Steyaal 'Juria' Aufwarden's page

The handmaiden's and servants within his families residence were about as close to a friend as he could hope for. Although friendly, they were paid to offer a service, and that is what they did.

Growing up as an Aufwarden was hard. His father, Fauston, was quite a cold man, caring only for his own wellbeing, ensuring anything was done to uphold the reputation of his family name.

Fauston was to the point. A true businessman. He had good judgement and would use this to his advantage. His father was just as cold as he, so it comes as no surprise that Steyaal's father would act similarly to his grandfather. As Treasurer to Grand Prince Stavian III, Fauston understood his role well, having been taught the formalities and responsibilities expected of him, and as such, he excelled within the position.

Fauston was a powerful man. He knew all of the right people, and often used this to accomplish things that otherwise couldn't be achieved.

Upon first meeting Kyreecia through an arranged marriage, Fauston was very formal, speaking to the woman in a respectful but slightly blunt manner. He understood the concept and benefits of an arranged marriage, but had no interest in forming such bonds with people, and would have been much happier to spend his time in the household library, learning of battle tactics, other nations and ways to advise the Prince, in the event of the Grand Councillors death.

Once the closed off man met the woman however, he could appreciate her beauty and intelligence and through her charm, grew closer to the woman.

Through much jealousy and envy, other Noble's of high position grew to hate the man, and although not targeting him directly, would often do things to saboutage and spoil the Aufwarden name.

Kyreecia however, didn't have this problem.

Being a very understanding and compassionate woman, Fauston's wife was a kind and gentle spirit. Aside from taking care of things around the house (when the servants were occupied with other tasks) and making sure the ladies of the residence were well fed, prim and proper, Kyreecia would make her own clothing and often took commissions from other Noble women who recognised her skill as a Seamstress.

The time Fauston spent with his wife changed him considerably, turning him into someone who held compassion and the wellbeing of others highly, while still retaining his professional and strict qualities, as these were the traits he needed to best perform in his position.

Several years after his father died, Lord Fauston and Lady Kyreecia decided it was time to propogate, and nine months later the kind and beautiful lady of the house gave birth to a black haired baby boy, who, with the help of her husband, named him Steeyal.

Born with the same red eye as his father, Steeyal had long black hair with one blue eye and one red eye.

There's no documented reasoning for this trait and change in genetics within the Aufwarden bloodline, but for the past seven generations or so, several males within the family tree have been born with this genetic mutation.

What should be noted is that every relative born with this mysterious Aufwarden trait has achieved greatness in their time alive. This trait is still rare however, and although it's entirely possible for a female born of the Aufwarden name to have this mutation, it hasn't happened yet, and appears to be more prominent within the male gene.

As mysterious as it is, the eye has also been known to hold some power. This power has effected Aufwarden's in many different ways, and seems limited to one power per host.

Recorded effects within different individuals:

No decline in vision through injury or ageing
Time has been perceived differently
Sight has been magnified

Although spoiled a little by his mother, Steeyal grew up within the confinements of his home and was home tutored by his mother, often reading books within the home library when wanting to further educate himself, and verify the truth's of his knowledge.

Steeyal grew to love classical music and always planned to learn how to play piano himself one day, but with his father's intention to have him carry on the family profession upon his father's retirement, didn't have time for such priviledges.

The boy also had a passion for weaponry, armour and advancements of magic and technology within Golarion.

As the years went on, Steyaal got used to his life and had adjusted well to the work required of him. He grew more efficient and as such, had more time to himself. Within this time, he first read books informing him of how magic and weapons worked, and how they worked best. He then went on to read battle tactics at he excitement of one day possibly leaving Taldor to discover what may lay beyond the City walls.

As he got older, he grew tired of being secluded from the outside world, and began to rebel.

He still appreciated the wealth and values of his family name, wearing mostly regal attire and enjoying the finer qualities of life, but having been used to this, he wanted change.

At the age of 16, he decided to take note of patrols within the large Aufwarden residency, so that he could make a break for it. This wasn't his attempt to run away from home, but instead was his first attempt to escape the confinements of his home, so that he could venture out and at the very least, have a look around the City.

As time went on, Steyaal became more agile, learning to climb, to hide and to be watchful at all times, until eventually he could navigate around others with ease, avoiding detection altogether.

He preferred to venture out at night, but occasionally slipped out during the day where he would hide his identity from others (with the use of bland cloaks he had thrown over himself), to gather knowledge of the local areas and other lesser known Nobles within the area.

Eight years on, one night while out, he met a middle classed girl, two years younger than himself. At this point he was 24 and she was 22.

Their meeting was a little embarassing. Steyaal had been climbing and jumping across rooftops to pass the time, still unsure if it was wise to befriend the locals (in case they'd discover his true identity), when he decided he'd had enough and jumped down.

