Rigel Pordyras's page

Deft Hands
Alertness
Great Fortitude

High Roller - You’ve been born and raised in the upper crust of Crossroads, and the glitz and glamor of the city’s elite is nothing new to you. You’re well-acquainted with the rich and powerful, and know how to handle them. You gain a +1 on diplomacy and knowledge (nobility) checks*, and one of these becomes a class skill. Any race and class is appropriate.

Trustworthy - You gain a +1 trait bonus on Bluff checks made to fool someone. You also gain a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy checks, and Diplomacy is always a class skill for you.

Bluff +12/+13 (5 Ranks, 2 Cha, 3 Class, 1 Trait*, +2 Racial)
Diplomacy +12 (5 Ranks, 2 Cha, 3 Class, 2 Trait)
Disable Device +12 (5 Ranks, 2 Dex, 3 Class, 2 Feat)
Disguise +10 (5 Ranks, 2 Cha, 3 Class)
Knowledge Local +10 (5 Ranks, 2 Cha, 3 Class)
Perception +14 (5 Ranks, 2 Wis, 3 Class, 2 Feat, 2 Racial)
Sense Motive +12 (5 Ranks, 2 Wis, 3 Class, 2 Feat)
Sleight of Hand +12 (5 Ranks, 2 Dex, 3 Class, 2 Feat)
Stealth +15 (5 Ranks, 2 Dex, 3 Class, 5 Item)

*Knowledge (Nobility) +12 (5 Ranks, 3 Int, 3 Class, 1 Trait)
*Perform (Dance) +7 (2 Ranks, 2 Cha, 3 Class)
*Profession (Private Investigator/Information Gatherer) +8 (3 Ranks, 2 Wis, 3 Class)

1st:
Ant Haul
Comprehend Languages
Detect Secret Doors
Expeditious Retreat
Reduce Person
Shield
Vocal Alteration

2nd:
Focused Scrutiny
Invisibility

Common, Infernal, Abyssal, Elven

Undead Resistance: Dhampirs gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against disease and mind-affecting effects.
Resist Level Drain (Ex): A dhampir takes no penalties from energy drain effects, though he can still be killed if he accrues more negative levels then he has Hit Dice. After 24 hours, any negative levels a dhampir takes are removed without the need for an additional saving throw.
Manipulative Dhampir gain a +2 racial bonus on Bluff and Perception checks.
Spell-Like Abilities (Su): A dhampir can use detect undead three times per day as a spell-like ability. The caster level for this ability equals the dhampir’s class level.
Darkvision: Dhampir see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
Low-light vision: In addition to their ability to see perfectly in the dark up to 60 ft, dhampir have low-light vision, allowing them to see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
Light Sensitivity: Dhampirs are dazzled in areas of bright sunlight or within the radius of a daylight spell.
Negative Energy Affinity: Though a living creature, a dhampir reacts to positive and negative energy as if it were undead—positive energy harms it, while negative energy heals it.

Investigator:

Inspiration (Ex)
An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled—he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations.

An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1). An investigator’s inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night’s sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he’s trained in the skill.

Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator’s pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.

Trapfinding
An investigator adds 1/2 his level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks (minimum 1). An investigator can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.

Poison Lore (Ex)
An investigator has a deep understanding and appreciation for poisons. At 2nd level, he cannot accidentally poison himself when applying poison to a weapon. If the investigator spends 1 minute physically examining the poison, he can attempt a Knowledge (nature) check to identify any natural poison or Knowledge (arcana) check to identify any magical poison (DC = the poison’s saving throw DC). Lastly, once a poison is identified, he can spend 1 minute and attempt a Craft (alchemy) check (DC = the poison’s saving throw DC) to neutralize 1 dose of the poison. Success renders the dose harmless. The investigator has no chance of accidentally poisoning himself when examining or attempting to neutralize a poison.

Poison Resistance (Ex)
At 2nd level, an investigator gains a +2 bonus on all saving throws against poison. This bonus increases to +4 at 5th level, and to +6 at 8th level. At 11th level, the investigator becomes completely immune to poison.

Investigator Talent (Ex) or (Su)
At 3rd level and every 2 levels thereafter, an investigator gains an investigator talent. Except where otherwise noted, each investigator talent can only be selected once.

