Tanu's page

Tanu is a very severe looking older Vudrani man, with a completely clean shaven head, leathery dark skin, wiry and strong looking muscles, and very confident looking. This is a man who is used to giving orders. He is astride a skinny but strong armored warhorse that seems to be constantly looking around and watching everything.

Tanu is originally from Indapatta on the peninsula of Vudra, far to the east. There he was a commander in the local militia, where he led with strength and honor for many years. He was a good man, a paladin in service to Irori, and was an excellent teacher and leader of his troops.

He is not that man anymore. It didn’t happen all at once; these things never do. There are always a million little events playing into the big ones that stick out. Over time, Tanu began to see the little ways that the Irorians in Vudra behaved, how often they displayed a selfish attitude, a self-centered view of nature, that ran counter to his own values and beliefs. In hindsight, it is easy to see how this would be the case; Irori is, after all, the god of self perfection, the god whose mental and physical perfection led to godhood. How easy is it to become selfish when following a god who was all about self?

And the law was another struggle, or really just another facet of the same struggle. Vudra is ruled by many different Rajahs, and they all serve one Maharajah named Rajeshwar. The main Rajah in Indapatta was a man named Shamat, who served Rajeshwar. It was one of Shamat’s guard units that Tanu led, so he saw first hand what kind of a person Shamat was. The Rajah embodied all the things that Tahu had grown so apprehensive about over his years of service, an entitled man-child so focused on achieving “self-perfection” that his people suffered for it.

This all came to a head one night when a lieutenant of Tanu’s guard unit, Bala, who was also a close personal friend of Tanu’s, was brought before the Rajah. Bala had had the severe misfortune of befriending a man who had turned out to be a traitor. This man had attempted to assassinate the Rajah, and Bala was being accused of helping him infiltrate the compound in order to make the attempt. Such a thing could not possibly be true, Tanu was certain of it, yet he watched in horror as Shamat pronounced his judgement - death. Tanu had had enough. He had sat by while this man-child ran his Mahajanapada into the ground, as he exploited the people for his own gain, and now was going to end the life of Tanu’s closest friend. Bala had his faults, but he didn’t deserve that!

So when the order came, he refused. He looked Shamat in the eyes, declared him unfit to rule, unbound his friend, and drew his weapon. The confusion in the place was palpable, as the leader of the guard disobeyed the lawful ruler and freed the prisoner. Weapons sprang to hand like mushrooms after a storm. People looked around, unsure who to follow. Tanu pleaded with them to join him, or at least stand aside. Shamat ordered that they both be executed, along with anyone else who joined them. Some stepped back and did nothing, others stood their ground but did not attack, but some did spring forward and this close guard unit sprang to war with itself. Bala was the best fighter in the group, and with a weapon back in his hand and Tanu to lead him, there wasn’t much that could stop them.

Except these men were their men. Their friends. Their comrades. So when the fighting began, neither side fought their best. Both sides felt conflicted, and sword strikes were slower, movements were janky and uneven, and chaos reigned. As the storm raged on, the pair made their way through it to the exit, and finally pushed their way through. Tanu ran through several men that he knew, men whose wives he knew, men whose children he knew, in order to escape.

And the worst part was that it was all for nothing. Both men were grievously injured as they fought their way out, and Bala ended up succumbing to his wounds. Tanu survived, though not by much, and made his way out of the city. Then he just kept going. He knew there would be pursuit; he had given the Rajah insult, he had fought and killed several of the Rajah’s guard, he had assisted in the escape of a prisoner.

What was worse, though, was that he couldn’t run from himself. Most nights he still saw them. He blamed Shamat, of course, though the Rajah had been within his legal right to give the order he gave. He had blamed Irori, raged against the whole system of “self perfection” that created the environment that had betrayed him. In his darker moments he blamed Bala for getting wrapped up in everything to begin with. But most of all, far more than anybody else, he blamed himself. He should have been smarter, should have been able to stall the fight with his words, should have been able to get out without bloodshed, should have just kept his bloody mouth shut! Blame was in no short supply.

So he continued to run, fallen from his position as a commander, angry at Irori and unsure of himself as a paladin. Yet he still has the same heart for teaching, for the military, for the camaraderie of battle. He has run almost as far west as he could to get away from his legacy, changed his name, and now lives the life of an adventurer.

Over time and travel, his anger began to cool. He saw other examples of Irorians who did not fall into the selfishness he had seen back home. He still struggled with a lot of it, but was coming to see that this struggle was on him, not on Irori. He was coming to see that self-perfection didn't have to come in the form of the law, and that he could work toward perfecting his heart for others and still be in Irori's good graces. He hadn't seen fit to strip him of his divine gifts, which seemed to indicate he was on the right path.

Seeing the call to clear out the Bloodsworn Vale, he felt something stir within him; a common goal, where his abilities might once more be of use to others. With has lance held high, his flag attached up high to it, he rides forth to find a new group to belong to, and new challenges to overcome.

