HISTORY
Sophistacia grew up part of a once influential, but now outcast, family in the primarily Vishkanya inhabited city of Cambrian (seaside Jewel of the Jungles of Caravash). She was always the black sheep of the family, which is saying something, considering her family was thought of as a bit of a black sheep itself. For a family with draconic magic running through their veins, she showed little magical aptitude beyond the very basic, and so she was left alone to her own devices a lot when young, something that her mother soon came to regret doing. She was always getting into trouble, first with her mother, and then with the law, and it was this trouble that would see her thrust into an adventure that she was ill prepared for.
While out skulking one night with her little black lizard familiar Silence, she hopped the high stone fence of an elaborate manor house. Prowling the grounds, she narrowly avoided a large lizard like creature that seemed to be patrolling and snuck into the house. Deciding to look over the place from the bottom up, she descended into the basement. What she found was a huge network of passages and rooms, her eyes widening with each successive exploratory door open. She’d apparently stumbled onto some find of fantastical menagerie, albeit not a very humane one. While she didn’t care much for what people did to each other, she could not stand for cruelty to animals, so what she was seeing here stoked the fires of her anger, and she vowed to put a stop to it. With a lot of skill (and a lot of stealth), she managed to come back every night and set a couple of the beasts free each night. But of course, she took too long, and her exploits were uncovered. One night when she tried to free a beast, it transformed itself into the towering skeletal figure of a Cyclops Wizard, in flowing purple robes. Cursing herself she tried to run, but as she turned, a shimmering purple portal opened before her. Before she could slow herself, she ran headlong into the portal, emerging upon a barren plain of ash. She turned to see the portal close behind her, and suddenly a pain shot through her body as she felt her familiar die.
She lay there on the ash plain, crying and in pain for a while until what looked like a small pig (except that it was on fire) came over to her to investigate. She got to her feet and looked around. All around her was nothing, except for what looked to be a mountain range upon the horizon. She set off in that direction, and after almost a day of walking she arrived, hot and tired at the foot of an impossibly tall mountain. As she moved onto the slope however, the temperature dropped dramatically, going from stifling hot, to freezing cold. Startled, she backed away, moving back to the ash plain and immediately returning to the intense heat. Wondering what was going on, she began to walk the border between these two zones, eventually coming upon a hole in the ground. Curious and fatigued, she threw caution to the wind and entered the inky blackness of the hole. The air inside the cave was thankfully more normal, and after a short distance, she became overwhelmed with exhaustion and slid to the ground, falling into a deep sleep.
Starting awake suddenly, she had no idea how long she had slept for. Rising groggily to her feet, she looked around, but could see nothing in the blackness except for a tiny spot of light in the distance that she assumed was the entrance to the cave. Shrugging to herself, she turned from it and cautiously made her way deeper into the tunnel. After a while, she felt a tingle, and the air around her changed yet again, becoming stale and urban in it’s feel and taste. Reaching out again to the wall to guide her in the blackness, she felt not the hard rock of the tunnel, but the cool stone of bricks. Before long, she came to a wall cutting off any further way down the tunnel. Feeling her way around the wall and its surrounds, she found what she believed to be a catch and pulled it. The wall ahead of her clicked and moved slightly forward, allowing a thin sliver of dim light into her life. Pushing the wall (door?) open, she emerged into the dim light of an alleyway. It was cluttered, filled with crates and barrels, and covered by a canvas awning. Looking around, she saw that the alley dead ended a short distance to her left and continued to her right until it took a left turn. Pulling some chalk from her pouch, she marked the wall near where she had emerged, and then closed the wall (door?) behind her. She followed the alley around as it snaked, passing a few doors along the way, but mostly just more crates and barrels. After two more lefts, she continued down a long passage (noting as she did that the dead end where she initially emerged should have been on her left somewhere along her current path), finally coming upon an actual street. But it was a street unlike any she had seem before, and she realized that she was now far from her home, quite possibly not even on Kratosi anymore.