Investigator talents marked with an asterisk (*) add effects to an investigator’s studied combat or studied strike. Only one of these talents can be applied to an individual attack, but the decision can be made when the damage is dealt.

Talent (3rd Level) Expanded Inspiration - Use inspiration on trained Diplomacy, Heal, Perception, Profession, and Sense Motive without expending inspiration

Talent (5th Level) Empathy - Roll twice on Sense Motive checks; spend inspiration to detect thoughts

Keen Recollection
At 3rd level, an investigator can attempt all Knowledge skill checks untrained.

Trap Sense (Ex)
At 3rd level, an investigator gains an intuitive sense that alerts him to danger from traps, granting him a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks by traps. At 6th level and every 3 levels thereafter, these bonuses increase by 1 (to a maximum of +6 at 18th level).

Studied Combat (Ex)
With a keen eye and calculating mind, an investigator can assess the mettle of his opponent to take advantage of gaps in talent and training. At 4th level, an investigator can use a move action to study a single enemy that he can see. Upon doing so, he adds 1/2 his investigator level as an insight bonus on melee attack rolls and as a bonus on damage rolls against the creature. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) or until he deals damage with a studied strike, whichever comes first. The bonus on damage rolls is precision damage, and is not multiplied on a critical hit.

An investigator can only have one target of studied combat at a time, and once a creature has become the target of an investigator’s studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same investigator’s studied combat again for 24 hours unless the investigator expends one use of inspiration when taking the move action to use this ability.

Studied Strike (Ex)
At 4th level, an investigator can choose to make a studied strike against the target of his studied combat as a free action, upon successfully hitting his studied target with a melee attack, to deal additional damage. The damage is 1d6 at 4th level, and increases by 1d6 for every 2 levels thereafter (to a maximum of 9d6 at 20th level). The damage of studied strike is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit; creatures that are immune to sneak attacks are also immune to studied strike.

If the investigator’s attack used a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), he may choose to have the additional damage from studied strike be nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. If the investigator chose to make an attack with a lethal weapon instead deal nonlethal damage (with the usual –4 penalty), the studied strike damage may also deal nonlethal damage.

The investigator must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. An investigator cannot use studied strike against a creature with concealment.

Swift Alchemy (Ex)
At 4th level, an investigator can create alchemical items with astounding speed. It takes an investigator half the normal amount of time to create alchemical items. He can also apply poison to a weapon as a move action instead of a standard action.

30 gp, Mithral Chain Shirt*, Rapier, Dagger, Revolver*, 30 Bullets, 6 Silver Bullets, Cloak of Elvenkind, Hat of Disguise, Silver Necklace with Infiniti emblem (25 gp), Gold Earring (stud) (25 gp), Courtier's Clothing, Adventurer's Clothing, Thieves' Tools, Concealed Shoulder Holster

Born in a rather well-to-do household in Crossroads, Rigel was able to attend many of the social gatherings that his parents went to even at a young age, enjoying watching the verbal wordplay and maneuvering that went on. As he grew older, he began to understand the power of information and being able to socialize on par with the movers and shakers, and was determined to become versed in both to secure his place among the elite in the city.

Rigel spent much of his young adulthood going with his parents to these gatherings, both large and small, perfecting what to say to people, when to feign surprise or horror or humor, when to offer a verbal nudge to get someone to offer more than they otherwise would. At night, Rigel would slip away, practicing a seedier form of tradecraft that he thought would be useful.

The young man learned how to slip from shadow to shadow, strangely feeling more comfortable at night than in the day. Practicing his steps, he determined how to walk on which surfaces to allow the least amount of noise. He even saved enough money to go to a less-savory shop and purchase tools and then practiced opening locks and devices to get at their valuables and secrets.

Once he was ready, the young man made a purchase to enable him to live the secret life he desired. Once he procured the magical hat, he set himself up as a dealer of information in a rather seedy area of Downtown, changing his appearance slightly so as not to be mistaken for himself by those that might know him. From this, he hoped to not only become even better at information gathering and building his own wealth, but also to use the information obtained to help secure his own future in the city's hierarchy.

