew it would be necessary for him to lay low for a while. But the human also knew that his animal companion needed care and treatment that was far beyond his own ability to provide. The solution to all his problems came in the form of a flyer he found, a recruitment poster for the Royal Homeland Constabulary. It offered a substantial sign on bonus, more than enough to pay for the magic and mechanical parts necessary to restore Mr Beakins back to full health. It might be the first respectable job he has ever worked in his life, but Lyle Langston is determined to make the best of things. And who knows? Perhaps this is the beginning of a great business opportunity! Appearance At first glance Lyle Langston appears to be the very image of a fine gentleman. At 40 years old, he has a well-oiled moustache, short black hair with just a smattering of grey, and a set of spectacles that serve no practical purpose whatsoever. His eyes are green, his skin somewhat swarthy, and his teeth perfect and white. He wears a striped red and white suit, a matching hat, and a red bowtie. A plain white dress shirt rests underneath his outer layer of clothing. His hands are concealed with black leather gloves, and he often walks with a very fashionable cane comprised of ivory. However, take a second look and you can see signs that Lyle has not had an easy life. The stitching on his top hat is uneven, as if it has been repaired many times. The tails of his coat are tattered and frayed. Many parts of his clothing are faded, marked by decades of use. However, if threatened his enemies will quickly realise that his cane conceals a deadly blade, and that his long coat hides a baton. Personality Lyle Langston is a smooth talker. He is friendly and personable, and quick to work his way into the good graces of others. He is as much a showman as a businessman, and loves to include some theatrics into everything he does. He is not afraid to lie, or tell someone exactly what they want to hear if it will makes things easier. He sees his selling of tonics and charms as a sort of service to the world. After all, the people who buy his wares are often stupid or lazy. In Lyle's mind, they have all gotten exactly what they deserve. And anyway, surely it is better that he take their coin than someone else? The only question is how much gold it will take to satisfy him. That all being said, Lyle doesn't go out of his way to hurt the weak or downtrodden. He cares about those he comes to see as friends, though those are few and far between. He has a soft spot for animals, plants, and all the other living things that make up the natural world. While he is very comfortable with the emerging use of technology, he thinks some nations are taking industrialisation too far too quickly, upsetting the balance of things.
Background:
A Liar & Conman +4
Stat Blocks:
Lyle Langston Male Neutral Human Hunter, Level 3, Init 2, HP 21/21, Speed 30 AC 16, Touch 12, Flat-footed 14, CMD 17, Fort 4, Ref 5, Will 4, CMB +5, Base Attack Bonus 2 Sword Cane +5 (1d6+3, x2) Composite Shortbow (+3 Str) (20) +4 (1d6+3, x3) Tonfa +5 (1d6+3, x2) Armored Coat (+4 Armor, +2 Dex) Abilities Str 16, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 13 Condition None Mr Beakins
Class Abilities:
Spells: A hunter casts divine spells drawn from the druid and ranger spell lists. Only druid spells of 6th level and lower and ranger spells are considered to be part of the hunter spell list. If a spell appears on both the druid and ranger spell lists, the hunter uses the lower of the two spell levels listed for the spell. For instance, reduce animal is a 2nd-level druid spell and a 3rd-level ranger spell, making it a 2nd-level hunter spell. Likewise, detect poison is a 0-level druid spell and a 2nd-level ranger spell, making it a 0-level hunter spell.
