Hostile Witness immediately steps into a wider, more stable stance, bracing against the expected recoil of its massive anti-materiel rifle. Rather than firing immediately, however, Cascade waits for a proper targeting solution. Come on, you big bastard.
Protocol: Stable, Steady for +1 Accuracy with Rifles and Immobilized
Prepare to Skirmish with Anti-materiel rifle when the Glacial Mauler is within Sensors of me or an ally:
Cascade's lips press into a thin line of irritation at the threat. Bad enough to threaten to kill us, but of course it's laced with human-chauvinism. She runs another check of her frame's weapon systems.
Ignoring the alarms warning her of the ice creeping up Hostile Witness's chassis, Cascade deploys a set of stabilizing anchors, before firing both primary weapons. A burst of rounds from her assault rifle cuts down the vulture threatening God-Bearer, while a massive round from the anti-material rifle sails through the air past Onward's shoulder and slams into the vulture attacking Cobalt Leader.
"Not bad, she says with a nod, as the ice warnings grow ever more insistent.
Protocol: Stable, Steady to give myself +1 accuracy with all rifles and become immobilized until the start of my next turn.
Full action: Barrage with AR and AMR.
Hostile Witness charges forward, firing off a quick burst from its assault rifle, while the anti-materiel rifle's autoloader chambers another round.
Protocol: Project shield against Green.
Full action: Stabilize, remove heat and reload AMR.
Free action (using Initiative): Skirmish with AR vs Blue, consuming lock on.
Fingers dancing over the controls, Mallory designates one target for Hostile Witness's targeting computer even as she begins feeding telemetry from its partner to her allies. She executes the firing solution the instant it's ready, and suddenly Hostile Witness is briefly obscured by a steamcloud, the accumulated snow flash vaporized by waste heat.
Not for long, though, as the frame stomps its way through the snow, feeding telemetry on the other monster to the rest of Cobalt.
Mallory's thoughts turn to her SERE training on Europa, years and years back. Sure, the only real danger back then was washing out of the program, but her experience since had taught her that one frozen hellscape was much like another.
Survive:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Still, Europa definitely had the best view, she thinks, recalling the spectacular vista of Jupiter looming overhead, seemingly fixed in place by the moon's tidally locked rotation.
We can print war machines on demand, travel across the stars, and even cheat death. But a radio that works in bad weather is still a miracle in progress.
"Always nice when the math checks out.. Thanks, Leita," Cascade replies, her smug grin clearly audible through the comm link. All trace of humor is wiped away, however, by Garuda's command to check in.
"Aye, Garuda," she says, her words clipped and efficient. "Cascade checking in. Pre-flight is good." Once out of the hangar, Hostile Witness falls into step with The Way She Goes, taking up a position behind and to the left.
"It's about time!" Mallory shouts down as the rest of Cobalt enters the vehicle bay. She sits atop her own frame, Hostile Witness, finishing off a protein bar. She stands up, yawning, and goes about gathering up her raven locks into a neat bun as she taps into the team's comm link.
"How was the briefing? I'd have joined you, but I had a previous appointment with breakfast. Let me guess, though: something's gone wrong, they don't know where Argent is, and they have no real information about what we're walking into." There's a pause, followed by a whumpf of air as she drops into her cockpit. "How close am I?"
CW reminded me that there actually is some lore about Sparr in the CRB on page 412, for anyone else looking for a bit more info on the planet and its people.
This is Losonti's character, Mallory "Cascade" Marolda. I took a crack at inventing a profile, using the stat block exporter from Compcon.
Cascade has the Spec Ops background, so is probably part of a unit being sent to Sparr, or maybe striking it out on her own, picking what causes she fights for instead of having them chosen for her. She has the Brutal, Crack Shot, and Tactician talents, which give her a lot of opportunities to grant herself Accuracy on attacks with Rifles or in melee if she has allies to gang up on someone with.
Her frame "Hostile Witness" is equipped with an assault rifle on its main mount, two segment knives on the flex mount, and an anti-material rifle on the heavy. This offers some reliable damage and combat flexibility, along with a huge, armor-piercing cannon for when something absolutely needs to be blown away right now.
Full Name
Svalk Arnbjorn
Race
Ulfen (Human)
Classes/Levels
Fighter (Tactician) / 1 | AC 17 T 12 FF 15 | HP 13/13 | F +4 R +2 W +1 | Init +3 | Perc +1
Gender
Male
Size
Medium
Age
32
Alignment
NG
Deity
Torag
Location
Sandpoint
Languages
Common, Skald, Varisian, Shoanti, Tien, Dwarven
Occupation
Blacksmith
Strength
14
Dexterity
14
Constitution
14
Intelligence
16
Wisdom
12
Charisma
13
About Svalk Arnbjorn
Physical Description:
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 213lb
Eyes: Dark Blue with Light Blue cores
Hair Color & Length: Pale Blond, flowing down to the shoulderblades. The hair from the neck has been braided and culminates in a bronze ring at the end.
