About Ruben LachancePersonal:
Ruben Lachance Human bard (arcane duelist) 2 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 80) CN Medium humanoid (human) Defense:
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+3 armor, +2 Dex, +1 shield) hp 19 Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3 Offense and Spells:
Speed 30 ft. Melee club +4 (1d6+3) or dagger +4 (1d4+3/19-20) or longsword +4 (1d8+3/19-20) Special Attacks bardic performance 8 rounds/day (distraction, fascinate [DC 12], inspire courage +1, rallying cry) Bard (Arcane Duelist) Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +3) 1st (2/day)—expeditious retreat, silent image (DC 13), grease (DC 13) 0 (at will)—daze (DC 12), ghost sound (DC 12), dancing lights, mage hand, prestidigitation Stats:
Init +2; Senses Perception +4 Str 16, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 8, Cha 14 Base Atk +0; CMB +4; CMD 16 Feats Arcane Strike, Lingering Performance[APG], Skill Focus (Intimidate), Combat Casting Traits - Resilient Skills Acrobatics +5, Appraise +5, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +7, Disguise +6, Intimidate +10, Perception +4, Perform (oratory) +6, Sleight of Hand +5, Spellcraft +5, Use Magic Device +7 Languages Common, Halfling Gear:
Combat Gear alchemist's kindness[APG] (2); Studded leather, Light steel shield, Club, Dagger, Longsword, Marked cards[APG], Masterwork thieves' tools, Potion of CLW x1 Gold: 40
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Backstory:
Background
He remembers how dark it was in there. Like the blackness was a shroud that wrapped around him, enveloped him. There was only one crack of light, a tiny vertical sliver through which he saw his whole world end. One of his parents had shoved him in that cupboard when they heard the glass breaking – he doesn’t know which. They must have known what was happening but as a boy no older than 7 he could barely comprehend it. He remembers harsh voices shouting, his father cursing and his mother screaming. And then…. Silence. When he closes his eyes now and thinks back he can smell that familiar metallic tang of blood in the air. But there is one thing, more than anything that is inscribed indelibly on his mind. A dark figure appearing in that crack of light and whispering; Just a bad dream, kid.. Now He awakes with a start, a sheen of sweat slick across his broad chest and sticking his hair to his head at odd angles. He gasps once, twice and for a moment he thinks he is back in that cupboard, the rancid breath of the man that haunts his dreams wafting through that crack and a panic sets in. He feels his chest heave and his throat tighten but then another voice cuts through the fog, a soft, concerned voice; Ruben, what is it? Her hand is cool on his back and within an instant he is back in his own mind, remembering why he is there. The first rays of sunshine penetrate the drapes and send long fingers of light across the room. Ruben hauls himself out of bed and begins snatching at his clothes. Nothing, my love. It’s just I’m late for an important meeting. Hauling on his soft leather breeches he leans back over the four-poster bed and plants a kiss on the lips of the pretty, young thing lying there. She was the youngest daughter of some meaningless noble and had proved as impressionable and malleable as she had beautiful. In many ways, she was the perfect mark. I think you wore me out last night. he adds, flashing that rakish grin that had opened as many doors as it had thighs throughout his adult life. He grabs at his sword belt and as he hastily wraps it around himself, his heavy money pouch falls and hits the ground with a clatter, sending dozens of gold pieces and glittering gems rolling all across the floor. With a well-practised look of shock and horror, he looks back at the girl and says; Uh… you… you weren’t exactly supposed to see that. If there is one thing he had learned that these princesses appreciated more than his charms it is the sheen of gold and the flash of jewellery. Sure enough, the girl sits bolt upright in bed, her raven hair tumbling down as she does so. Ruben… you. What kind of meeting do you have? Is… is there some way I can help? she asks, he eyes never leaving the painted copper coins and glass baubles that he desperately pretends to scoop up by the handful. The grift had been the same for the past three years now. In time gone by he had had a dozen other schemes that had yielded varying results from simple fiddle games, confidence tricks, persuasion rouses and more. But never had he been more successful than with this set up. He would find a young, wealthy and rebellious girl and actively cultivates a romantic relationship during which he revealed the promise