Mira Stagsdottir's page

Racial (Human/Animal Lord)

Focused Study: Gain Skill Focus at 1, 8 and 16. Choices - Know: Nature, Perception, Survival
Heart of the Wilderness: Add half character level to survival (min +0). +5 racial bonus on Constitution checks to stabilize when dying, and add half level to Con to determine max negative HP.
Shoanti Steed (Trait, Regional): Treat mount as having saddle even when riding bareback. Mount can fend for itself outside of settlements and comes within 1d6 minutes when whistled for.
Giant Slayer (Trait, Campaign): +1 hit/dam vs giants, +1 bluff/perception/sense motive vs giants (?)
Seeker (Trait, Social) +1 perception

Change Shape (Su): (Mv. Act., at-will) Change between Human and Elk form, as shapechange. May partly convert any part of body.
Dominion (Su): In either form may speak with animals or charm animal on elk.
Species Affinity (Elk), Forceful Charge (Ex): Elk Lords gain 1d6 to their combat maneuver checks when using Bull Rush, Overrun, or Reposition.

Soul of Strength (Su): (1/day, free act.) Gain +20 circumstance bonus to str-based skill or ability check, or apply +20 circumstance to strength for a number of hours equal to half level for determining carrying capacity.

Special Abilities (Inquisitor, Sacred Huntsmaster)
Domain (Animal/Fur):
Predator's Grace (Su): (swift act, 6 rnds/day) Gain +10 ft base speed and triple distance of low-light vision.
Animal Companion (Ex): Gain animal companion as hunter of equal level. Andoril, Elk (Megaloceros)
Monster Lore (Ex): Add Wis to knowledge skill when making checks to identify creatures.
Stern Gaze (Ex): Add half inquisitor level to Intimidate and Sense Motive checks, (min. +1)

Special Abilities (Oracle, Wood)

Gear Abilities

Male Megaloceros Animal Companion 1
N Medium Animal

Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +6

Defense
AC 17, Touch 14, Flat-footed 13 [3 nat. armor + 3 dex + 1 dodge]
HP 13/13 [9 HD + 4 con]
Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +2

Offense
Speed 50 ft.

Melee Gore +3 (1d8+3, 20/x2)

Special Attacks
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Statistics
Str 12, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 5
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 16

Feats Dodge
Skills Acrobatics +3 (+11 jump), Perception +6, Stealth +7
Tricks (6 int; 1 bonus) Combat Training (Attack, Come, Defend, Down, Guard, Heel), Vengenace Strike (skirmisher trick)
SQ Link, Share Spells

Special Abilities
Skirmisher Tricks: (3/day)
Vengeance Strike (Ex): (imm. act.) Make attack against adjacent enemy who struck ally with attack.

At first blush, Mira appears an average Shoanti girl in her mid teens. Her ruddy complexion speaks of at least partial Shoanti blood, although her mid-length black hair and lack of tatoos mark her as an obvious outsider. Her head is wreathed by a handful of blue flowers, and a small pair of antlers protrude from the top, partly covered in moss instead of velvet and seemingly composed of living wood. She wears a simple, but well worn traveller's outfit, sturdy gloves and boots, and a green cloak. On her back is a quiver full of arrows, with an unstrung bow lashed to it, and a sturdy walking stick can usually be found in her possession as well.

Mira is quiet, and uncomfortable around large groups of people, due to having lived among the Shoanti for most of her life. Her dislike of large, populated areas, however, is offset by her fierce curiosity and desire for adventure. This combination leads her to keep to the outskirts of towns and villages, where she can interact while still being able to retreat to the comforting solitude of the wilderness when she desires.

She travels with her guardian and friend, Andoril, a young elk stag with pristine white fur. When travelling she rides on his back without a saddle, in the same manner Shoanti are known to ride their horses. She often speaks to Andoril directly, and seems to be able to carry on a conversation with him. While Andoril seems to be an otherwise normal stag, he appears to understand Mira quite well, to the point of being able to follow her verbal commands. The elk is very protective of Mira, and will gladly interpose himself between her and anyone who appears threatening.