The street she entered was a cobbled street, busy but not overflowing, and seemed to be a mixture of shop fronts, with what appeared to be living quarters above them (judging by all the washing hanging in wires strung between the buildings. She began to explore the city around her, spending the better part of the day just wandering. Races of all kinds, the vast majority of which she had never seen before, walked the streets and she saw what she took to be many different cultural buildings mixed amongst each other. Finally, it began to get dark and she realised that she would need to find somewhere to sleep. She had noticed some taverns earlier, and began looking into them, selecting a moderate one named The Gilded Lyre , and requesting a room. After eyeing her coin suspiciously, the innkeeper bit it, shrugged and put it into his pocket, directing one of the maids to show Sophie to a room. It was small but comfortable, with a bed, desk and chair.
Over the course of the next few weeks, she explored the city around her, coming to find out that she was in a place called Sigil, which seemed to be some kind of Planar Nexus point. She managed to pick up some odd work here and there, mostly easy stuff, but it brought her to the attention of some enterprising criminals, who enlisted her aid in taking their “family” up to the next rung of the ladder. She spent the next few years doing odd work for them, again mostly mundane, but some of it quite challenging. On one of her jobs, she found her now Familiar Erebus imprisoned in a cage. She freed him and he actually helped her complete her job. They became friends, and then more. She got to the point where she was set up enough that she was able to commission the creation of some custom magic items. To do so however, she had to sell all of her things, and even then she had to borrow some coin from her associates. Unfortunately, soon after, their “business” took a hit, and they called in her debt, which she couldn’t repay. So she ran. Sigil is a big city, and thus far she’s been able to avoid them, but she has no allusions to the fact that one day her luck will run out and they’ll find her.
She did find however that she needed work, which brought her to the Copper Cauldron, and the promise of slightly more legal, but no less dangerous, work…
DESCRIPTION
Straight jet-black hair, usually pulled back into a pony tail that hangs to mid back, and a large fringe frame a pale, odd looking face; rounded, but with pronounced cheekbones, wide staring almond shaped ice blue eyes, a septum ring, and half a dozen rings in her left ear (but only two in her right). If one were to look carefully, they would see that her pale skin is actually very fine scales. Pale skin and eyes with pupils are an oddity among the Vishkanya, but it is a trait that runs in the female members of her family, hearkening back to the founder of her bloodline, the female albino Umbral Dragon Xendarienthracias.
She dresses almost entirely in black, the only “colour” she wears being a white shirt. Tight black pants, knee high black boots, black chain shirt (that can be made to look like anything she wishes and is most frequently displayed as a black leather jacket), and black fingerless gloves. A black gun belt and holster circles her waist and left thigh, and a blackened wooden cane with a dark metal horned skull complete her striking look. She also commonly wears black lipstick and nail polish to complete the dark ensemble.
STATS:
Female Vishkanya Bonded Investigator/Fighter 9/2
Neutral Evil, Medium Humanoid (Vishkanya) Initiative +10; Senses Perception +16 (+20 to Locate Traps; +20 with Alertness; +24 to Locate Traps with Alertness), Low-Light Vision
Languages Common, Abyssal, Aklo, Draconic, Elven, Goblin, Infernal, Undercommon, Vishkanya
DEFENCE AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 16; (+6 Armour, +4 DEX, +1 Dodge {+4 vs AoO for leaving a threatened square; +3 vs Traps})
CMD 22
hp 86/109
Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +6
Resistances
+3 Reflex Save vs Traps
+11 save vs Poison
DR -
Special Attacks Studied Combat (+4/3r), Studied Strike +3d6, Toxic [ ], Elemental Aura [ ] [ ]
Vishkanya Venom
Injury
Save: Fort DC 16
Frequency: 1/round for 6 rounds
Effect: 1d2 Dex
Cure: 1 save
Elemental Aura (Cold)
As a standard action, Sophie can create a 10-foot-radius aura of elemental energy that lasts for 1 round. The area of this aura is considered difficult terrain, and creatures that end their turns in her aura take 1d6 points of Cold damage. A successful Fortitude save (DC 16) halves this damage but does not negate the difficult terrain effect.
ABILITIES STR 10, DEX 18, CON 12, INT 16, WIS 10, CHA 13
FAVOURED CLASS Investigator
SPECIAL ABILITIES Poison Use, Toxic, Alchemy, Trapfinding, Keen Recollection, Trap Sense, Studied Combat, Swift Alchemy, Studied Strike +3d6, Familiar
Inspiration (+1d6) [x] [x] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ]
Grit [ ]
Weapons Sophie’s Folly +1 Called Planar Adamantine Sword Cane
This slender Adamantine blade lies within a Darkwood container that serves as both its scabbard and hiding place. Sophie can draw the blade as a swift action. An observer must succeed at a DC 20 Perception check to realize an undrawn sword cane is a weapon rather than a walking stick; the DC decreases to 10 if the observer is able to handle the weapon.
