About Ruka KaijitsuPBP History:
I've only been on the boards for about six months, but I've been (and still am) active in a lot of games. A look at my campaigns tab might lead to a raised eyebrow, but it's not quite as crazy as it looks. For one thing, a lot of those games have either died due to GM disappearance or slowed to a crawl for similar reasons. Only about six of those games are still posting every day or two, and half of those are for the PFS Gameday event.
The other thing is that I work in a library and have a fair amount of time where I'm just sitting at the front desk waiting in case people need help. (That's actually why I'm in so many games; there's only so much Reddit I can browse before I get bored.) In terms of commitment; I've only dropped out of one game. That was due to a conflict of playing styles. I made sure to wait until a thematically-appropriate moment and politely posted in the discussion to let them know I was leaving. If you want more details, just let me know and I'll PM them to you. Some examples of my posting style: This post is from a Strange Aeons game which has sadly died. The entire intro sequence was a blast, and I loved my cynical true neutral character. I use the preview option liberally so I can appropriately flavor the roleplay around dice rolls. This post is a good example of how I roleplay a failed check. It requires a bit more context, but on this page me and another character did some bonding over similar tragedies in our backstories. If you don't mind a lot of reading, it's a good example of how I interact with other PCs. If you have any questions or want more examples, please let me know. I'm happy to provide. Role (Class Info):
Ruka as currently built will primarily be a melee combatant. If we're lacking a rogue I'll take Trapfinding at second level to fill that slot. With 8 skill points per level (plus background skills) Ruka could also be a half-decent skill monkey. (At least for non-social skills, but our paladin should have those covered.) In combat she'll fight with a nodachi. I plan to focus on Intimidate and the Menacing ranger combat style.
That all being said, I'm flexible. I was extremely torn between slayer and investigator from the start, so if the extra skills and support are needed more than the extra combat potential, I'm happy to rebuild in that direction. Ranged rather than melee? I can do that, I love archery. Need another caster for some reason? I could probably make that work. About the only role Ruka absolutely could not be rebuilt to fill would be that of a face. Her low charisma and social awkwardness are too integral to the character I see in my head. Otherwise if you like the character but need a different role filled, just let me know and I'll see what I can do. Background:
Ruka is the youngest daughter of Lonjiku and Atsuii Kaijitsu. Five years younger than her older sister, the two of them had little in common as children. While Ameiko frequently snuck out of the manor to play, Ruka was too young to follow. As such she spent most of her time inside under her father's eye, being drilled over and over in lessons of history, geography, and nobility that frequently went over her head.
When Ameiko ran away for the first time, Lonjiku's temper grew fouler. Small mistakes in Ruka's lessons became things to fear. Lonjiku refused to tolerate such failures and would punish them harshly. Ruka grew terrified of anything that could potentially incur her father's wrath. She frequently ran to her mother for comfort, but there was little Atsuii could do. Sometimes she could calm Lonjiku's anger, but just as frequently she merely redirected it onto herself. Then, suddenly, she was dead. Ruka was inconsolable at the loss of the only person who loved her. But much to her surprise, Ameiko returned for the funeral and announced she was staying. "Don't worry little sister. I'll be here to take care of you." Any stabilizing influence Atsuii had been able to provide was gone. However, with Ameiko back, Ruka was able to turn to her for the comfort she'd once sought from her mother. Fiercely independent, Ameiko had no qualms about standing up to their father. Ruka would listen guiltily to her father berating Ameiko, wishing she had the courage to stand up for her sister the way Ameiko stood up for her. While Ameiko tried her best, she was also still a child herself, and the situation soon became unbearable for her. Three years after her return she once again ran away. Ruka was torn between emotions. A part of her was heartbroken at her sister's disappearance. A part of her was happy that she'd managed to get away. And a part of her resented Ameiko for leaving her behind. You promised me you'd stay, she'd think while cowering from Lonjiku's wrath. You promised! Then, just