Chandra was a typical Shoanti, raised in the Shriikirri-Quah as a warrior and eventually marrying Shakern, the son of one of the quah's most respected elders. The two were both great warriors, evenly matched in skill, and inseperable even before marriage. The two also shared a great wanderlust and craving for adventure. In the months after they were united, they decided to ride out and see the world before returning to the Quah.

Travelling west from the Storval Plateau they left Varisia for several years, travelling throughout the lands, fighting many battles and collecting treasure for their return to the Quah. After they'd had their fill of adventure, the two returned to Varisia by way of Korvosa, working their way towards the Storval stairs. During their return Chandra became aware that she was with child. The two rejoiced and made haste to return in time to give birth among family and friends. Unfortunately for Chandra and Shakern, they would never get a chance to see their child born. Dusk fell as they approached the Ashwood, and as they prepared to make camp for the night, the two were set upon by a band of Hill Giants. Shakern was overwhelmed, and chandra was forced to take up sword as well despite her situation. The two were eventually victorious, but the cost was high. Shakern laid on the ground bleeding from various wounds, his ribs crushed and one of his legs mangled. Chandra had also been seriously wounded, but managed to drag herself to his side to try to tend to his wounds. Without magic or potions, however, she was only able to bandage him up and hope for the best. She passed out from a combination of exhaustion and her wounds shortly afterwards, and awoke late the next day next to her husband's cold body. To lose her husband when they were only a short way from home was a cruel twist of fate, and that pain was compounded when she suffered a miscarriage two days later as she passed through the Ashwood.

The loss of her child nearly broke Chandra. For several days she lay there in the middle of the forest, paralyzed by grief. Laying there against a tree, her belongings strewn on the ground near her, and her horses grazing nearby, she was snapped out of her stupor by the sound of a child crying. When she looked in the direction of the sound she briefly saw a flash of white and then nothing. Forcing herself up, she moved towards the sound, finally coming upon a small child, bundled in a simple blanket on a basket woven of twigs. She reached down and picked up the child and as she cradled it in her arms it ceased crying. She looked around and called out to see if anyone was there, but there was no response. Seeing the helpless child there in her arms restored her desire to return home. She decided in that instant that she would see the child safely to the Quah and that she would raise her as her own child. Though the pain of what had happened still hung heavy upon her, she gathered her strength and pushed on again, knowing that Mira, the name they had chosen for their child if they had a daughter, was depending upon her.

Among the Shoanti there is a tale passed down from generation to generation: The tale of the Stag's Daughter. Once in every few generations, when the lands teamed with unrest and ill omen, the Grim White Stag, herald of Erastil's followers, would manifest and visit of Old Deadeye's followers, possessing them and seeing to it that they produced a child. When the child was born it would be taken to the forest and left along with an offering for Erastil. Eventually, usually months or even a few years later, the child would be found and taken in by someone who would raise them. In these times the Shoanti claimed Varisia as their own, wandering both across the plateau in the north and the forests and plains in the south. Several of these children were found by them and taken home to their Quah. Raised by the tribe, the girl always grew into a powerful warrior, master of both melee combat and archery, and a master over the wilderness. When the girl game of age, she would begin to grow a pair of stag's antlers, composed of living wood instead of horn like those of the Grim White Stag. Flowers would adorn her head, and soon a white stag would be sent to carry her off to fulfill her destiny. Invariably this coming of age was accompanied by calamity and ill fortune for the clan which reared her, although it was never directly caused by the girl. For this reason the elders always warned that no good could come of giving shelter to such foundlings.

It was in the shadow of this story that Mira was raised by Chandra. Though she knew of the tale she tried not to think of it and instead devoted herself to her daughter and the Quah. When Mira showed exceptional skill with the bow at the age of eight, the clan chalked it up to her parentage, for the girl had complexion, eyes and hair that matched those of her presumed parents. Chandra pushed any thoughts about Mira's heritage out of her mind, and instead basked in the attention and praise her daughter drew from others within the clan. From Mira's point of view, she had a fairly normal childhood, with all the ups and downs that came with it. She did well in archery and could outrun and overpower even boys several years her elder. She took great joy in practicing archery and riding, as well as the other more normal pastimes shared by Shoanti Children. For almost 6 years she lived a happy life in the Quah with her mother and her friends, but in the end the legend caught up with her.