Tanu
NG middle aged male human (Vudrani)
...Cavalier (Honor Guard, Strategist) 4
...Paladin (Oath of the People’s Council) 1
...Battle Herald 1
HP: 46
AC: 23, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+7 armor, +1 deflection, +3 Dex, +2 shield)
Fort: +9, Ref: +5, Will: +4 (-1 vs compulsions)
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 15
Initiative: +3
CMB: +7, CMD: 21
Melee: +1 lance +8/+3 (1d8+2/×3)
Ranged: composite longbow +9/+4 (1d8+1/×3)

All class skills

Bluff +11 (6 ranks)
Diplomacy +12 (6 ranks, +1 trait) (+14 vs. creatures with whom you share a language)
Intimidate +11 (6 ranks) (+13 vs. creatures with whom you share a language)
Knowledge (local) +5 (1 rank)
Knowledge (religion) +5 (1 rank)
Perception +8 (6 ranks)
Ride +5 (6 ranks, -7 ACP) (ACP doesn't apply riding Nisha)

Handle Animal +9 (4 ranks) (+4 to checks with Nisha)
Perform (oratory) +12 (6 ranks, +1 trait)
Profession (soldier) +4 (2 ranks)

Feats
...Flagbearer (level 1)
...Lookout (level 1)
...Combat Reflexes (level 3)
...Boon Companion (level 5)
...Bodyguard (bonus from Honor Guard level 1)
...Harrying Partners (bonus from Cavalier level 1, retrained at level 6)
Traits
...Helpful
...Dangerously Curious
...Voice of Velvet
Drawback
...Empty Mask

Aid Another gives a total of +4 base
...+1 from Helpful
...+1 from Dragon Order
and another +1 when aiding AC from Honor Guard

Aura of Good (Ex): The power of aura of good (see the detect good spell) is equal to paladin level.
Inspiring Command: (move action, 6 rounds/day) (Ex)
...Inspire Courage +1: +1 morale to saves vs charm,fear, +1 competence to attack,damage
...Teamwork +1: +1 to Aid Another rolls and +1 to bonus Aid Another gives
Dragon's Challenge +4 (2/day) (Ex): +4 to damage target, -2 AC vs. others when used, allies gain +2 to hit the target of your challenge.
Drill Instructor (12 minutes) (Ex): Spend 10 minutes and 1 use of challenge, to grant teamwork feat to four allies for 12 minutes.
Stirring Monologue (standard action, 6 rounds/day) (Su)
...Inspire Courage +1: +1 morale to saves vs charm,fear, +1 competence to attack,damage
Tactician (Harrying Partners, 5 rds, 2/day) (Ex) Grant the use of one of your teamwork bonus feats to all allies within 30 ft.

Common
Vudrani

Carried by Tanu:
lamellar (steel) armor - 150gp
heavy wooden shield - 7gp
lance - 10gp
composite longbow +1 str - 200gp
20x arrow - 1gp
traveler's outfit - free
campfire bead - 720gp
muleback cords - 1,000gp
sashimono of comfort - 2,400gp
sleeves of many garments - 200gp
wand of carry companion (17 charges) - 1,530gp
2x potion of cure light wounds - 100gp
2x alchemist's fire - 40gp
backpack - 2gp
belt pouch - 1gp
bucket - 5sp
grappling hook - 1gp
hemp rope (50 ft.) - 1gp
10x torch - 1sp
waterskin - 1gp

Carried by Nisha:
chain shirt barding - 400gp
bedroll - 1sp
blanket - 5sp
military saddle - 20gp
saddlebags - 4gp
tent, small - 10gp
10x trail rations - 5gp

758 gp, 8 sp

N Large animal
HP: 54
AC 23, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+4 armor, +2 Dex, +8 natural, -1 size)
Initiative: +2

STR 20 / DEX 15 / CON 18 / INT 4 / WIS 12 / CHA 6

Fort: +9
Ref: +7 (+2 to avoid falling)
Will: +3 (+4 vs. Enchantment spells and effects)

Acrobatics +6 (+2 to keep balance, +8 to jump)
Climb +7
Escape Artist +1
Perception +10
Swim +7

Scent
Low Light Vision
Move: 50

BAB: 4
bite +8 (1d4+5), 2 hooves +3 (1d6+2)

CMB: +10
CMD: 23 (27 vs. trip)

Feats: Narrow Frame, Sure-footed, Lookout
Tricks: Aid, Attack, Attack, Attack Any Target, Combat Riding, Come, Defend, Down, Guard, Heel, Stay
Languages: Common
Abilities:
...Devotion +4 (Ex): +4 morale bonus on Will Saves vs. Enchantments.
...Shared Vigilance (Ex): Gain Alterness feat when adjancent to master.
...Tenacious Guardian (Ex): Always act in surprise round. Remain conscious as long as you are adjacent to your master.