A few years later, things are going mostly to plan, though Rigel had thought things would move a bit more quickly. He held a lot of hope for a more hasty continuation of his good fortunes since meeting Zandora for the second time (the first he had happened upon her while she was begging and had given her a silver coin, as the more well-to-do were expected to help the poor). The young woman had come to his establishment one day, rather out of sorts and with a modest amount of coin, begging him to find her mother.

The investigation was solved rather quickly, as the young man searched the young woman's home and found the note her mother had left to explain her absence. To her credit, Zandora didn't ask for a return of her money, but instead asked if she could work for him to earn her money back. At first Rigel considered the more carnal aspects of such a relationship, but then his mind raced forward and he hatched a plan.

It turned out the woman was as gifted a liar as he was and was able to strike up conversations with strangers with striking ease, in addition to being rather easy on the eye. Rigel found himself offering her a partnership of sorts (with of course him being the senior partner), as women could more easily infiltrate female social circles, and couples could gain access to events that a single attendee might find more scrutiny at.

Working together, Rigel found that while he wasn't quite where he wanted to be in the city's social structure, he was making fine progress along with Zandora. When she approached him about moving into his spare bedroom above his modest shop, he gladly accepted, as having her in close proximity would make things more efficient. Ambition had always flowed through his veins, and he yearned for more to come through their work.

With dark hair and dark eyes set on a pale, handsome face, Rigel cuts a very charming figure in his night time escapades. He keeps his sleek figure hidden under layers of stylish clothing, making sure he is well-groomed and dressed to impress unless he is off on an info-gathering chore that requires a bit of discretion.

Patient and cunning, Rigel is willing to work multiple angles to meet his desired objective. Sometimes he sets too many dominos in motion and his web ends up tangling, but for the most part he manages to avoid mishaps. Slow to anger, the dhampir holds a grudge once someone has managed to rile him enough.

Though he prefers the night time and finds a bright, sunny day uncomfortable, Rigel does not know that he is a dhampir. While he knows that 'normal' people can not see in the dark, there is enough variety in the city that the young man just assumed there are some who can, with all the weird bloodlines flowing through Crossroads.

Rigel strode through the jet black door of the Obelisk Lounge with the confidence of one who knew they belonged, his cloak clipped to his belt to refrain from entangling his person with those of the other patrons. Whipping cloaks looked good, thematically, but logistically they were a trip hazard and a good way to draw unwanted attention.

The young man smiled at a waitress as she swayed by with a platter full of drinks, snagging one and laying a gold coin on the tray as she passed. Winding his way through the haze of smoke Rigel followed the sound of the local band playing as he weaved through the other patrons of the establishment, stopping briefly to exchange pleasantries or a handshake with those he knew.

Stopping at an empty seat, he plopped down into it, stretching his legs out and taking a sip of his drink while listening to the band play. He always allowed himself a few minutes of enjoyment when he came here, a fan of almost any class of music. Even the wild, exotic stuff was usually good, though he supposed he just wasn't a good judge.

Rigel tapped his feet to the rhythm of the song, breathing in the aromatic smoke around him, the smell of cloves heavy in the air. He'd start making his rounds soon enough, striking up conversations with friends and acquaintances to see what was going on in Crossroads these last few days, but for now he just lived in the moment, taking another gulp of the alcohol as he listened and relaxed.

Opening his eyes after closing them for a minute to let the sound and odor wash over his senses, he found Zandora sitting across from him, looking every bit the lovely accompaniment to a debonair young man. He smirked at her, taking another swallow of his drink before saying, "You look nice. How many fellows did you have to weave through to make it over here?" He chuckled, looking out over the crowd before turning his dark gaze back to her. "Time to see what dark secrets are waiting to be discovered tonight. Remember, if a man we're talking to shows interest, I'll excuse myself to get a drink. Don't worry, I'll be keeping an eye out in case they get handsy. If you feel I need to fly solo, say you see an old friend and go find someone to talk to. You can strike up a conversation with anyone, so no one will know better. Ready to go to work, milady." Still offering that self-assured smirk, he stood and offered his arm to the young woman before starting to slowly walk around the Lounge, looking for someone who looked worthy of their attention.