Ruska Gurnek's page

Ruska was born to a small clan which served a contract devil, Malthanges. Their lair was above his domain in Hell, and their duty was to keep rabble away, as well as hold whomever he wished in their cells. The bulk of the prison's occupants were those who'd broken their contracts - many who'd made attempt to weasel their way out of Malthanges claim on their souls via divine appeals.

Ruska had lived his life so far within the lair.. his only knowledge of the outside world was through the prisoners he was tasked with feeding and guarding. Some seemed so desperate for contact that they'd tell him their stories with little or no prodding. Some held hopes their pathetic tales of woe would soften Ruska's heart so he'd aid in their escape. He found humans and the other surface-dwelling races to be equal parts fascinating and repulsive. One such intriguing and loathsome prisoner was an elderly gnome druid.

One day, the lair was raided by powerful adventurers who'd come to free their ally - the druid. Ruska's kin were slaughtered, but the druid convinced his rescuers to spare the kobold who'd kept him company.. "there is good in him". Ruska then bluffed his way into being included in their escape.. "Master will kill me for certain! Please! Please!"

After weeks among them - biding his time, living like a pitiful mascot or pet, and learning much about how to move among the surfacers in disguise - Ruska received word from his master. He burned down the inn in which they were sleeping, and dragged the half-dead druid back toward the lair. At the hidden cave entrance which led to the depths below, he was rewarded with a fiendish boon of power, but captured by the local guard before he could master his gifts.

Ruska is a snarky smart-ass who enjoys having others write him off as a meek creature.. in anticipation of the moment when they discover he is not. He is fascinated by surfacers. He used to assume they were all weak and sniveling due to his time as a devil's jailer, but has since learned not all are so pathetic.
He has changed during his time in incarceration. For one, he has come to miss his fallen brethren.. or at least having others as comrades. Also, his ego took a slight beating - although his escape has begun to ease that bruising to his considerable confidence.

Ruska is a red-scaled kobold.. a little larger and more muscular than most of his ilk. He has slight nubs of horns, smaller than normal ears, black claws, and fierce expressive yellow eyes. In the center of his chest is a four inch symbol of Asmodeus branded in his flesh.
He wears a light blue-grey robe over his dark leather armor which was gifted to him by the gnome who'd spoken on his behalf. When necessary to conceal his race, he ducks his snout to his neck, dons a mask, pulls his hood over his head, and wraps a charcoal grey scarf around - leaving little more than the eyes of the mask visible.

Feats
>Cosmopolitan: You can speak and read two additional languages of your
choice. In addition, choose two Intelligence-, Wisdom-, or Charisma-
based skills. Those skills always count as class skills for you.
(Bluff, Disguise)
>Weapon Finesse: With a light weapon, elven curve blade, rapier, whip,
or spiked chain made for a creature of your size category, you may use
your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier on attack
rolls.
>Two-Weapon Fighting: Your penalties on attack rolls for fighting with
two weapons are reduced.

Traits
>Firebug: You are able to cast spark three times per day as a spell-like
ability. The caster level is equal to your character level. This spell-
like ability’s save DC is Intelligence-based.
>Contract Master: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Linguistics checks, and
Linguistics is a class skill for you.
>Arson: You have willfully started a fire that destroyed property. To be
sent to Branderscar, you didn’t start just a minor little trash fire.
Your act of arson threatened a major town, city, church or castle and
likely cost someone their life. You’ll be punished for your crime by
facing the fire yourself.
Punishment: Death by burning
Benefit: Whenever you score a critical hit with a fire attack, you
receive a +2 fire damage bonus to your damage roll. This bonus is a
trait bonus.

Shifter
>Weapon and Armor Proficiency
A shifter is proficient with the following weapons: club, dagger, dart,
quarterstaff, scimitar, scythe, sickle, shortspear, sling, and spear.
She is also proficient with the natural attacks (claw, bite, and so
forth) from the shifter claws class feature and of forms she assumes
with wild shape.

Shifters are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited
from wearing metal armor. A shifter can wear wooden armor that has been
altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as if it were steel.
Shifters are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must
use only those crafted from wood.

A shifter who wears prohibited armor or uses a prohibited shield is
unable to use her shifter aspect, shifter claws, wild shape, and other
shifter supernatural or spell-like abilities while doing so and for 24
hours thereafter.

>Shifter Claws (Su)
At will, a shifter in her natural form can extend her claws as a swift
action to use as a weapon. This magical transformation is fueled as
much by the shifter’s faith in the natural world as it is by inborn
talent. The claws on each hand can be used as a primary natural attack,
dealing 1d4 points of piercing and slashing damage (1d3 if she is
Small). If she uses one of her claw attacks in concert with a weapon
held in the other hand, the claw acts as a secondary natural attack
instead.