as suddenly as she'd left, Ameiko returned. This time though she made no promises. She completely ignored the manor and barely paid any attention to her father or sister. Instead she bought a local inn. Feeling betrayed yet again, Ruka swore that she didn't need Ameiko's help. She was doing just fine on her own. Then the goblins attacked and everything went wrong. Ameiko was kidnapped, Lonjiku was also missing, and meanwhile Ruka sat helplessly alone in the manor. Barely thirteen, she couldn't stop the goblin invasion. She couldn't rescue her sister or father. She was forced to simply watch and pray that others would do what she could not. Her prayers were partially answered. Lonjiku was killed, as were most of the other employees of the Glassworks, but Ameiko at least survived with the help of some new friends. Once again Ruka was torn between relief at Ameiko's survival and the deep resentment she still felt over being abandoned. Determined not to think about it, she threw herself into two projects. The first was the restoration of the Glassworks. While it technically belonged to Ameiko now, she'd never shown any interest in the art. Ruka however had spent several years listening to Lonjiku's lectures on the topic. She knew the basic processes that needed to be followed. More importantly, she knew where the books were kept and where Lonjiku had stored his gold. With the help of the few surviving employees and the people she hired from Magnimar, she was able to reopen the Glassworks for business. The second was to practice the arts of battle. She took up an old nodachi, an heirloom from Minkai, and taught herself how to use it. Never again would she stand helplessly by while others fought. After recovering from her ordeal, Ameiko began trying to reach out to her younger sister. At first any such attempts were harshly rebuffed. Ruka had no intention of letting her sister in only to be disappointed again. But Ameiko kept trying, and as Ruka matured she started to understand her sister's point of view. Gradually Ruka's attitude shifted from resentment over the way Ameiko had left to gratitude that she'd come back. The two sisters still aren't exactly close, but things have improved. Ruka, who constantly feels Lonjiku's oppressive presence looming over her, has even tentatively asked Ameiko to take her along next time she leaves on an adventure. Both to get away from Sandpoint and its dark memories, and also so she can help protect her older sister. Ameiko is the only family Ruka has left, and she's only just gotten her back. She's not going to risk losing her again. Description:
Ruka has a stern face with harsh features. She nearly never smiles. She's only seventeen, but the stress of her childhood has aged her face and left her looking several years older. Years of training have given her strong muscles with a compact frame, although that's somewhat offset by her height, which is tall for a Tian woman. Her hair used to be long, but she cut it off after Lonjiku's death and has worn it short ever since.
She favors practical clothing she can move in. Her favorite color is a dark green, which is the color of many of her regular outfits. In terms of personality she's withdrawn and quiet most of the time. She's inherited Lonjiku's temper, but is horrified whenever it flares up. She's not-so-secretly terrified she's going to be just like her father one day. A childhood spent almost entirely isolated had made it very difficult for her to connect with people. She means well, but has no social skills whatsoever. She's also terrified of failing due to Lonjiku's frequent punishments, which frequently turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Motivations:
Ruka has a number of motivations to go on this adventure.
She wants to find out what's going on with their family history.
My hope for this adventure is to have Ruka come out of her shell. Right now she had no real friends. Her closest acquaintance is her sister, but 'acquaintance' is still the operative word. (Mechanically, if you're using the relationship rules in the Player's Guide, they'd be 'associated.') I'd like to explore her deepening her relationship with her sister. Forming new friends. Having new adventures. Overcoming the fear of failure that Lonjiku instilled. Until she comes out the other side as a much more confident young woman who's happy with her life. Vignette - Breakthrough:
Two women dining together. One beautiful, with white bangs contrasting sharply against her black hair as they fall to softly frame her face. One not, with harsh features and a severe expression that would intimidate anyone trying to approach. Despite the many differences, a keen observer could pick out enough similarities to tell that these two women are, in fact, related.