Facial Hair: Long, braided beard with mustache, about 8 inches long.
Skin Color: Pale white.
Other Features: Always wears a gauntlet or glove over his left hand, to cover disfiguring frost burns he received as a child.
Skills:
Craft: Armor (Bonus = 7)
Craft: Weapons (Bonus = 8)
Diplomacy (Bonus = 5)
Knowledge: Engineering (Bonus = 7)
Knowledge: Geography (Bonus = 7)
Knowledge: Nobility (Bonus = 7)
Linguistics (Bonus = 7)
Perception (Bonus = 1)
Sense Motive (Bonus = 5)
Survival (Bonus = 5)
Feats:
Favored Class: Fighter
Fast Learner: When he gains a level in his favored class he gains both +1 skill point and +1 hit point instead of choosing.
Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Dwarven Waraxe): Gives proficiency with Dwarven Waraxes, allowing normal attack rolls while wielding them.
Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: Proficient with all simple and martial weapons, Dwarven Waraxes, light and medium armors, and shields other than tower shields.
Traits:
Tactician: He knows how to take advantage of enemies who are unprepared for his assault. Gains +1 trait bonus on initiative checks, and once per day when making an attack of opportunity he gains a +2 trait bonus on the attack roll.
Mentored: Was guided in his profession by his mentor. Gains a +1 Trait bonus to checks with a single chosen craft, perform or profession skill (Craft: Weapons). Also gains +1 trait bonus to attempts to aid another's skill check with any skill.
Friends and Enemies: One of your family members (Mother), helped Daviren Hosk put down a group of goblins near Sandpoint. Since then, your family member passed away, but not before telling you about that day and the offer Daviren made her should she ever be in need. Once you make it to Sandpoint and meet up with Daviren Hosk at the Goblin Squash Stables, he gives you one of his best steeds and all the necessary accoutrements as gratitude for your mother's help: a heavy combat trained horse, a military saddle, saddlebags, bit and bridle, a month’s worth of feed, and lifetime stabling at the Goblin Squash Stables.
Pride (Drawback): He cannot abide by challenges to his honor, dignity, or authority. When someone threatens, accuses, or challenges him, he takes a -2 penalty on Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks involving that creature until it apologizes to him.
Race Specific:
+2 to one Ability Score (INT): Human characters gain +2 to one ability score of their choice to represent their varied nature.
Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at the first level.
Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Class Specific:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Tacticians are proficient with all simple and martial weapons, light and medium armor, and with non-tower shields. Also proficient with Dwarven Waraxes (via feat Exotic Weapon Proficiency: Dwarven Waraxe).
Strategic Training: Tacticians gain 4 skill points plus INT modifier each level (vice normal 2). Furthermore, Diplomacy, Knowledge (geography), Knowledge (nobility), Linguistics, and Sense Motive are all class skills for a tactician (in addition to normal fighter skills of Climb, Craft, Handle Animal, Intimidate, Knowledge (dungeonneering), Knowledge (engineering), Profession, Ride, Survival, and Swim). This replaces the bonus combat feat at 1st level.
Bonus Feats: In addition to combat feats, tacticians may select Skill Focus or any teamwork feat for their bonus feats.
Random Crunch:
Hit Points: 13
Hit Dice: 1d10
Armor Class: 17
Touch Armor Class: 12
Flat-Footed Armor Class: 15
Saving Throws: Fortitude: +4
Reflex: +2
Will: +1
Initiative Bonus: 3
Base Attack Bonus: +1
Melee Attack Bonus: +3
Ranged Attack Bonus: +3
CMB: +3
CMD: +15
Spell Resistance: 0
Speed: Base Speed: 30 ft.
Armored Speed: 20 ft.
Lift/Push: Light Load: 58lbs or less
Medium Load: 59lb - 116lb
Heavy Load: 117lb -175lb
Lift Over Head: 175lb or less
Lift Off Ground: 350lb or less
Drag or Push: 875lb or less
Experience Points: 0
Items Equiped:
Armor Scale Mail: Armor Bonus: +5; Max Dex Bonus: +3; Armor Check Penalty: -4; Arcane Spell Failure Chance: 25%; Speed: 20 ft.; Weight: 30 lbs.
Weapon Dwarven Waraxe: Dmg: 1d10+2; Critical: x3; Type: S; Weight: 8 lbs.
Atlatl: Dmg: 1d6+2; Critical: x2; Type: P; Range: 50 ft.; Weight: 2 lbs.
Other Explorer's Outfit: Weight: 8 lbs; Consists of Black leather boots, green wool breeches and black leather belt, grey shirt with green vest, black leather gloves, black hooded cloak with green interior, and a red scarf.
