Red Mel's page

About Red Mel

CG female human Fighter 1 (favoured class)

Init +5; Senses Perception +1

AC 11 (+1 Dex.)

hp 12

Saves Fort +4, Ref +1, Will +1

Speed 30 ft.

Melee
+5

Ranged
+2

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 13, Con14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 13

Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD +16

Feats
Additional traits
Improved initiative

Skills 4
Bluff +6 (1 rank, +1 Cha., +3 class skill, +1 trait)
Diplomacy +6 (1 rank, +1 Cha., +3 class skill, +1 trait)
Intimidate +5 (1 rank, +1 Cha., +3 class skill)
Sense motive +6 (1 rank, +1 Wis., +3 class skill, +1 trait)

Traits
Anatomist
Fast-talker
Prostitute
World-traveler

Languages
Common

SQ
Skilled

Appearance
Easily five foot eight, Mel stands head and shoulders above most women. Over a decade of hard training and learning the use of weapons has left her lithe, but muscular. The flaming red hair and tendency to dress in revealing clothes and armour just set her apart from the norm even more -- and yet, no one seems to complain. More than once...

Background
Mel grew up in a temple. Or should we say, a 'temple'. She does not remember her parents, and the priestesses only shushed her when she asked about them. Life consisted of rituals and work. At first, 'work' was simply cleaning, running and fetching, helping to copy scrolls, cooking and other such chores. Once puberty hit, however, Mel started to receive instruction in the arts of charm, flattery and pleasure. In slightly less delicate terms, she received instruction in all the tasks required of a temple prostitute.

Mel had never known a different life than the temple, so at first she did not know any better. When her duties started to chafe at her (not so much because she objected to sleeping with men, but rather that she was expected to perform like a pet or a slave), she knew better than to complain out loud; the priestesses had ways of putting down rebellion in their charges without leaving a single scar. Unfortunately for them, Mel was good enough at subterfuge to hide her growing discontent from them. When one of the priestesses told her that a customer -- the son of the local Raj, who had visited Mel several times, mostly because he thought she looked exotic -- had offered to buy her from the temple for his personal harem, and that she was to ready herself for the journey, Mel felt the time had definitely come to act.

In the dead of night, she crept out of her cell and made her way to the temple's hall of records. She found the papers she had always suspected would be there:

Infant, female.
Name: Melissa Waspstorm.
Purchased for sum of 100 gold.
Bought by: temple.
Sold by: parents.
Special note: Parents have sold to temple before, due to low yield of home farm.

A priestess found Mel in the records. This turned out to be a very good thing -- for Mel, at least. She had a target to unleash her newly discovered wrath upon, and the priestess' clothes were about the right size to make a serviceable disguise, which allowed her to stroll out of the temple and into the surrounding city. Another quick mugging of someone roughly the right size -- this one a man -- in an alley, and Mel was on her way to her new life.

If Mel's life has not been one that many people would find admirable, it is at least one she has forged for herself. She initially made her money beating people up nn alleys for cash and clothes. This ended when she met the man who would become her mentor: a grizzled old mercenary tabor Habor. The old man dealt the cocky young redhead a crushing defeat, then helped her to her feet and offered to teach her how to fight better. The two of them spent two years together, only to part when Habor decided he'd gone off redheads and he was going to find himself a blonde girl to share his blankets next. Mel didn't care; she had her feet on the Path of the Blade, there would be other teachers out there, and plenty of work to do that did not require herself to submit to the will of anyone else, man or woman.

Personality
Normally tactless and a bit of a brute, Mel acts the role of the mercenary and thug to perfection, and has the reputation that goes with it. She has been bodyguard and brigand, guard and scout, she has fought loyally for those who paid her and turned on those who tried to cheat her, and at the end of working day she is as likely to engage in drink, song and other entertainments as anyone else in her profession.

Few realize the fierce, redheaded warrior is more selective about the jobs she takes than she lets on. Red Mel does not work for slavers. She does not take jobs to kill the innocent. She refuses to work for anyone connected to the deity in whose temple she grew up. And if she ever finds out where her parents are, she'll refuse to work for them, too. Also, few realize that she is actually a shrewd reader of people, cunning enough with an exact turn of phrase to avert conflict or turn negotiations for pay in her favour. To Mel, these skills are just another weapon she wields.

Behind the violent persona, Mel harbours a few romantic traits. One day, she would like to settle down with someone who matches her as a mate, or even as a husband. She wants it to be a true home, where she can have a brood and raise it lovingly, free of poverty. Beyond that, she has one more goal. It is rather esoterical for someone so grounded in blood and gold. It is probably mad. But it is hers, nonetheless. Somehow or other, once she has experienced a happy family life and her mortal span draws to a close, Mel wants to take the fight to the gods who sponsor acts that make life not worth living. She does not know how, but it is something she sometimes dreams of, when she can not banish dreams from her sleep with strong drink.

Goals
Low -- earn money, save two thirds of money, spend remaining third on drink, song and one or two pretty men.

Middle -- find permanent mate, own home, have happy family and raise healthy, strong children.

High -- ascension to divinity; become goddess of freedom, pleasure and strength, and wage everlasting war on gods of prostitution, slavery and cruelty.