"How is the lamb?" Ameiko fidgets slightly, clearly unnerved by the silence. "I got the recipe from a Qadiran merchant traveling with Sandru's caravan. Haven't had the chance to try it before. Do you think it would go over well with the usual customers?" "It's good." Ruka doesn't look at her sister while she eats. "I'm glad you like it." Ameiko pauses, but Ruka shows no signs of wanting to talk. "Um, how is the Glassworks doing?" Her face shadows for a second, likely due to her own memories of the place, but she seems to force them away. "I heard you've hired some new glassmakers from Magnimar." Ruka takes another deliberate bite. "It's fine." "Ruka..." Ameiko sighs. "Please work with me here. I just want to talk to you. Get to know you again. I know you're angry-" "Angry? Why would I be angry?" For the first time Ruka looks at her sister, face carefully blank. "You left. You came back. You left again. You came back again." She shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly. "Soon you'll leave again. It's what you do. There's no point in being angry at the wind for blowing." "That's...well it may be true, but..." Ameiko clearly struggles for a moment. "You're my sister. My only family. I don't want us to be strangers to each other." Ruka looks down at her plate and continues eating. Ameiko massages her temples, trying to contain her growing irritation. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry that my leaving made things harder on you. I never wanted that. I just couldn't stay any longer. I couldn't deal with him any longer. What else was I supposed to do?" "You could have taken me with you." Ameiko blinks, not sure she's heard correctly. "What-" "Do you think I wanted to stay?" Ruka is still staring at her plate, but her voice is now choked with emotion. "Do you think I enjoyed it? He never stopped talking about you, you know. Whether you were there or not. 'How could you have thought Minkai was founded in 3169, it was 3619, Ameiko would have known that.' 'Why can't you even manage a scale on the samisen, Ameiko had mastered it by your age.' 'Look at how crooked that line is, Ameiko had much better penmanship.'" Ruka drops her chopsticks and wraps her arms around herself. "When he wasn't punishing me for not being like you he was punishing me because he thought I was. 'Don't you dare take that tone of voice with me, I will not have another rebellious child under my roof!' He hit me once for walking because he thought I was doing it disrespectfully." Ameiko swallows hard. "I know. He did it to me to, that's why-" "You don't know. How could you?" Ruka finally looks up and her face is streaked with tears. "You were always so brave. Able to defy him. To stand up to him. To just leave. So you did. I know why you left. I understand why you left. But why...why couldn't you have taken me with you?" "Because I didn't think you'd go." For a moment the only sound in the room is Ruka's ragged breathing. Ameiko blinks away a few tears of her own before continuing. "And because you're right. I didn't know. Or well, I did, but I thought...he did it to me too, okay? Telling me how much better you were. 'Ruka shows an interest in the family business even at her age, why don't you spend more time in the Glassworks?' 'Ruka stays in the manor like she's told, why do you keep sneaking out?' 'Ruka would never...'" She breaks off, shaking her head. "I thought I was the problem. That I was the one making him angry. So if I left..." "You thought things would be better for everyone." Ameiko nods. Ruka manages a broken laugh. "I never knew he talked about me like that. Whenever he said something to me it was about everything I was doing wrong." "I never would have thought he'd say anything complimentary about me." Ruka scrubs at her face with her shirt sleeve. "I think...I have to go. I need some time to think." "Okay." Ameiko doesn't question it. Ruka's always needed time alone to process stuff. "Come back for another lunch when you're ready." "I will." Ruka starts to head out the door, then pauses. "Ameiko?" "Yes?" "Thank you for the lunch...sister." She leaves without a backward glance. Ameiko smiles anyway. They still had a long way to go before they felt like family again, but it was progress. "See you soon, sister." Statistics:
Ruka Kaijitsu Female Human Slayer 4 NG Medium Humanoid (Human) Init +3; Senses: Perception +8 -------------------- Defense -------------------- AC 18, touch 12, flat-footed 16 (+2 dex, +6 armor) (+1 vs traps) HP 36 (4d10) Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3 (+1 vs traps) -------------------- Offense -------------------- Speed 20ft (Medium Armor) Melee Murasamemaru + 10 (1d10 + 6, 18-20/x2) Melee Light Flail + 8 (1d8 + 4, x2) Ranged Shortbow + 6 (1d6, x3) -------------------- Other Statistics -------------------- Str 19, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 8 Base Atk +4; CMB +8; CMD 20 Special Abilities:
Feats: Power Attack (Level 1): Trade melee attack bonus for damage Skill Focus - Intimidate (Human Bonus): +3 bonus on one skill (+6 at 10 ranks) Weapon Focus (Nodachi) (Level 3): You gain a +1 bonus on all attack rolls you make using the selected weapon Gory Finish: Make an Intimidate check if you reduce an opponent to negative hit points Traits
Skills:
Acrobatics: +7 (+2 rank, +3 class skill, +2 DEX)
Languages
Class and Racial Features:
-------------------- Slayer Class Features: -------------------- Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A slayer is proficient with all simple and martial weapons, as well as with light armor, medium armor, and shields (except tower shields). Studied Target: A slayer can study an opponent he can see as a move action. The slayer then gains a +1 bonus on Bluff, Knowledge, Perception, Sense Motive, and Survival checks attempted against that opponent, and a +1 bonus on weapon attack and damage rolls against it. The DCs of slayer class abilities against that opponent increase by 1. A slayer can only maintain these bonuses against one opponent at a time; these bonuses remain in effect until either the opponent is dead or the slayer studies a new target. Track: A slayer adds 1/2 his level (minimum 1) to Survival skill checks made to follow tracks. Sneak Attack: At 3rd level, if a slayer catches an opponent unable to defend itself effectively from his attack, he can strike a vital spot for extra damage. The slayer’s attack deals extra damage anytime his target would be denied a Dexterity bonus to AC (whether the target actually has a Dexterity bonus or not), or when the slayer flanks his target. This additional damage is 1d6 at 3rd level, and increases by 1d6 every 3 levels thereafter. Should the slayer score a critical hit with a sneak attack, this additional damage is not multiplied. Ranged attacks can count as sneak attacks only if the target is within 30 feet. Trapfinding: The slayer gains Disable Device as a class skill. The slayer also gains the trapfinding and trap sense rogue abilities, using his slayer level as his effective rogue level. Trapfinding (Rogue): A rogue adds 1/2 her level to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device skill checks (minimum +1). A rogue can use Disable Device to disarm magic traps. Trap Sense (Rogue): A rogue gains an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps. These bonuses rise to +2 when the rogue reaches 6th level, to +3 when she reaches 9th level, to +4 when she reaches 12th level, to +5 at 15th, and to +6 at 18th level. Combat Style (Menacing): The slayer selects a ranger combat style (such as archery or two-weapon combat) and gains a combat feat from the first feat list of that style. He can choose feats from his selected combat style, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites.
Equipment:
Combat Gear: Murasamemaru (Masterwork Cold Iron Nodachi): Free
Other Gear:
Remaining gold: 59gp, 9sp 8cp Murasamemaru Stats:
Alignment: NG
Ego: 3 Senses: 30ft Communication: Telepathy Int/Wis/Cha: 10 Appraise/Bluff/Diplomacy/Disguise/Heal/Intimidate/Perception/Sense Motive/Survival +0 Special Purpose: Defeat/Slay Arcane Spellcasters Miscellaneous:
Planned progression:
Level 1: Power Attack, Skill Focus (Intimidation)
Timeline 4689 - Ameiko Born
Manor Staff/Wages per week:
Where stuff is: Not taken:
Worn/Carried
58.5 pounds worn Stored in Backpack:
39 pounds in backpack Stored in Belt Pouch:
8.5 pounds in Belt Pouch Total weight carried: 106 pounds (light load) |