Items Owned:
Name*****Weight*****Value
Dwarven Waraxe*****8 lb*****30 GP
Scale Mail*****30 lb*****50 GP
Atlatl*****2 lb*****2 GP
Atlatl Darts (5)*****2 lb (each)*****1 GP (each)
Fighter's Kit*****29 lb*****9 GP
Explorer's Outfit*****8 lb*****10 GP
Artisan's Outfit*****4 lb*****1 GP
Masterwork Artisan's Tools (Blacksmith)*****5 lb*****55 GP
Whetstone*****1 lb*****2 CP
Total Weight & Value: 97 lb / 162 gp 2 cp
Ordered Tradegoods:
250 lb Iron (25 GP)
32 lb Frost-Forged Steel (25 GP)
32 lb Fire-Forged Steel (25 GP)
32 lb Elysian Bronze (25 GP)
Wealth:
0 PP 37 GP 9 SP 8 CP
Backstory:
Early Childhood:
Svalk was born 32 years ago in the town of Lostholme, the only child of his father Svaln and his mother Signe. Like most families in Lostholme, the Arnbjorn's were decedents of refugees from Irrisen after Baba-Yaga claimed the now frozen land as her own. While none of the Ulfen will ever forgive the witch for that insult, they are made even less disposed to be amicable to their eastern neighbor by her agents occasional raids for children. Svalk was five when one such raid happened, and while all the details are fuzzy to him two things are permanently ingrained in him as a result: hatred of witches and fear of cold. A witch encased his hand in magical ice while trying to steal him away on that raid. And while healers were able to free it and keep it functional, he has never felt much through it again... and it has been disfigured to the point where he wears a glove over it at all times.
Knowing that their son was now marked by the agents of the witch, Svaln and Signe decided it was time to move as far away from Irrisen as possible. With their limited resources they set out south... and ended up a year later in the town of Sandpoint.
Adolescence:
From age six to sixteen Svalk grew up in the quiet town. He was a natural linguist, and picked up Varisian, Shoanti, and even Tien from the carrivans and traders that plied the town from time to time. He also maintained his knowledge of Skald translating for his father (who only knew the language). At age 16 his father, Svaln, died at the age of 56, passing his bronze hair ornament to his son and his small amount of savings to his wife Signe. Svalk decided to make his own fortune... but how?
After a year of attempting to make his own way in Sandpoint (unsuccessfully in his own opinion) providence struck. A dwarf merchant from Taggoret happened to be passing through Sandpoint and needed an extra guard. While he had no training as a warrior, he had been trained how to fight by his father and decided to sign on with the dwarf. The rest, as they say, was history, as it was in Taggoret that he met his mentor and master, Igmar. It was there that he learned about his chosen god, Torag, and about the ways of tactics.
Adulthood Until Now:
Svalk has spent the last 15 years away from his home of Sandpoint. 6 of them were spent in Taggoret (nestled away in the Five Kings Mountains) learning smithing, soldiering, and tactics from his dwarven master, Igmar. The last nine were wandering the various lands of the Linnorm Kings, the Mammoth Lords, and even parts of Varisia.
While he had been wandering in the area of Varisia, he had not planned on returning to Sandpoint. A messenger from Sandpoint, however, finally caught up with him and changed his mind: his mother was dead, and not just dead... murdered. This was years ago now... but it had taken that long to catch up with him, as he was on the move almost constantly. With heavy heart, Svalk returns home to Sandpoint now to pay his respects and learn more about what happened to his last known family member.
Worldview & Alignment:
Boistrous and mostly good natured, Svalk is rather personable for an Ulfen. His good humor and charm, however, do have limits. He has deep pride in his linneage, which he traces back to the Linnorm Kings of old, as well as his work as a smith and his faith in Torag. He will not abide by anyone bismerching the honor of his race, his profession, or his god.
Svalk is a student of languages and will eagerly converse in any of the languages he knows so far... and is always on the look out for an excuse to learn another one.
Svalk's word is his bond. He might negotiate with you, he might intimidate you, but he will never lie to you. The closest he will get to this line is to not tell someone some detail, or not correct someone if they jump to an incorrect conclusion based off the correct facts he presents (though if they were to ask if they were correct, he would have to at that point tell them that they were not.)
Virtues and Vices:
Cardinal Vice (Sin): Svalk suffers from the sin of Pride. While a healthy amount of pride is natural (and even a good thing), Svalk lets his pride in his linneage and crafting skills consume him to a degree. Worse, he believes his tactical planning to be mostly flawless. As such, when disagreements arise as to what to do tactically he is likely to shut out contradictory plans to his own.
Chief Virtue: For his faults, Svalk is a generous person. He often will craft arms and armor for those who need it for nothing more than room and board... maybe a few gold for some of the more exotic components, but only what they cost if that. He is always willing to help out when asked, even those whom he doesn't see eye to eye with.