Sophie’s Folly can be teleported to Sophie’s hand as a swift action that does not provoke an AoO, even if it is in the possession of another creature. This ability has a maximum range of 100 feet, and effects that block teleportation prevent its return. When used to attack an Outsider, Sophie can ignore the first 5 points of their DR.
Sophie’s Choice +1 Called Planar Adamantine Revolver
Sophie’s Choice can be teleported to Sophie’s hand as a swift action that does not provoke an AoO, even if it is in the possession of another creature. This ability has a maximum range of 100 feet, and effects that block teleportation prevent its return. When used to attack an Outsider, Sophie can ignore the first 5 points of their DR.
Metal Cartridges: 28
Clothes & Armour
Traveller’s Outfit (Black Pants, Black Vest)
Deathmist +2 Glamoured Shadow Mithril Mistmail
On command once per day, Sophie can transform Deathmist into thick fog that fills her space and provides concealment (20% miss chance) for 3 minutes. This mist moves with her. Effects that disperse the mist or destroy it cause the armour to reform into its solid shape on her body, as does speaking the command word or entering a place where the fog-magic doesn’t function.
Boots of Striding and Springing Quick Runner's Shirt Bracers of Falcon's Aim
Miscellaneous Handy Haversack
Flint and Steel
Whetstone
Waterskin
2x Sacks
Spider Silk Rope (50’) with Mithril Grappling Hook
Masterwork Lockpicks
Alchemy Crafting Kit
Gunsmithing Kit
Small Steel Mirror
Map Case
Ink Pot and Quill
Body parts for Monstrous Physique:
Cecaelia Tentacle (M - Swim, Darkvision, Aquatic, Amphibious)
Harpy Feather (M - Flight, Darkvision)
Treasure
Belt Pouch
Containing:
pp, gp, sp, cp
ABILITY INFORMATION:
STUDIED COMBAT (EX)
With a keen eye and a calculating mind, an investigator can assess the mettle of his opponent to take advantage of gaps in talent and training. At 4th level, an investigator can use a move action to study a single enemy that he can see. Upon doing so, he adds 1/2 his investigator level as an insight bonus on melee attack rolls and as a bonus on damage rolls against the creature. This effect lasts for a number of rounds equal to his Intelligence modifier (minimum 1) or until he deals damage with a studied strike, whichever comes first. The bonus on damage rolls is precision damage, and is not multiplied on a critical hit.
An investigator can have only one target of studied combat at a time, and once a creature has become the target of an investigator’s studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same investigator’s studied combat again for 24 hours unless the investigator expends one use of inspiration when taking the move action to use this ability.
STUDIED STRIKE (EX)
At 4th level, upon successfully hitting his studied target with a melee attack, an investigator can make a studied strike as a free action against that target to deal additional damage. The additional damage is 1d6 at 4th level and increases by 1d6 for every 2 levels thereafter (to a maximum of 9d6 at 20th level). The damage of studied strike is precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit; creatures that are immune to sneak attacks are also immune to studied strike.
If the investigator’s attack used a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (such as a sap, a whip, or an unarmed strike), he may choose to have the additional damage from studied strike be nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. If the investigator chose to have an attack with a lethal weapon instead deal nonlethal damage (with the usual –4 penalty), the studied strike damage may also deal nonlethal damage.
The investigator must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. An investigator cannot use studied strike against a creature with concealment.
SOPHIE’S CHOICE MISFIRE
If the natural result of Sophie’s attack roll with Sophie’s Choice is equal to or less than the misfire value (1), that shot misses, even if you would have otherwise hit the target. When it misfires, it gains the Broken condition. Any attacks made with it while it has the Broken condition suffer a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls. It only scores a critical hit on a natural 20,only deals ×2 damage on a confirmed critical hit, and its misfire value increases by 2.
EXTRACTS Longshot School transmutation
Imbibing Time 1 standard action
Duration 1 minute/level (9mins)
This spell reduces the effect of range, granting a +10-foot bonus to the range increment of any weapon used by Sophie.