When she had turned thirteen she went out on a trek with several of the tribes warriors and those children who were of the age to seek out a horse on the plateau. For weeks they travelled, tracking a herd of wild horses across open lands, closing in on them with each day. When they finally reached the pack, they would approach it calmly and the children--watched closely by the adults, of course--would attempt to attract the attention of one of the animals. Taming a wild mare or stallion was a mark of honor for the children, and those who rode such an animal were greatly revered within the Quah. When they crested the hill though, the group saw something truly unexpected: Amidst the mass of black and brown that was the herd of horses stood a solitary white elk, his antlered head raised far above the surrounding animals. Despite the warriors and children being well hiden among the brush on the ridge, the elk seemed to be staring directly at them.

Confused by the appearance of the elk, and vaguely aware of the grim significance of such a beast, the warriors turned and began speaking to each other in hushed tones. Their conference, however, kept them from noticing that Mira had begun stealthily approaching the beast. When she had spotted it she was immediately transfixed by it. Somehow she knew that the elk awaited her, and so she began moving quietly towards him. When she reached the edge of the herd, it parted before her and the stag approached. The men who had led the party noticed the movement, and watched silently as the Stag approached Mira and knelt before her, allowing her to climb upon its back. Looks of shock spread across their faces as they realized what they were witnessing. In that instant, as Mira looked from the elk at where the rest of the group was, she knew that her world had fundamentally changed. She didn't understand it, but as the elk--Arnodil was what he had introduced himself as--approached the group, the looks on the faces of the men told her that she had done something unthinkable.

The trip back home was long and quiet. The children were fascinated with the elk, but their chaperones spoke quietly to each other, often speaking of the "Stagsdottir", which Mira quickly gathered refered to her. When they returned, they quickly called for a meeting with Chandra and the Elders. The meeting went on throughout the day and into the night, and though Mira wasn't able to hear what was discussed, the back and forth and occasional shouting made it clear that things were not right. Before the meeting could conclude, however, the sentries' horns blew in warning. Men and women shouted as they gathered their weapons and rushed off to fight in defense of the tribe.

When morning came, the tribe gathered their wounded and dead into the center of the camp. They had been assaulted by nearly a dozen giants, a force that hadn't been seen on the plateau in several generations. The fighting had cost them a half-dozen of their best warriors, and another handful lay severely injured and likely on their deathbeds. Among these was Chandra, who led the charge against the foes who had claimed her husband's life. As she lay there dying she called the elders to her side to plead with them. She pleaded with them to not strip Mira of her membership in the Quah, to lend her aid when she set off into the world, and to allow her to return to live among them if and when her travels were completed. The issuing of such a demand by a warrior on their deathbed was a serious matter, and so, despite their trepidation, the elders agreed to Chandra's request.

After the elders left, Chandra called Mira to her side. She told her about how she'd been found, but made it clear that she would always be her daughter, regardless of her true heritage. She explained that Mira would eventually need to leave the tribe to find her destiny, and that when she was done she should return and again call the tribe home. Mira listened to her mother's words, in shock at what was happening. When Chandra finally passed away, Mira layed there crying for an hour before the elders were able to convince her to move so that they could see to her cremation, along with the other warrios who had sacrificed their lives for the Quah.

The next month was awkward, but the elders kept true to their word. While the adults in the tribe were more reserved around Mira, they did their best to ensure she was cared for. Mira spent most of her time with Andoril at the periphery of their encampment, although the other children were less reserved than their parents and would come to talk and see the great white elk regularly. It was at the end of that month that Mira finally began to grow the moss-covered nubs that marked her true parentage. At the same time she began to feel a strong desire to leave the steppes and head south. Andoril also seemed to sense this, becoming more agitated and restless as the days went by. Eventually she went to the elders and told them that her time to leave had arrived. In some ways relieved, they responded by giving her some gold and travelling supplies, as well as the longbow that had been her mothers' when she had been a child. That day she gathered her things and climbed atop Andoril to head out for wherever it is she was being called to, bow and quiver across her back, and a pair of pouches of rations tied together and slung across Andoril's back.