Neither he or the girl were looking where they were going. The girl was looking down, keeping herself to herself, while Steyaal was looking behind him, ensuring nobody saw him jump down from the rooftops. This was when they bumped into each other, both falling over from the force of it. Embarassed, Steyaal rushed to his feet to help the girl up, introducing himself by his first name only.

The woman grabbed his hand as he hoiked her up, brushing herself as she clambered to her feet. "no, no, no. It was my fault. I'm sorry, I'm such a ditz. I wasn't looking where I was going and now look what I've done. Your clothes are dirty and so are mine, and I only bought this today." The girl then got a little frustrated, saying "grrr....my father's going to kill me".

Humoured, Steyaal laughed and said "it's only a dress, and besides, I wasn't looking where I was going either, otherwise I'd have avoided you." He then pauses for a second before realising that sounded terrible. "Do forgive me, I didn't mean it like that. You're a very beautiful girl and I'm sure any boy would be proud to have you by their side."

The woman blushed before holding out her hand. "My name is Cecilia. Cecilia Frangoren. Nice to meet you!"

With his heart racing, having never had such an experience before, the boy went shy and stepped back several steps. "What do I say, what do I do?" He asked himself. Confused, Cecilia lowered her hand and asked if there was a problem. "N..n...no!" he said, raising his hand to the back of his head.

"i...it's just....I".

He then ran off home, flustered, terrified and excited all at the same time.

Speaking to his mum for advice the next day, she briefly looked at him before smiling, knowing full well that he'd been leaving the grounds, as the only places he ever really visited was the garden, library and music room.

She told him to go back out there and find her, and to address her properly, stating his full name to her and her only, and explaining things to her.

"She'll listen to you and keep your identity a secret if she's truly a nice girl", said his mother.

Venturing out the same time the next day, he looked for her but she was nowhere to be seen. He tried again and the same thing happened again. A week passed exactly since their first encounter, and although he hadn't tried for a few days, he visited the location he first met her, and this time she was there. It turned out that because she had made her dress dirty the moment she bought it, her father punished her to stay in and do the housework for a week.

The two got on great and soon fell for one another, courting in a respectable manner for this next two years.

Behind the scenes however, a lot was happening.

Steyaal's father was arranging a marriage for his son to wed into a new family, who seemed to have gained fame and wealth from nowhere. Seeing this as an opportunity to develop relations with another well respected name, Fauston was all for this and arranged for the meeting without conversing with his son.

Steyaal's mother however, had a feeling that this would all end in tears, with the assumption that her son was now dating the girl he met outside. Not wanting to say anything that would cause an argument with her husband however, she remained quiet, thinking it was something Fauston and Steyaal would have to sort out between themselves.

As Steyaal said goodbye to his girlfriend, she gave him a necklace with a small elonagated ruby hanging down from the middle of it. Thinking it was silly, he laughed and put it in his pocket as he thanked her. He then held her hand, kissed her on the cheek goodbye and headed home for bed. It was quite late, but awaiting him was his father who didn't seem at all impressed.

His father raised his voice to him, before calming down slightly when asking

where he'd been. His son then expressed his love for the woman he had found outside of their home, and when Fauston informed him he was to marry someone else, Steyaal refused and starting shouting at his father, who then backhanded the boy and told him to do as asked and to never again question what he says.

As steyaal went to bed, shocked, angry and upset, Cecilia was walking home alone from the point where her and Steyaal regularly met. As she got closer to home, she didn't realise but she was being followed. Little did she know, this would be her last night alive.

While her boyfriend slept, a man stepped out from the shadows, grabbing the girl from behind, where he then repeatedly stabbed her in the back, before throwing her in the gutter for the local guard to find her the next day.

The very next morning, Kyreecia awoke her son and told him to get dressed. She doesn't pry so didn't know the name of his girlfriend, but asked him "is the girl you're seeing called Cecilia?"

Dazed from just waking up, Steyaal replied "uh...yea, why?"

Suddenly tears streamed from his mother's face, from the pain that her son was just about to feel. When he asked what was wrong, she said while sobbing "I didn't want to be the one to tell you this, but......." she then turns around the local newspaper where the death of his girlfriend is on the front page, titled "Local girl found lying dead in gutter."

At the news and now in shock and a state of disbelief, Steyaal threw on some clothes and marched straight out of the house, ignoring and pushing aside anyone who tried to stop him, so that he could walk to the scene of the crime, hoping that it would be someone else....it wasn't.

The boy locked himself away for a weak, heartbroken and distraught. The marriage with the other woman didn't happen, and unable to accept her fate, he left his home one night, buying pure black leather armour to represent his mourning, and wearing the ruby necklace that Cecilia gave him with pride.

With a strong feeling of vengeance now in his heart, the boy decided it was time to find a weapon.