The hunter can cast any spell she knows without preparing it ahead of time. To learn or cast a spell, a hunter must have a Wisdom score equal to at least 10 + the spell’s level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a hunter’s spell is 10 + the spell’s level + the hunter’s Wisdom modifier. A hunter cannot use spell completion or spell trigger magic items (without making a successful Use Magic Device check) of druid spells of 7th level or higher. Her alignment may restrict her from casting certain spells opposed to her moral or ethical beliefs; see Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells below. Like other spellcasters, a hunter can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. Her base daily spell allotment is given on Table 1-6: Hunter. In addition, she receives bonus spells per day if she has a high Wisdom score (see Table 1-3 of the Core Rulebook). Unlike druids and rangers, a hunter’s selection of spells is extremely limited. A hunter begins play knowing four 0-level spells and two 1st-level spells of her choice. At each new hunter level, she gains one or more new spells, as indicated on Table 1-7: Hunter Spells Known. Unlike spells per day, the number of spells a hunter knows is not affected by her Wisdom score; the numbers on Table 1-7 are fixed. In addition to the spells gained by hunters as they gain levels, each hunter also automatically adds all summon nature’s ally spells to her list of spells known. These spells are added as soon as the hunter is capable of casting them. At 5th level and at every 3 levels thereafter, a hunter can choose to learn a new spell in place of one she already knows. In effect, the hunter loses the old spell in exchange for the new one. The new spell’s level must be the same as that of the spell being exchanged. A hunter may swap only a single spell at any given level, and must choose whether or not to swap the spell at the same time that she gains new spells known for the level. She cannot swap any summon nature’s ally spells. Unlike a druid or ranger, a hunter need not prepare her spells in advance. She can cast any spell she knows at any time, assuming she has not yet used up her spells per day for that spell level. Orisons: Hunters learn a number of orisons, or 0-level spells, as noted on Table 1-7: Hunter Spells Known. These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again. Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells: A hunter can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to her own or her deity’s (if she has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions. Animal Companion (Ex): At 1st level, a hunter forms a bond with an animal companion. A hunter may begin play with any of the animals available to a druid. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the hunter on her adventures. This ability functions like the druid animal companion ability (which is part of the nature bond class feature). The hunter’s effective druid level is equal to her hunter level. If a character receives an animal companion from more than one source, her effective druid levels stack for the purposes of determining the companion’s statistics and abilities. A hunter may teach her companion hunter’s tricks from the skirmisher ranger archetype (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player’s Guide 128) instead of standard tricks. The animal companion can use skirmisher tricks when commanded, a number of times per day equal to half its Hit Dice plus its Wisdom modifier. If a hunter releases her companion from service or her animal companion perishes, she may gain a new one by performing a ceremony requiring 24 uninterrupted hours of prayer in the environment where the new companion typically lives. While the hunter’s animal companion is dead, any animal she summons with a summon nature’s ally spell remains for 1 minute per level instead of 1 round per level. A hunter cannot have more than one summon nature’s ally spell active in this way at one time. If this ability is used again, any existing summon nature’s ally immediately ends. Animal Focus (Su): At 1st level, a hunter can take on the aspect of an animal as a swift action. She must select one type of animal to emulate, gaining a bonus or special ability based on the type of animal emulated and her hunter level. The hunter can use this ability for a number of minutes per day equal to her level. This duration does not need to be consecutive, but must be spent in 1-minute increments. The hunter can emulate only one animal at a time. The hunter can also apply one of these aspects to her animal companion. Unlike with the hunter herself, there is no duration on the animal aspect applied to her animal companion. An aspect applied in this way does not count against the hunter’s minutes of duration per day-it remains in effect until the hunter changes it. The companion’s aspect can be the same aspect the ranger has taken on or a different one. The hunter can select or change the animal foci on both herself and her animal companion as part of the same swift action. If the hunter’s animal companion is dead, the hunter can apply her companion’s animal focus to herself instead of her animal companion. This is in addition to the normal one she can choose, and (as with a companion’s focus) remains in effect until the hunter changes it instead of counting against her minutes per day. Nature Training (Ex): A hunter counts her total hunter level as both druid levels and ranger levels for the purpose of qualifying for feats, traits, and options that modify or improve an animal companion. Wild Empathy (Ex): A hunter can improve the initial attitude of an animal. This ability functions as a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person (see Chapter 4 of the Core Rulebook). The hunter rolls 1d20 and adds her hunter level and her Charisma modifier to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. To use wild empathy, the hunter and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another under normal conditions. Generally, inf luencing an animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it might take more or less time. The hunter can also use this ability to inf luence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a -4 penalty on the check. Precise Companion (Ex): At 2nd level, a hunter chooses either Precise Shot or OutflankAPG as a bonus feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat. If she chooses Outflank, she automatically grants this feat to her animal companion as well. Track (Ex): At 2nd level, a hunter adds 1/2 her level to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks. Hunter Tactics (Ex): At 3rd level, the hunter automatically grants her teamwork feats to her animal companion. The companion doesn’t need to meet the prerequisites of these teamwork feats. Teamwork Feat: At 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter, the hunter gains a bonus teamwork feat in addition to those gained from normal advancement. The hunter must meet the prerequisites of the selected bonus teamwork feat. As a standard action, the hunter can choose to learn a new bonus teamwork feat in place of the most recent bonus teamwork feat she has already learned. In effect, the hunter loses the bonus feat in exchange for the new one. She can change only the most recent teamwork feat gained, and must meet the prerequisites for the newly selected feat. A hunter can change her most recent teamwork feat a number of times per day equal to her Wisdom modifier (minimum 1). Whenever she gains a new teamwork feat, her previous teamwork feats become permanent. Feats & Traits:
Unfinished Business (Theme Feat): Once per day you may use Speak with Dead as a spell-like ability. When using the spell in this manner, you must use it in the area where your target died and it must be used within a day of the creature’s death. You do not require a complete body as the ability speaks with the spirit and needs no corporeal connection.