Mira's journey across the plains and down the Storval Steps was an experience for her. She'd never been so alone as she was crossing the vast expanse of the Storval Plateau, but despite that she felt oddly relieved to be out on her own. While she occasionally reached up to feel the slowly growing fuzzy pair of antlers that she'd developed, she didn't otherwise think too much on the nature of the changes she was undergoing. Much like her relief to be traveling, she felt at ease about it, as if it had always been so. For the most part she just enjoyed the travel and kept her eyes open for anything that needed to be avoided on the steppes. Her journey across and down the steps had been uneventful, and from there she headed south towards the Ashwood, curious about the forest she'd been found in. When she arrived, she and Andoril headed into the heart of the forest, where they spent the remainder of the next year wandering about the woods, causing travellers through the forest to tell tales of a ghostly child and stag wandering about the woods at the tarverns in the nearby cities.

Mira enjoyed her stay in the forest, which provided for both her own and Andoril's needs. There among the trees she learned to call upon the woods for blessings to aid her in hunting prey or in guiding her arrows. Though she still did not know Erastil's name, she nevertheless was his devoted servant. At the end of her second year in the Ashwood she began to hear whispers on the breeze and in the rustling of the leaves of the forest which spoke of trouble brewing in the west. In her dreams she saw a giant white stag, like Andoril, but with antlers consisting of live saplings. While it did not speak to her, it showed her images of the large humanoids that had assaulted her Quah and killed her mother and then headed out of the forest to the west. The following morning she gathered what supplies she could and told Andoril that they were leaving.

They travelled through forests and across plains towards the west, skirting around towns and avoiding contact with people for the most part. Still, when they camped near towns for the night, Mira was struck by an insatiable curiosity about the towns, which seemed more permanent than the encampments her tribe had lived in. Eventually she came to Sandpoint and knew that her travels had ended. Unsure of what to do, she wandered the plains surrounding the town, living off the land and avoiding contact with the travelers heading in and out of the town. Her curiosity, however, began to win over again as she spied on the town from nearby hills in the evening before the lights in the buildings went out. Eventually she told Andoril to wait for her and headed off into town to see it for herself.

Her first forays into the town were exclusively during the evenings, and she kept her cloak drawn tightly and hood up to hide her antlers, which extended back almost half a foot and had begun to lose the moss that had covered them initially. The townsfolk mostly ignored her, probably writing her off as a halfling instead of a human child, although she occasionally got looks as she wandered through the streets admiring the buildings and people. After a few weeks of coming and going she finally caught the attention of the town militia, who had heard rumors of a halfling thief in the region, and were therefore not comfortable with a 5' tall cloaked figure skulking around in the evenings. Needless to say they were quite surprised when they managed to catch hold of her and pulled back her hood. Instead of the halfling man they expected, they were greeted by an antlered Shoanti girl. Stepping on one of the guard's feet, Mira freed herself from their grasp and sprinted for the edge of town, leaving the grown men in the dust. As they chased her down they heard her whistle loudly, and were astounded when a large white stag appeared from the shadows, stopping only briefly to allow the girl to hop on its back before disappearing into the night.

Spooked by the encounter, Mira fled into the wilderness with Andoril and hid for the next few days in a small cave along the shore far north of town, unwilling to risk being seen again. Meanwhile, the guards spoke Shalelu Andosana, an elven ranger who frequented the surrounding lands and often aided the town against goblins and other threats, and who had luckily just stopped in town for one of her infrequent visits. They told her of the stag-girl and how she'd fled and asked her to investigate whether she was a threat or not. Intrigued, Shalelu agreed to track the girl down and find out her motives.