Many merchants passed and it took him many weeks to find something that suited him, but he eventually found and old battered gun that he did up and had improved. Now only using his home as an Inn, and no longer bothering to speak, Steyaal would spend every waking day digging for information and training with his gun. This went on each day of the week, for six months.

With no luck in finding any motives behind the love of his lifes murder, he remembered something he read as a young master. Something that stood out to him. Scrying was the name of it. He remembered that there was a spell to see what was going on without actually having to be at a specific location.

Another week passed, and through a desperate search and a lot of questioning with regard to rumours, Steyaal was lead to a shack in the middle of a woodland on the outskirts of Taldor.

Upon entering this shack, there was an old haggered woman waiting at a table. "I've been expecting you" she said, as the 26 year old walked in. "You're here about a murder aren't you?"

Steyaal nods, tapping his feet uncomfortably as he looks around at all of the strange symbols engraved in the wooden walls of this old womans shack.

"Very well" she says. "I can help."

The woman slowly stands up, back hunched over and pulls out what appears to be a metal walking stick, before lifting up a beautiful silver mirror from the side.

Being familiar with the silver mirror component, the boy thinks nothing of it, and waits for her to perform the spell. However, having no documented images of such a spell in practice, he naively does what the woman asks.

After moving her hands around, gesturing and uttering a few words, she slams the rod on the ground when all of a sudden a strong gust of wind brushes over the boy.

Grabbing hold of Steyaal's hand, the woman tells him that a window is about to open, and that by peering through it, he can view any person of his choice, just by thinking about them. "You don't need a face. Just think about who you want to see by what you know, and everything will become clear."

As the portal opens, he looks in, and caught off guard, the woman pushes him forwards, overbalancing him and sending him flying through the gate which closes behind him.

Vehicles can be seen crashed and damaged, the roads are collapsing into sinkholes and the buildings around him are falling apart. Glass windows are smashed all around, and tall narrow buildings surround him for as far as he can see.

"THAT WOMAN! W..WHE..WHERE AM I?"

HP: 23
AC: 16, Touch: 14, Flat-footed: 12

Speed 30ft (20ft due to medium load)
Initiative: 4

Str: 8
Dex: 18
Con: 14 (-15 to die)
Wis: 14
Int: 10
Cha: 12

BAB: 2
CMB: 1
CMD: 15

Fort: 4 (9 to stabilise when dying)
Ref: 9 - Evasion
Will: 2

Combat:

Sneak Attack: Within 40ft of target, deal an extra 1d6 damage.

Musket - +7, 1d12+1 x4, 40ft, capacity 1, misfire 1-3 (5ft), b and p
Two handed weapon – Reload as a move action.

Nodachi - +1, 1d10-1, 18-20x2, p or s

Traits:

Noble Born: +1 trait bonus on Knowledge (Nobility) it’s a class skill for you.
Adopted – Halfling penalty decrease to sniping

Alternate Racial – Heart of the wilderness

Feats/Rogue Talents:

1a. Point-blank Shot
1b. Precise Shot
1c. Gunsmithing
3. Rapid Reload (reload 2-handed musket as a move action)
Talent – Ninja Trick: A ninja with this ninja trick increases the range at which she can deal sneak attack damage by 10 feet. A ninja can take this trick more than once. Its effects stack.

Skills:

Acrobatics*: 10 (4 dex, 3 ranks, 3 class)
Climb*: 5 (-1 str, 2 ranks, 3 class)
Diplomacy*: 5 (1 cha, 1 rank, 3 class)
Disable Device*: 8 (4 dex, 1 rank, 3 class)
Escape Artist*: 8 (4 dex, 1 rank, 3 class)
Knowledge (Local)*: 4 (0 int, 1 ranks, 3 class)
Knowledge (Nobility): 5 (0 int, 1 rank, 4 trait)
Perception*: 8 (2 wis, 3 ranks, 3 class)
Sense Motive*: 6 (2 wis, 2 ranks, 3 class)
Stealth*: 10 (4 dex, 3 ranks, 3 class)
Survival*: 6, 7 to track (2 wis, 1 rank, 3 class)
Swim*: 3 (-1 str, 1 ranks, 3 class)

Gear: Leather Armour (10gp, +2AC, +6 Dex, 16lb’s), +1 Musket (2,300gp, 9lb’s, broken to anyone but me), Nodachi (60gp, 1d10, 18-20x2, brace, 8lb’s, s or p), Gunsmith’s Kit (15gp, 2lb’s), Alchemical Cartridge, Paper (Bullet x50, 600gp)), Grappling Hook (1gp, 4lb’s) and Silk Rope (50ft, 10gp, 5lb’s).

Wealth: 4gp

Light load: 26 lb’s
Medium load: 53 lb’s
Heavy load: 80 lb’s
Lift overhead: 80 lb’s
Lift off ground: 160lb’s
Drag/Push: 400lb’s

Carrying: 43lb’s (Medium Load)