>Wild Empathy (Ex) (d20+4)
A shifter can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions
as a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. The shifter
rolls 1d20 and adds her shifter level and Charisma modifier to
determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal
has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually
unfriendly.

To use wild empathy, the shifter and the animal must be within 30 feet
of one another and under normal conditions. Generally, influencing an
animal in this way takes 1 minute but, as with influencing people, it
might take more or less time.

The shifter can also use this ability to influence a magical beast with
an Intelligence score of 1 or 2, but she takes a –4 penalty on the
check.

Track (Ex)
A shifter adds half her level as a bonus on Survival checks to follow tracks.

Fiendflesh Shifter
>Infernal Claws (Ex)
A fiendflesh shifter’s claws are infused with the unholy power of the
evil Outer Planes. At 1st level, a fiendflesh shifter’s claws are
treated as evil weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.
This ability otherwise functions as the shifter claws class feature.

>Fiendish Aspect (Su)
At 1st level, a fiendflesh shifter can temporarily transform her body
into an amalgam of otherworldly evil creatures as a swift action. While
in this form, the fiendflesh shifter gains darkvision out to a range of
60 feet (or doubles the range of her darkvision if she already has it),
a gore natural attack that deals 1d6 points of damage (1d4 points of
damage if the shifter is Small), and DR 1/good. A fiendflesh shifter
can maintain this form for a number of minutes per day equal to 3 + her
shifter level. The duration does not need to be consecutive but must be
spent in 1-minute increments.

Fiendish Resilience (Su)
A fiendflesh shifter gains a +1 natural armor bonus to his AC and
resistance 5 to electricity and fire, but only while unencumbered
and either wearing no armor or wearing light or medium nonmetal armor.

Elementalist Shifter (free archetype)
>Languages: An elementalist shifter adds Aquan, Auran, Ignan, and Terran
to her list of available bonus languages.

This alters the shifter’s languages.

>Elemental Aspect (Su)
At 1st level, an elementalist shifter chooses one elemental aspect
rather than a shifter aspect. This ability otherwise functions as
shifter aspect. As the elementalist shifter gains levels, she gains
more elemental aspects: a second aspect at 5th level, a third at 10th,
and a fourth at 15th.

This alters shifter aspect.

(She can shift into her aspect’s minor form (see Aspects) for a number
of minutes per day equal to 3 + her shifter level. The duration need
not be consecutive but must be spent in 1-minute increments. Shifting
into a minor form is a swift action, while ending the effect is a free
action that can be taken only on the shifter’s turn.)

>Elemental Speech (Su)
When in her elemental aspect, an elementalist shifter gains the benefit
of tongues with creatures of the elemental subtype that matches her
elemental aspect.

This replaces wild empathy.

>Elemental Strike (Su)
At 1st level, as a swift action, an elementalist shifter can charge her
melee attacks with elemental energy. The elementalist shifter can
charge her attacks only with an element she has chosen with elemental
aspect. Once charged, each melee attack the elementalist shifter makes
until the start of her next turn deals an additional 1d6 points of
energy damage based on the element she chooses when taking this action
(see Elemental Aspects). This additional damage increases by 1d6 at 4th
level and every 4 levels thereafter, to a maximum of 6d6 points of
energy damage at 20th level. An elementalist shifter can’t use
elemental strike while under a polymorph effect.

This replaces shifter claws.

>Fire Aspect
You take on the power of a fire elemental, becoming a being of living
flame that can burn enemies and move with great speed. You enjoy
regions where precipitation rarely intrudes, such as desert landscapes
and dry savannas, but the slopes of volcanoes hold the greatest majesty
to you. You enjoy the companionship of swiftly moving creatures and
those who enjoy basking in the sun, for you empathize with their
appreciation of the daytime’s warmth. Forest fires are things of beauty
to you, yet you respect fire and would never think to wantonly inflict
it upon the natural world. Summer is your favorite season, for this is
a time of heat waves and blistering sunny days.

Minor Form: You gain a +2 enhancement bonus to your Dexterity score.
This bonus increases to +4 at 8th level and to +6 at 15th level.

Major Form: (gained at 4th level)Your shape changes to that of a Medium
fire elemental. While you are in this form, your base speed changes to
50 feet and you gain immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold, and the
burn special attack as per the universal monster rule, dealing damage
equal to your slam attack whenever a creature fails its Reflex save
against that ability. At 8th level, you gain Improved Natural Attack
with your slam. At 15th level, you deal fire damage equal to double
your slam damage against opponents that fail their saves against your
burn ability.