Shock Shield School abjuration [electricity, force]
Imbibing Time 1 standard action
Duration 1 minutes/level (9mins)
This spell creates an invisible shield similar to but not as strong as the shield spell. This shield hovers in front of Sophie and negates magic missile attacks directed at her. The disk provides a +2 shield bonus to AC. This bonus applies against incorporeal touch attacks.
At any time, as a free action, she may dismiss her shield, at which point it deals 1d6 points of electrical damage to all creatures within a 5-foot burst, including herself. A Reflex saving throw halves the damage.
Blood Transcription Level 2
School divination [evil]
Imbibing Time 1 standard action
Target one dead spellcaster
Duration 24 hours
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance no
By consuming 1 pint of blood from a spellcaster killed within the last 24 hours, Sophie can attempt to learn a spell that spellcaster knew. Select one spell available to the dead spellcaster (this must be something that can be transcribed as a Formula); she gains the knowledge of this spell for 24 hours. During this time, she may write it down using the normal rules for copying a spell from another source. Once she has learned it, she may prepare it as an Extract normally.
Languid Venom Level 2
School necromancy [poison]
Imbibing Time 1 standard action
Components herbs used in antitoxins worth 25 gp
Duration permanent until discharged
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
When this Extract is imbibed, languid venom delays the onset of Sophie’s Vishkanya Venom when she next delivers it. This greatly extends the time it takes for the venom to take effect, giving it an onset time up to 1 hour per caster level (9hrs). The target doesn’t attempt a saving throw when initially exposed to the languid venom, but instead saves at the end of the poison’s onset time.
If the poison is neutralised or otherwise cured prior to the end of its onset time, it is rendered harmless. Failing saves against multiple doses of languid venom have the normal cumulative
effect for poisons.
Languid venom is difficult to detect or identify. Detect poison and similar effects detect languid venom only with a successful caster level check against a DC equal to 11 + your caster level (20); rolled secretly by the GM. Even if the poison is detected, the DC of Craft (alchemy) or Wisdom checks to identify the poison is increased by 10. If a poison is affected by an additional effect that requires a caster level check to detect the poison or increases the DC to identify it - such as obscure poison - those effects don’t stack. Use only the caster level check with the higher DC and increase the DC of the check to identify the poison by the higher of the two.
Merge With Familiar Level 2
School transmutation
Imbibing Time 1 standard action
Duration 1 hour/level (9hrs)
Saving Throw Fortitude negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)
Erebus merges harmlessly into Sophie’s body. For the duration of this spell, either herself, or Erebus can separate or merge at will as a move action. While merged, Erebus can’t be targeted or affected by any means (including ongoing effects).
Monstrous Physique I Level 3
School transmutation (polymorph)
Imbibing Time 1 standard action
Components A piece of the creature whose form you plan to assume
Duration 1 minute/level (9mins)
When Sophie imbibes this Extract, she can assume the form of any Small or Medium creature of the monstrous humanoid type. If the form she assumes has any of the following abilities, she gains the listed ability: climb 30 feet, fly 30 feet (average maneuverability), swim 30 feet, darkvision 60 feet, low-light vision, and scent. If the form she assumes has the aquatic subtype, she gains the aquatic and amphibious subtypes.
Small monstrous humanoid: If the form she takes is that of a Small monstrous humanoid, she gains a +2 size bonus to her Dexterity and a +1 natural armour bonus.
Medium monstrous humanoid: If the form she takes is that of a Medium monstrous humanoid, she gains a +2 size bonus to her Strength and a +2 natural armour bonus.
Vomit Twin Level 3
School conjuration (creation, teleportation)
Imbibing Time 1 standard action
Effect creates one ooze duplicate of the caster
Duration 1 round/level (9rnds)
Upon imbibing this Extract, Sophie vomits forth a disgusting ooze copy of herself into a single adjacent square. As long as the twin exists, whenever she takes a move action to move, the twin can move as well, although it does not need to follow her and cannot take any other actions. On subsequent rounds, at the start of her turn, she can instantaneously exchange places with her twin, as if using teleport. This is not an action and does not provoke an attack of opportunity.
The twin has a speed of 30 feet and provokes attacks of opportunity from movement as normal. It has an AC equal to 10 + 1/2 her caster level (14), and a number of hit points equal to her caster level (9). If the twin is reduced to 0 hit points, it is destroyed, although she can create a new one on her turn as a standard action as long as the duration persists. She cannot have more than one vomit twin at a time.
