Shuni Barsdal's page

Racial Traits
• Alternate Racial Traits: Darkvision, Academician (religion), Magical Linguist, Bond to the Land (Urban)

• Darkvision (Ex) Some gnome strains have lived in the underground depths for so long they have given up on light entirely and gained darkvision with a range of 60 feet.

• Academician (religion) (APG 14): You gain a +2 on Knowledge (religion) skill checks*

• Magical Linguist (APG 15): You add +1 to the DC of spells you cast with the language-dependent descriptor or those that create glyphs, symbols, or other magical writings. You gain a +2 racial bonus on saving throws against such spells. You also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—arcane mark, comprehend languages, message, read magic.

• Bond to the Land (Urban) (ARG 32): You gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC when in the selected terrain type.

• Weapon Familiarity (Ex) Gnomes treat any weapon with the word "gnome" in its name as a martial weapon.

Traits
• Etymologist: You gain a +1 trait bonus on Linguistics checks, know one additional bonus language, and treat Linguistics as a class skill.

• Underlying Principles: You've spent a large amount of time around magical items, and understand the similarities between many of them. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Use Magic Device checks, and Use Magic Device is a class skill for you.

Class Features
• Archetype: Psychic Searcher

• Armor and Shield Proficiency: You are proficient in Light and Medium Armor. You are proficient with shields (excluding tower shields.) *

• Weapon Proficiency: You are proficient with all Simple weapons.

• Oracles Curse (Ex) [Haunted] (APG 44): Malevolent spirits follow you wherever you go, causing minor mishaps and strange occurrences (such as unexpected breezes, small objects moving on their own, and faint noises). Retrieving any stored item from your gear requires a standard action, unless it would normally take longer. Any item you drop lands 10 feet away from you in a random direction.

• Revelation: You have discovered a secret to your abilities. (DC 14 unless otherwise stated)

• Sidestep Secret (Su) (APG 50): Add your Charisma modifier (instead of your Dexterity modifier) to your Armor Class and all Reflex saving throws. Your armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus applies to your Charisma instead of your Dexterity

• Lore Keeper (Ex) (APG 50): You may use your Charisma modifier (+4) instead of your Intelligence modifier (0) on all Knowledge checks.*

• Bonus Spells Augury (4th), locate object (6th), divination (8th), find the path (12th), discern location (16th), foresight (18th). These bonus spells replace the oracle's normal mystery bonus spells at these levels.

Weapon Traits
• Brace Weapon: If you use a readied action to set a brace weapon against a charge, you deal double damage on a successful hit against a charging creature.

• Reach Weapon: You use a reach weapon to strike opponents 10 feet away, but you can't use it against an adjacent foe.

Shuni's biggest goal in life is to find excitement, even if she has to create it herself. Consequently, she is an inveterate gossip and pot-stirrer, though she doesn't mean any harm. She tries to be kind and friendly, but she is often too flighty to stick to her resolutions to be a better person. The only time she can really focus is when she has a problem to solve or something new to learn.

Shuni is constantly fidgeting or bobbing around. Her hair is a bright red, though it has been blue and purple before, and she styles it as high as possible to make herself the tallest gnome around. Her eyes are bright green and usually darting around, trying to catch every last detail. Her speech resembles singing because her voice goes up and down so much. She likes to wear as many accessories as she can pile on.

Thanks to a particularly dashing ancestor, the Barsdal name is one of ancient nobility - which, in modern times (and without holdings), has shown diminishing returns. All it earned Shuni's parents was a place on the edge of society in Lastwall, but that involved access to enough parties and scandals to please them. Her father served as steward to one of the most powerful nobles in the country, Lord Clyde, and her mother as the governess of his son, Ennis. Shuni was considered an acceptable associate for the young lordling, and the unlikely pairing became the closest of friends over the years.

Shuni became Ennis' right-hand gnome as he succeeded to the lordship. When her father succumbed to the Bleaching in a year without any good galas, the two took off on travels together, afraid of Shuni meeting the same fate. They were only able to delay their responsibilities for so long, though, and returned to Lastwall several years ago.

Ennis recently received a letter of invitation to Gildcrypt Manor, Lord Morningstar's splendid Varisian home. With a wife about to give birth, he was unable to travel across the continent, but neither could he risk offending the powerful lord. Shuni volunteered to go in his stead, hoping that sending a trusted advisor would appease Lord Morningstar.

It's just as well. Just before Shuni left, she had started hearing whispers on unnatural breezes, and everything she put down flew away from her. She hopes it isn't the beginning of the Bleaching, but some adventure should help.