Once per combat, as a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, you conjure forth a spirit from a creature that died within the last five minutes and with three miles of your current location. The spirit appears in a space you choose within 25 ft. of you, and performs a standard action of your choice. Any attack it makes count as having the ghost touch weapon property. Evolved Companion: (1st Level Feat) Benefit: Select a 1-point evolution other than pounce or reach from those available to a summoner’s eidolon. Your animal companion gains this evolution. The animal companion must conform to any limitations of the evolution. For instance, only an animal companion of an appropriate size and base form can have the mount evolution. If you gain a new animal companion, your old animal companion loses this evolution, and you can select a new 1-point evolution for the new animal companion. Outflank (Precise Companion Feat): Whenever you and an ally who also has this feat are flanking the same creature, your flanking bonus on attack rolls increases to +4. In addition, whenever you score a critical hit against the flanked creature, it provokes an attack of opportunity from your ally. Brew Potion (3rd Level Feat): You can create a potion of any 3rd-level or lower spell that you know and that targets one or more creatures or objects. Brewing a potion takes 2 hours if its base price is 250 gp or less, otherwise brewing a potion takes 1 day for each 1,000 gp in its base price. When you create a potion, you set the caster level, which must be sufficient to cast the spell in question and no higher than your own level. To brew a potion, you must use up raw materials costing one half this base price. See the magic item creation rules in Magic Items for more information. When you create a potion, you make any choices that you would normally make when casting the spell. Whoever drinks the potion is the target of the spell. Coordinated Maneuvers: (3rd Level Teamwork Feat) Whenever you are adjacent to an ally who also has this feat, you receive a +2 competence bonus on all combat maneuver checks. This bonus increases to +4 when attempting to break free from a grapple. Eye for Talent (Trait): Humans have great intuition for hidden potential. They gain a +2 racial bonus on Sense Motive checks. In addition, when they acquire an animal companion, bonded mount, cohort, or familiar, that creature gains a +2 bonus to one ability score of the character’s choice. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait. Fey Magic (Trait): The character has a mystic connection to one terrain type (Urban), selected from the ranger’s favored terrain list. The character selects three 0-level druid spells and one 1st-level druid spell. If the character has a Charisma score of 11 or higher, when in the selected terrain, she gains these spells as spell-like abilities that can be cast once per day. The caster level for these effects is equal to the user’s character level. The DC for the spelllike abilities is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the user’s Charisma modifier. These spells are treated as being from a fey source for the purposes of the druid’s resist nature’s lure class feature and similar abilities. A dwarf can take this trait in place of greed and stonecunning. An elf, half-elf, or half ling can take this trait in place of keen senses. A gnome can take this trait in place of obsessive. A half-orc can take it in place of orc ferocity. A human can take it in place of skilled. A human who replaces skilled with fey magic also gains fey thoughts and low-light vision. Fey Thoughts (Trait): The character sees the world more like a native of the First World. Select two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim, or Use Magic Device. The selected skills are always class skills for the character. A dwarf can take this trait in place of hatred. An elf, gnome, or half-orc can take this trait in place of racial weapon familiarity. A half-elf can take this trait in place of multitalented. A half ling can take it in place of fearless. In the case of humans, this trait replaces the skilled trait (and the human also gains fey magic and low-light vision, as detailed in Fey Magic, above). Low-Light Vision (Trait): Many feyborn have low-light vision. Races that normally have darkvision (such as dwarves and half-orcs) can take low-light vision in place of darkvision. In the case of humans, this trait replaces the skilled trait (and the human also gains fey magic and fey thoughts, as detailed in Fey Magic, above).
Equipment & Gear:
Weapons/Armour/Magic Items -Sword Cane -Composite Shortbow (+3 Str) -Tonfa -Armored Coat -Apprentice's Cheating Gloves Miscellaneous
Spells & Spell-Like Abilities:
0 Level Spell-Like Abilities
1st Level Spell-Like Ability
0 Level Spells
1st Level Spells
|
