Merin Hawkglade's page

Merin Hawkglade
Half-elf witch [season: summer] 1
NG Medium humanoid (half-elf)
Initiative +6; Perception +9
--------------------
Defence
--------------------
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+2 Dex)
HP 8 (1d6+1+1 FCB)
Fortitude +1 (+0 base + 1 Con)
Reflex +2 (+0 base + 2 Dex)
Will +5 (+2 base + 1 Wis + 2 race) [additional +2 vs enchantments]
--------------------
Offence
--------------------
Speed 30 feet
Initiative +6 (+2 Dex + 4 improved initiative)
Melee cold iron dagger +0 (1d4, 19-20/x2), (+0 BAB + 0 Str = +0)
Ranged light crossbow +2 (1d8), (+0 BAB +2 Dex = +2)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 15
Base Attack Bonus +0
CMB 0 (0 BAB + 0 Str + 0 size)
CMD 12 (10 + 0 BAB + 0 Str + 2 Dex + 0 size)
Height 5 ft. 8 in.
Age 41
Languages Common (Taldane), elven, draconic, dwarven, gnome, halfling
SA hexes (fortune, slumber), low-light vision, season of the witch (summer)
--------------------
Skills and Feats
--------------------
Skills
Diplomacy +10, Knowledge (arcana) +8, Knowledge (history) +8, Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +9, Profession (dressmaker) +5, Sense Motive +7, Spellcraft +8

The witch’s class skills are Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (history) (Int), Knowledge (nature) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), and Use Magic Device (Cha).

Diplomacy (Cha), Perception (Wis), and Sense Motive (Wis) are all class skills as a result of Friend in Every Town (trait) and Fey Thoughts (alternative racial ability) respectively.

Skill Ranks Per Level: 2 + Int modifier + 2 background skills (2 + 4 + 2 = 8)

Detailed skills
Skill Rank Class Stat Misc Total
Acrobatics 0 0 2 0 = 2
Appraise 0 0 4 0 = 4
Bluff 0 0 2 0 = 2
Climb 0 0 0 0 = 0
Diplomacy 1 3 2 4 = 10 (misc = trait, familiar)
Disguise 0 0 2 0 = 2
Escape Artist 0 0 2 0 = 2
Fly 0 0 2 0 = 0
Heal 0 0 1 0 = 1
Intimidate 0 0 2 0 = 2
Knowledge (arcana) 1 3 4 0 = 8
Knowledge (history) 1 3 4 0 = 8
Knowledge (local) 1 0 4 1 = 6 (misc = trait)
Knowledge (nature) 0 0 4 0 = 4
Knowledge (planes) 0 0 4 0 = 4
Linguistics 0 0 4 0 = 4
Perception 1 3 1 2 = 9 (misc = race, alertness)
Profession (dressmaker) 1 3 1 0 = 5
Ride 0 0 2 0 = 2
Sense Motive 1 3 1 2 = 7 (misc = alertness)
Spellcraft 1 3 4 0 = 8
Stealth 0 0 2 0 = 2
Survival 0 0 1 0 = 1
Use Magic Device 0 0 2 0 = 2

Feats
Improved initiative (1st)
Alertness (familiar bonus)

Traits
Friend in every town (social)
--------------------
Spells
--------------------
Witch spells per day (CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st - 2: ear-piercing scream, mage armour
0 - at will: dancing lights, detect magic, guidance

Spells known (7)
1st - burning hands†, ear-piercing scream, ears of the city, enlarge person, ill omen, mage armour, sow thought

0 - arcane mark, bleed, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, guidance, light, mending, message, putrefy food and water, read magic, resistance, stabilise, touch of fatigue

Save DC = 14 + spell level (10 + 4 Cha)
† +1 DC (summer)
* patron spell
--------------------
Equipment
--------------------
Combat Gear cold iron dagger, light crossbow, bolts (20)
Worn Gear traveller’s outfit, belt pouch, spell component pouch, gold wedding ring
Carried Gear backpack, waterskin, scroll case, parchment (10), inkpen, ink, chalk (5), torches (3), tindertwigs (3), candles (5), flint and steel, signal whistle, earplugs, waterproof bag, familiar satchel, sewing kit, grooming kit, mess kit, cards, dice, jar of honey
--------------------
Weight On her person: 14.5 lbs, backpack 21.5 lbs, total 36 lbs
Carrying capacity Light load 0–38 lbs Medium load 39–76 lbs Heavy load 77–115 lbs
Money 4 gp, 0 sp, 4 cp

--------------------
Abilities
--------------------
Weapon and armour proficiency
Witches are proficient with all simple weapons. They are not proficient with any type of armour or shield. Armour interferes with a witch’s gestures, which can cause her spells with somatic components to fail.