6+2+1x2
+8 Acrobatics 2(+3,+3)
+7 Bluff 2(+3,+2)
+6 Climb 1(+3,+2)
+7 Disguise 2(+3,+2) (includes +1 free skill bonus)
+7 Linguistics 2(+3,+2)+1 (background)
+4 Perception 2(+3,-1)
+4 Profession (jailer) 2(+3,-1) (background)
+12 Stealth 2(+3,+3)+4
+4 Survival 2(+3,-1) (+1 bonus to track)
+6 Swim 1(+3,+2) (includes +1 free skill bonus)
Common, Draconic, Aklo, Druidic, Infernal, Abyssal, Gnome, Ignan.

>Kobolds are fast but weak. They gain +2 Dexterity, –4 Strength, and –2 Constitution.
>Type: Kobolds are humanoids with the reptilian subtype.
>Size: Kobolds are Small creatures and thus gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on their combat maneuver checks and to Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.
>Base Speed: Kobolds have a base speed of 30 feet.
>Languages: Kobolds begin play speaking only Draconic. Kobolds with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Common, Dwarven, Gnome, and Undercommon. See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
>Armor: Kobolds naturally scaly skin grants them a +1 natural armor bonus.
>Echo Whistler By observing the noises in underground tunnels, you learned to uncannily mimic any voice or sound you heard. Three times per day, you can attempt to trick someone in this way by making a Bluff check against the listener’s Sense Motive check. You get a +2 circumstance bonus on this check if you’re in tunnels or other structures where your voice can echo. This racial trait replaces crafty.
>Darkvision: Kobolds can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
>Light Sensitivity: Kobolds lives in darkness have caused them to suffer from light sensitivity.

Worn Gear (15.5 lbs) Leather Armor, Gnomish Scholar's Outfit, Scarf, Waterskin,
Bandolier (8 darts).
Backpack (24 lbs) Disguise Kit (10 uses), 50' Silk Rope, Waterskin, Bedroll, Blanket,
Trail Rations (6), gnome mask, wig, 3 cure light wounds potions.

Encumbrance 39.5 lbs; Wealth 149gp 9sp

gp/weight
Gnomish Scholar's Outfit -/3
Waterskin 1/1
Leather Armor 10/7.5
Scarf 2/-
Bandolier 5sp/
8 darts 4g/4
Masterwork Backpack 50/1
Waterskin 1/1
Bedroll 1sp/3
Blanket 5sp/2
Disguise Kit 50/8
50' Silk Rope 10/5
6 Trail Rations 3/6
masterwork gnome mask 50/.5
wig 15/.5
3 CLW potions 150

-- -- 3rd level -- --
Woodland Stride (Ex)
A shifter can move through any sort of undergrowth (such as briars,
natural thorns, overgrown areas, and similar terrain) at her normal
speed and without taking damage or suffering any other impairment.
Briars, thorns, and overgrown areas that are enchanted or magically
manipulated to impede motion still affect the shifter.

His claws count as magic weapons, ignore DR/cold iron and DR/silver.

-- -- 4th level -- --
Elemental Form (Su)
When an elementalist shifter uses wild shape, he is instead
affected as if by elemental body I, but he gains only the benefits
listed in his elemental aspect. While in an elemental form, the
elementalist shifter can speak only the elemental language associated
with that form, and can do so only if he knows it. (major form)

Elemental Strike increases by 1d6

Natural armor bonus increases by 1 (Fiendish Resilience)

-- -- 5th level -- --
Trackless Step (Ex)
A shifter leaves no trail in natural surroundings and cannot be tracked.
She can choose to leave a trail if she so desires.

When in her fiendish aspect the fiendflesh shifter’s DR increases to
2/good and also grows a pair of bat-like wings, granting a fly
speed of 30 feet with average maneuverability.

Second elemental aspect - Earth

-- -- 6th level -- --
Shifter’s Fury (Ex)
At 6th level, a shifter gains the ability to make several ferocious
attacks with the same natural weapon. Instead of attacking with all her
natural weapons, the shifter can choose a single natural weapon and
make a full attack with that natural weapon, gaining a second iterative
attack at a –5 as if it was a manufactured weapon. When she does so,
all her other natural attacks count as secondary attacks and don’t
benefit from shifter’s claws.

-- -- 7th level -- --
Claw damage increases to 1d4

-- -- 8th level -- --
Fiendflesh shifter’s resistance to electricity and fire increases by 5.

Elemental Strike increases by 1d6