Sir Bleeparolo the Deft's page

CHARACTER BUILD RULES

15 points

Point Buy:

STR 10 points = 16 -2 race = 14
DEX -4 points = 07 +0 race = 07
CON 02 points = 15 +2 race = 16
INT 02 points = 12 +0 race = 12
WIS 00 points = 10 +0 race = 10
CHA 05 points = 12 +2 race = 14

2 traits + 1 drawback +1 trait

Background skills exist.

Starting Wealth = 1000 gp

HP: Max 1st + 2nd level.

Childhood Stories

Long ago, the Knights of the Black Bough guarded the depths of the forest. In those times the Gnomish people were not as they once were, and they lived in harmony with the magic of the forest. But, then as now, many monsters roamed the wilderness and the Knights of the Black Bough would guard the forest from danger. The Knights were known for their bravery and their willingness to take on any dangerous challenge. They rode wolves of the forest, as the wolves were once allies of the gnomes, and they rode through the twilight in glittering armor with lances held high, ready to turn back the enemies that sought to infiltrate the land under the cover of night.

Or so Sir Bleeparolo was told. His father, Anapparo Papolyxi used to tell young Bleeparolo stories of these great heroes, such as the Great Gulaine Gu, Prince Asfaragus, Keltabarbar the Warrior, Laggarrimo the Victorious, Colon Kernel the Mighty, and Pricrius the Poet, among many others. As a young lad Bleeparolo dreamed of this valiant band of heroes, and dreamed of joining them.

Growing Up

As he grew into adolescence, his obsession remained. Though he learned his father's trade (that of a scavenger and crafter of things made from junk), he continued to imagine himself one of the Knights of the Black Bough. He would hear whispers in the dusk, and see the shapes of the armored knights as they rode silently through the forest on wolf-back. When he told his father of these sightings, his father dismissed them as the imaginings of a young mind.

Bleeparolo would often come along with his father to the nearby town of Stalmaer to help bring his wares to market and to gather more scrap metal and supplies. But everyone he talked to in town had never heard of the Knights of the Black Bough, and most found the notion of an order of Gnomish Knights to be ridiculous. They also thought the notion of wolves working as riding animals was crazy. Wolves were fierce and dangerous wild animals, hostile to man and hunted as enemies.

For a time Bleeparolo tried to live as his father did, bringing home junk and turning it into useful tools and items, living in his father's little shack in the woods. His older siblings all moved away, and eventually it was only Bleeparolo and his father (his mother having died when he was young), and then his father was on his deathbed, dying of the Blue Fever.

After Bleeparolo's father died, Bleeparolo found himself alone in the forest, and his father's life now seemed pointless to him. What good was it, to live and die in this little shack, accomplishing nothing? Once again the dreams of becoming a Knight of the Black Bough returned, and Bleeparolo's obsession began again. Though he continued to live as a scavenger and scrapworker, he spent much of his time crafting armor and weapons for himself out of whatever he could find, gear that he thought a knight ought to have.

But he remained puzzled by the one facet of the story that seemed strange. Wolves are dangerous wild animals. How could the knights have ridden them? He came to believe that the Knights must have had some kind of connection to nature. Perhaps this was why they preferred the forest, unlike the human knights who seemed to prefer the plains.

He deduced that the Knights of the Black Bough must have been more in tune with nature, and had therefore been part of the "Old Faith" of Beory-worship. Of course! he thought. They lived in times Long Ago. They must have been part of the Old Faith! But his family had never been overly religious, and he knew little of the Old Faith, beyond what everyone knew. There wasn't a priest of the Old Faith in Stalmaer, he was pretty sure.

Bleeparolo's Quest

He began to take long walks in the forest, hoping to learn to commune with Beory somehow. He would look around until he found an isolated spot that seemed tranquil and beautiful, and there he would sit and meditate, sometimes praying, trying to make contact with Beory. Knowing that knights needed to make a vigil before becoming a knight, he wore his makeshift armor and weapons and hoped for some experience that would tell him that he was now a Knight. As he did these things he began to learn more about the plants and animals that lived in the forest, and he tried not to trouble them in his wanderings.

Then one day, he was meditating in a small grove that had a large and mossy upright stone. After a while, it seemed like the colors of the grove became more vivid, and he could "feel" the forest around him, even with his eyes closed. His sense of the forest around him began to expand, and he could feel the plants and animals living and breathing.

Then there was pain! He heard a yelp off in the woods. He decided to investigate, and he came upon a silvery-white wolf, caught in a leg-hold trap. The wolf eyed him warily but did not growl or seem threatening, so Bleeparolo approached carefully and opened the trap, releasing the wolf. The wolf sprang out happily, but instead of running off into the woods, the wolf stood and eyed him. Suddenly it was as if he could tell what the wolf was feeling, and he knew that the wolf could tell the same about him.

Suddenly it all became clear to Bleeparolo. Here was his mount! He was a knight at last! He reached down, and rubbed some herbs he had collected onto the wolf's wounded leg. Normally this ought to have aided the healing process, but to Bleeparolo's amazement the wound healed instantly! The wolf looked him in the eyes, and he realized that he now had abilities that transcended the normal realm.

He picked up the leg-hold trap that had caught the wolf's leg. He recognized the manufacture immediately by the cruel jagged teeth... kobolds! Rangers from Stalmaer had driven them out of the region before, but apparently they were back. Bleeparolo gritted his teeth. Kobolds were vicious little creatures, evil agents of chaos. He had to do something. As he thought about it the trap crumbled to dust in his hands.