Patron
At 1st level, when a witch gains her familiar, she must also select a patron. This patron is a vague and mysterious force, granting the witch power for reasons that she might not entirely understand. While these forces need not be named, they typically hold influence over one of the following forces.
At 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch’s patron adds new spells to a witch’s list of spells known. These spells are also automatically added to the list of spells stored by the familiar. The spells gained depend upon the patron chosen. Each patron is listed by its theme. Its actual name is up to the GM and the witch to decide.
Chosen patron: Summer
Patron spells: 1st (level 2) - goodberry, 2nd (level 4) - flaming sphere, 3rd (level 6) - daylight, 4th (level 8) - greater flaming sphere, 5th (level 10) - wall of fire, 6th (level 12) - sirocco, 7th (level 14) - sunbeam, 8th (level 16) - sunburst, 9th (level 18) - fiery body

Hex
Witches learn a number of magic tricks, called hexes, that grant them powers or weaken foes. At 1st level, a witch gains one hex of her choice. She gains an additional hex at 2nd level and for every 2 levels attained after 2nd level. A witch cannot select an individual hex more than once.

Unless otherwise noted, using a hex is a standard action that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The save to resist a hex is equal to 10 + 1/2 the witch’s level + the witch’s Intelligence modifier.

DC = 14 (10 + 4)

Slumber (1st)
Fortune (season of the witch: summer)

Season of the witch
A season witch observes the cycles of life through symbolic festivals and the very real passage of time. Their covens celebrate the seasons and their impact on magic. These seasonal cycles alter their magic and mind-set, focusing their spells and hexes on a predominant energy type and philosophy.

A season witch makes a commitment to embody the sacred symbolism of a season year round, and learns her spells through communion with nature, divining secrets from shapes in the clouds or the play of leaves on the wind. At 1st level, a season witch chooses the season that defines her abilities as her patron; this choice also provides her certain benefits.

A summer witch has dominion over growth, the harvest, and toil. The save DCs of her spells that deal fire damage increase by 1. At 1st level, she gains either the fortune hex or misfortune hex as a bonus hex.

This alters patron and the hex gained at 1st level.
--------------------
Racial traits
--------------------
Ability score modifiers: Half-elf characters gain a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
Type: Half-elves are humanoid creatures with the human and the elf subtypes.
Size: Half-elves are Medium creatures and receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Base speed: Half-elves have a base speed of 30 feet.
Low-light vision: Half-elves can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Languages: Half-elves begin play speaking Common and Elven. Half-elves with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic).
Elven immunities: Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and gain a +2 racial saving bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
Keen senses: Half-elves receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
Elf blood: Half-elves count as both elves and humans for any effect related to race.
Dual minded: The mixed ancestry of some half-elves makes them resistant to mental attacks. Half-elves with this racial trait gain a +2 bonus on all Will saving throws. This racial trait replaces adaptability.
Fey thoughts: 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. This trait replaces multitalented. Selected skills: Perception, Sense Motive.

--------------------
Familiar
--------------------
Solstice - thrush (master gains a +3 bonus on Diplomacy checks)

N Diminutive animal
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +5
Defence
AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 size)
hp 4 (1d8)
Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +4
Offence
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)
Melee bite +2 (1d2–5)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Statistics
Str 1, Dex 15, Con 6, Int 6, Wis 15, Cha 6
Base Atk +0; CMB –2; CMD 3
Feats: Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills: Fly +12, Perception +6
Languages: Common
Abilities: alertness, empathic link, improved evasion, share spells, store spells

Witch’s Familiar
At 1st level, a witch forms a close bond with a familiar, a creature that teaches her magic and helps to guide her along her path. Familiars also aid a witch by granting her skill bonuses, additional spells, and help with some types of magic. This functions like the wizard’s arcane bond class feature, except as noted in the Witch’s Familiar section.

A witch must commune with her familiar each day to prepare her spells. Familiars store all of the spells that a witch knows, and a witch cannot prepare a spell that is not stored by her familiar. A witch’s familiar begins play storing all of the 0-level witch spells plus three 1st level spells of the witch’s choice. The witch also selects a number of additional 1st-level spells equal to her Intelligence modifier to store in her familiar. At each new witch level, she adds two new spells of any spell level or levels that she can cast (based on her new witch level) to her familiar. A witch can also add additional spells to her familiar through a special ritual.