GM INFORMATION:
Five friends/allies/contacts
Brady Cardis (Owner of the Gilded Lyre)
Five enemies/rivals
The Ginali “Family”: former criminal allies who she now owes money to
Booker Ginali (Human Rogue [Swindler archetype])
Davi Ginali (Human Magus [Blackblade archetype])
“Fat” Paventious (Dretch Brawler [Turfer archetype - Urban])
Leesa “Longshot” Lyman (High Elf Wizard [Spellslinger archetype])
Bill Parser (Halfling Rogue [Cutpurse archetype])
Venser Preston (Human Rogue [Burglar archetype])
Long-term character goals *Get enough money to pay off her debt and hopefully be free and clear of any further entanglements with the Ginalis Paid off debt (and interest), but still not in their good books *Get enough money to upgrade her magic items, purchase more items, and live a comfortable, but not ostentatious, lifestyle
Items to eventually obtain
Money so she can upgrade the enchantments on her current items.
Any magic items that increase (primarily) DEX or INT or (secondly) CON or CHA.
Ring of Sustenance (2,500gp - Core Rulebook p.483)
Iron Cobra Gauntlet (8,000gp - Ultimate Equipment p.238)
Cloak of Flash and Shadow (11,000gp - Cheliax: Empire of Devils p.20)
Portal Finding Gloves (12,500gp - Planar Adventures p.55)
Cloak of Displacement, Minor (24,000gp - Core Rulebook p.507)
Ring of Evasion (25,000gp - Core Rulebook p.480)
Mask of the Far Traveler (38,000gp - Planar Adventures p.54)
Cloak of Displacement, Major (50,000gp - Core Rulebook p.506)
Ring of Regeneration (90,000gp Core Rulebook p.482)
Motivations/hopes/fears
Survive, make money, spend money on comfortable lifestyle and fancy magic items.
Hates cruelty to animals. She will eat meat, and if an animal attacks her she will defend herself, but cruelty for cruelty’s sake she cannot abide… people on the other hand.
Family? Are they close? Still alive?
Family are back home. Close with brother and father, not so much with sisters or mother.
MAGIC ITEMS:
Gorget of Umbral Hunger
This intricately decorated black and silver necklace fits tightly across Sophie's neck and houses a ruby in its center.
Whenever Sophie is in an area of dim light or darkness, including magical darkness, the ruby begins to glow and grants her fast healing 1. The necklace can restore up to 20 hit points per day, after which its fast healing effect ends and the gorget becomes inert until its magic resets the next day. This fast healing can restore hit points regardless of the source of the damage, but Sophie detects as an evil creature while the gorget’s fast healing ability is active (obviously not an issue in this case).
Handy Haversack
This over the shoulder bag has two side pouches, each of which appears large enough to hold about a quart of material. In fact, each is like a bag of holding and can actually hold material of as much as 2 cubic feet in volume or 20 pounds in weight. The large central portion of the bag can contain up to 8 cubic feet or 80 pounds of material. Even when so filled, the bag always weighs only 5 pounds.
While such storage is useful enough, the bag has an even greater power. When the wearer reaches into it for a specific item, that item is always on top. Thus, no digging around and fumbling is ever necessary to find what a haversack contains. Retrieving any specific item from a haversack is a move action, but it does not provoke the attacks of opportunity that retrieving a stored item usually does.
Quick Runner's Shirt
This shirt is made of light, gossamer-thin fabric with spattered patterns of darkness across the top.
Once per day as a swift action, Sophie can take an additional move action to move and then immediately end her turn, losing any unspent actions.
Bracers of Falcon's Aim
Each of these black leather bracers is emblazoned with the wings of a black bird of prey.
Once per day, on command, Sophie gains the benefits of Aspect of the Falcon for 1 minute.
Aspect of the Falcon Casting Time 1 standard action
Range Personal
Target Wearer
Duration 3 minutes
Sophie takes on the aspect of a falcon. Her eyes become wide and raptor-like, and she grows feathers on the sides of her head. She gains a +3 competence bonus on Perception checks, a +1 competence bonus on ranged attacks, and the critical multiplier for her bows and crossbows becomes 19-20/x3 (this effect does not stack with any other effect that expands the threat range of a weapon, such as the Improved Critical feat or a keen weapon).