of a lucrative business opportunity, if only he had a little more start-up capital. He walks away with the money whilst they get a scalding from their rich daddies who take the money out of their trust fund. No one gets hurt. He had two rules – no one gets hurt and no kids get involved. The second of those rules had become particularly important to him in the past year. He had met a girl who dressed like the most pampered peacock he had ever set his eyes on. And she was not shy with her wealth, flaunting it in various establishments, wearing expensive jewellery and also she had a way about her that he did not like at all. She treated people with disdain, as if they were beneath her. So over the course of the next month, Ruben had reeled her in and before long she was practically falling over herself to get involved with a scheme he had concocted involving the recovery and sale of treasure from wrecked ships off the coast of Sasserine. Ruben had never been to Sasserine in his life, but he knew that tales of exotic locales, pirates and treasure would be far too much for her to resist. And he had been right. She had three hundred gold pieces that she could give him immediately, with the promise of a thousand more. He couldn't believe his luck and soon made arrangements to meet her at her home to collect. The house was not what he expected. He had assumed she was a sire of of of the noble houses, Vhalantru maybe. But the house was a small, modest townhouse probably no more than four rooms. But it was the boy that really stopped him in his tracks. A boy of about 8 years old came out of the house and ran to catch up with some friends. At the same moment there she was in the doorway, all pretence fallen away, no jewels, no expensive dresses – just a woman living beyond her means. He thought of himself as a child all those years ago, how afraid he had been when his parents were gone and how all hope had seemed lost when he walked through the doors of that orphanage. He shook his head, and walked away. The Last Laugh were definitely aware of him and he wouldn’t be surprised if the Alleybashers had taken an interest too. But he was not a thief and he made sure he avoided any of their marks or territory and so far they had left him alone with little more than a ‘friendly’ warning. Still, he maintained good relations with some of the lower members of those organisations, fences mainly, some second storey men like that kid, JJ something-or-other. He'd never met any of the Jesters and wanted to keep it that way. But lately he had been hearing rumours of disappearances. Such a thing would not normally concern him, but one of those who had gone missing was that self-same boy from the cheap side houses. He still didn't know why he cared, but he started asking around. There was a cleric at the temple of Abadar – Taskerhill he thought his name was, he was probably in the know – it's amazing how much people will confess to a priest. He should know, he spent three months impersonating one. Other than that the only other lead he had was the Orphanage. He hated that place, had spent 8 miserable years there before they shipped him off to the town guard – not that that worked out either. He was lean and strong and could fight well enough, but he was damned if he was going to be ordered about the rest of his life, even if that Skellerang guy wasn't as bad as some of the others. No, he was going to make his own way in this world. But he did remember Gretchyn at the orphanage as someone who at least showed him kindness. There was a halfling girl too, helpful, maybe a little naïve. She got there after Ruben but by that time he was keeping mostly to himself anyway, he had started to develop abilities. Nothing big, but enough to know he was different somehow, and being different was not necessarily a good thing. Still, if a missing kid was going to show up anywhere it would probably be the orphanage? Maybe he would check it out tomorrow. Personality:
Ruben isn't an evil person, but he is not a kind person either. He is selfish and ultimately out for number one, but only because circumstance has made him that way. He can be at once abrasively rude and ruthlessly charming, depending on his situation or mood. He does not suffer fools gladly but respects those with abilities or knowledge that can further his own cause. Whether consciously or not, he has a weak spot for children and the vulnerability they represent because of his own traumatic childhood. Appearance:
Ruben is rakishly handsome, tall and broad shouldered with dark hair and an easy smile. He has used these physical advantages his whole adult life in the course of his cons. HP=16/19
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