While Mira was a natural at surviving in the wilderness and remaining hidden, Shalelu was a master tracker who had spent more years in the area than Mira had been alive. Within a day Shalelu had tracked her to the cave, and began patiently observing her. Late that afternoon, when Mira snuck out to gather food for herself and Andoril, Shalelu entered the cave, caling Andoril and waiting for Mira's return. When she entered the cave, Mira was quite surprised to see the elven woman sitting there next to Andoril, the elk seemingly ignoring her. She looked the elk in the eyes and berated him, and much to the elf's chagrin the elk seemed to avert its eyes in shame before wandering off to the back of the cave.

When Shalelu turned back to Mira, she found herself facing the girl with a bow and knocked arrow. Laughing as she raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, the elf explained to Mira that she had been sent to find out what Mira was up to with regards to the town. Looking sheepishly back at her visitor, Mira replied that she had just been curious about the town, explaining that she'd never been in one, and had been living alone for the past couple years. When Shalelu introduced herself and asked for Mira's name, she responded simply "Mira Stagsdottir", taking the title from the Shoanti tale as her surname. The two spent a good bit of time talking about the surrounding region that day, and Shalelu offered to aid her in getting familiar with the town.

Six months have passed since that day, and Mira has become fairly well-known within the town. Even if the villagers aren't entirely sure what to make of the girl, Shalelu vouching for her carries a lot of weight, and so many have extended her the benefit of the doubt. While Mira still prefers to live outside Sandpoint, much like Shalelu, she has grown attached to the village and for the first time since she left her tribe feels as if she belongs.

Human/Elk Animal Lord Racial Bonuses: +10 Str, +4 Dex, +8 Con, +0 Int (Human), +4 Wis, +2 Cha (Human)
Adjusted Racial Stats (w/ Animal Lord Bonuses Halved): +4 Str (7 rounded down), +2 Dex, +4 Con, +0 Int, +2 Wis, +2 Cha
Str: 16 = 16 buy + 4 racial (elk) - 4 young
Dex: 16 = 10 buy + 2 racial (elk) + 4 young
Con: 10 = 10 buy + 4 racial - 4 young
Int: 14 = 14 buy + 0 racial
Wis: 16 = 14 buy + 2 racial
Cha: 16 = 14 buy + 2 racial

Natural Armor: +3 = +5 elk + 2 animal lord - 4 young

Melee Quarterstaff [+5 (0 BAB + 4 str + 1 size); 1d4 + 6 (4 str * 1.5), 20/x2]
Melee (Secondary) Gore [+0 (0 BAB + 4 str + 1 size - 5 secondary); 1d6 + 2 (4 str * 0.5), 20/x2]
Melee Hoof/Hoof/Gore [+5/+5/+5 (0 BAB + 4 str + 1 size); 1d3/1d3/1d6 + 4 (4 str), 20/x2]

Ranged

Acrobatics +4 (+12) [3 dex (+ 8 racial/jump)]
Appraise +2 [2 int]
Bluff +3 [3 cha]
Diplomacy +3 [3 cha]
Handle Animal +7 [1 ranks + 3 class + 3 cha]
Intimidate +4 [3 cha + 1 inquisitor]
Knowledge(Nature) +9 (+12) [1 ranks + 3 class + 2 int + 3 feat (+ 3 wis/id monster) ]
Knowledge(Religion) +6 (+9) [1 ranks + 3 class + 2 int (+ 3 wis/id monster) ]
Knowledge(Geography) +6 [1 rank + 3 class + 2 int]
Perception +8 [1 ranks + 3 class + 3 wis + 1 trait]
Profession(Trapper) +7 [1 rank + 3 class + 3 wis]
Ride +7 [1 ranks + 3 dex + 3 class]
Sense Motive +8 [1 ranks + 3 class + 3 wis + 1 inquisitor]
Stealth +11 [1 ranks + 3 class + 3 dex + 4 size]
Survival +7 (+8) [1 ranks + 3 class + 3 wis + 0 racial]

1 (Inquisitor): +1 skill point

Starting: 150
Spent: 75
Remaining: 75

Small Longbow (75 gp)
Small Quarterstaff (Free)
Explorer's outfit (Free)