He and Varkha sought out the kobold camp; Varkha's keen sense of smell allowed him to find the kobolds easily. Hiding in the nearby foliage, he considered what to do, and he thought about the cruel trap that had caught the wolf. He imagined it catching one of the kobolds by the leg. How would they like that? And suddenly, a trap like the one that he imagined burst from the ground and grabbed one of the kobolds by the ankle, drawing blood. Did I do that? Bleeparolo thought. He realized that yes, he had.

Full of confidence, feeling that his destiny had come, he stepped out of the foliage into the clearing. "Your time is at hand, villains!" he shouted at the "By the Black Bough, your kind will not sully this forest any longer!" The kobolds turned with alarm, and attacked. Bleeparolo drew his gnomish curvy sword (a design of his own invention) and engaged in battle. Beset by kobolds on all sides, he was joined by the wolf who had as much cause as he to fight. Feeling the strength of his ancestors in his limbs, Bleeparolo and Varkha the wolf slew many of the kobolds and drove the rest into retreat.

Bleeparolo knew that he was now a knight errant in truth. He made a saddle for Varkha and rode into Stalmaer, seeking adventure and a cause that would bring him honor and glory. He found employment guarding a caravan, and while it hardly seemed noble or glorious, it was certainly a good start.

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• * The Papolyxi family lives in the Gnarley Forest near Stalmaer. The Papolyxi family works in metal and wood, primarily to make weapons. Not being part of the weaponcrafter's guild, however, means they don't get the "good contracts" and have to settle for making things for hunters and poorer citizens. They tend to gather scrap metal from Stalmaer and try to use that metal in their weapon-making.
  
• * Bleeparolo has always been fascinated by the stories his father told him about the ancient gnomish order of The Knights of the Black Bough. He felt an instant connection to those knights. Perhaps it was because of the shadowy figures that haunted his dreams, riding through the forest on the backs of wolves, lances held high. Sometimes he would see a pale figure in the moonlight of a gnome on wolf-back. His parents thought this was the product of Bleeparolo's imagination, but Bleeparolo knew somehow his destiny lay among the Knights of the Black Bough.
  
• * Sir Bleeparolo sought out the connection with nature that he felt he needed to be a knight, and eventually found Varkha, the wolf who would become his animal companion.
  
• * Varkha had been caught by a leg-hold trap when Bleeparolo found him. The trap had been placed by Kobolds living in the Gnarley forest. Bleeparolo and Varkha sought them out and fought them, defeating the small band. Bleeparolo knew he was now ready for knighthood!
  

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Sir Bleeparolo eagerly and enthusiastically seeks adventure. He is an optimist, and confident, and thinks that good will always triumph. He believes in the chivalric values of knighthood and goes out of the way to try to live the life of the hero that he believes the Knights of the Black Bough lived long ago. He strikes a somewhat ridiculous figure, but when faced with laughter and mockery, he smiles, knowing that sooner or later he will prove with deeds that those who laughed are the real fools.

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Sir Bleeparolo is 3'3" (short even for a gnome), but is stout and well built for someone so small. He has fair skin, purple hair, and a twinkle in his eye.

Sir Bleeparolo stands tall, all 3'3" of him. He walks and rides with the poise of knight. And yet, his gear is made from bits of scrap metal and junk stitched and hammered together. His helmet is made out of a teapot.

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+2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, –2 Strength: Gnomes are physically weak but surprisingly hardy, and their attitude makes them naturally agreeable.

Small: Gnomes are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty to their Combat Maneuver Bonus and Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Slow Speed: Gnomes have a base speed of 20 feet.

Low-Light Vision: Gnomes can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.

Illusion Resistance: Gnomes gain a +2 racial saving throw bonus against illusion spells and effects.

Keen Senses: Gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.

Defensive Training:

Hatred:

Master Tinker
Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 1 (Amazon), Advanced Player's Guide pg. 1 (Amazon)
Gnomes experiment with all manner of mechanical devices. Gnomes with this racial trait gain a +1 bonus on Disable Device and Knowledge (engineering) checks. They are treated as proficient with any weapon they have personally crafted. This racial trait replaces defensive training and hatred.

Gnome Magic:

Genial Magic
Source Heroes of the High Court pg. 14
Gnomes with this racial trait add 1 to the DC of saving throws against enchantment spells that they cast. Gnomes with Charisma scores of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day—charm person, guidance, message, and prestidigitation. The caster level for these effects is equal to the gnome’s level. The DC for these spells is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the gnome’s Charisma modifier. This racial trait replaces gnome magic.

Obsessive: Gnomes receive a +2 racial bonus on a Craft or Profession skill of their choice.

Weapon Familiarity:

Fey Thoughts:
Source Heroes of the Wild pg. 5 (Amazon)
The character sees the world more like a native of the First World. Select two of the following skills: Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, Diplomacy, Disguise, Escape Artist, Fly, Knowledge (nature), Perception, Perform, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, Swim, or Use Magic Device. The selected skills are always class skills for the character. This replaces Weapon Familiarity.

Languages: Gnomes begin play speaking Common, Gnome, and Sylvan. Gnomes with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, and Orc.

Haunted (Advanced Player's Guide pg. 44 (Amazon)): 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. Add mage hand and ghost sound to your list of spells known. At 5th level, add levitate and minor image to your list of spells known. At 10th level, add telekinesis to your list of spells known. At 15th level, add reverse gravity to your list of spells known.

Feat Plan
1. Noble Scion
3. Power Attack
3R. Nature's Whispers CHA to DEX
5. Mounted Combat
7. Ride-By Attack
7R. ?
9. Spirited Charge
11. Quicken Spell