Alertness (Ex)
While a familiar is within arm’s reach, the master gains the Alertness feat.

Empathic Link (Su)
The master has an empathic link with her familiar to a 1 mile distance. The master can communicate emphatically with the familiar, but cannot see through its eyes. Because of the link’s limited nature, only general emotions can be shared. The master has the same connection to an item or place that her familiar does.

Improved Evasion (Ex)
When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, a familiar takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and half damage even if the saving throw fails.

Share Spells
The witch may cast a spell with a target of “You” on her familiar (as a touch spell) instead of on herself. A witch may cast spells on her familiar even if the spells do not normally affect creatures of the familiar‘s type (magical beast).

Store Spells
Starting at 1st level, a witch’s familiar stores all of the spells that the witch knows. This does not allow the familiar to cast these spells or use spell-trigger or spell completion magic items. Starting at 2nd level, and every two levels thereafter, a witch’s familiar adds new bonus spells to the witch’s spell list based on her patron. These spells are automatically stored by the familiar and can be prepared as normal once they are gained.

Born and raised in the Andoran capital of Almas, Merin Hawkglade has never really been a big city girl. It might have been all she knew for many years, but as she developed the chance to explore, she found her natural place was in smaller towns and more intimate communities. Places that she could get beneath the skin of and really understand.

Sharp but not studious, she always preferred learning by experience. Stories and sweetmeats and sewing, that’s what she’s always loved. And people; especially people. People in all their fascinating, messy, glorious ways. A pinch of interest here, a dash of charm there, rarely does it take too much work for Merin to coax open people’s petals and watch them bloom.

Elfblood and not a little magic runs down her maternal line. She’s only met her elven grandmother twice. Being only a child she has no memory of the first time. The second time, nearly a score of years ago, left a big impression on an impressionable young woman looking for permission to decide who she wanted to be. Illis-blauthiel, that’s what Jasara Hawkglade named her: Rose-in Bloom. Naturally, Merin has loved roses ever since.

Few who meet her would quibble with the nickname, flush as she is with beauty and youth. To others she’s Merin Midsummer, for self-evident reasons. If her sunflower yellow dress can’t fail to catch the eye, her rich auburn hair and warm chocolate eyes seal the deal. Married to the cheerful sunshine of her personality, to get lost in conversation with her can leave you wondering if, just possibly, summer really could be endless.

With a quest to find her calling, as she came of age she took to the road, making her way through eastern Andoran and across the border into Taldor. She can sew just as easily on the back of a wagon as she can sat at a table, so with a source of income sorted, an itinerant lifestyle appealed. Stopping in towns and villages for varying lengths of time as they took her fancy and she got to know them, Merin gaily hopped from place to place for months on end.

Exactly what it was that first attracted her to Bellis, a small town of foresters on the banks of the Sellen, she couldn’t quite say. But the rhythms of life in the Verduran Forest, the plentiful supply of honey, and the flow of trade - and therefore people - down the river, sang to her soul and Merin found that she had started to settle. And if she fell in love with shyly handsome, dependable Artur Rhaligan, with his lovingly tended garden and beehives abuzz enough to sate even Merin’s sweet tooth, well, who wouldn’t fall for such a man?

Marriage quickly followed, but no children, not yet, though a number of years have now slipped by. An optimist always holds out hope, however. That blemish aside, Merin is happy, truly, with the life she has made for herself. When she sits sewing on eternal summer days, chatting with the birds and breathing in the heady scent of Artur’s flowers while he carefully tends them, Merin considers herself a lucky woman indeed.

It was in their garden that Merin struck up another key relationship, this time with a handsome speckled brown thrush with a particularly enchanting song. Whether it was through chatting to Solstice which brought her latent eldritch powers to the surface or whether her magic forged the bond with the songbird she couldn’t say. But the opportunity to use her newfound gifts to give the plants a little aid or to help with some tricky embroidery, well, utilising them is just good sense.

The pull of the road remains, however, and she stills travels to haunts old and new. Fashions change and people always need clothes. There are old friends to catch up with too, and new friends to make. And if on occasion her talent for generating business exceeds her talent as a seamstress? Well, she talked her way into trouble so she can just talk her way back out. It’s just such a journey that she finds herself on now, heading on a caravan to Belhaim. And what is this sunny young woman doing there? Ask and she might just tell you…