Vilena Dubnikov
Female Half-orc Paladin (Divine Hunter) 1
LG Medium humanoid (human, orc)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception -1
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AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+4 Dex, +3 AC)
hp 10 (1d10)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Defensive Abilities orc ferocity
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee glaive +2 (1d10+1/x3)
Ranged longbow +5 (1d8/x3)
Special Attacks smite evil 1/day (+2 attack and AC, +1 damage)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +3)
* At will—detect evil
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Str 12, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 15
Base Atk +1; CMB +2; CMD 16
Feats Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Traits Pioneer - You gain a horse and a +1 trait bonus on Ride checks, Talented - You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perform (oratory) checks and all Perform skills are always class skills
Skills Diplomacy +6, Knowledge (religion) +5, Perform (oratory) +7, Ride +9
Languages Common (Taldane), Hallit, Orcish
SQ aura, code of conduct
Gear Explorer's Outfit, Glaive, Longbow, Arrows (40), Studded Leather, Hand Mirror, Paladin's Kit, Riding Kit, Light Riding Horse - "Grusha", 3 gp
Description:
Tall even for a half-orc at just over six feet high, Vilena has a lithe, athletic build that speaks more to her ability to deftly dodge out of the way of those who would judge her for her parentage, rather than to live up to what many say about half-orcs and trade blows. Her thick black hair is pulled back in a Galtan braid tied off with an orange ribbon, safely tucked under her dark blue cloak only when she expects a fight. With yellow eyes, a pronounced overbite that accentuates her tusk-like lower canines, and a light shade of earth green skin, it is difficult at best for Vilena to even attempt to hide her orcish heritage, and yet she wears it as proudly as the painted wooden songbird of Shelyn suspended from a chain around her neck. Yet she also has the proud, well-formed nose of a Rostlander, her human half peeking out in unlikely places.
Though not so vain as to paint her nails or face, Vilena honours Shelyn with colourful clothing choices, accentuating the brilliant white of her studded leather armour with violet clothes beneath the laced pieces of iron-reinforced leather, her knee-high riding boots dyed a vivid shade of red. A large quiver of arrows hangs from her belt, its location betraying that she favours her left hand, and her glaive is strapped to her back. Vilena's mount, a well-bred palfrey she has named "Grusha", has gotten her in trouble a number of times, as it is the very sort of horse favoured by the Swordlords, some of whom seem to take offence at a half-orc riding so noble a mount.
Background:
Vilena is the only child of a minor Aldori swordlord who fell in love with and married an orcish woman from Iobaria in defiance of local mores and customs. The social pressures finally became too much for her parents shortly after Vilena was born, and they left Restov to settle in a small homestead on the Brevic border a couple days' ride east of the city. Though her childhood was lonely, it was also largely free of the prejudices of others until the fateful day a band of local huntsmen decided to do something about the Dubnikovs. The hateful words and utter scorn showed by the huntsmen caused young Vilena to question every affirmation her parents had ever spoken assuring her of her beauty. To these men, she was nothing but a savage, ugly beast. In the end, the confrontation turned violent, and only her father's skill with a sword was enough to delay the men long enough for Vilena to run to safety, though her mother was not so lucky.
With her parents dead, her home burned to the ground, and having finally learned what the neighbours truly thought of her, Vilena fled into the wilderness. Hungry, frightened, feeling the chill winds of early Kuthona, and utterly lost, she stumbled right into the camp of a band of adventurers returning from Iobaria. After a short bit of confusion, the adventurers offered her food, drink, and the warmth of their fire, while asking after her parents. Learning that she was newly orphaned raised their ire, but their wizard cautioned against rash actions, for they had no power to act as magistrates within Brevoy. Instead, they took in young Vilena for a short while, caring for her while seeking justice for her slain parents. In the end, she was adopted by the party's bard, a young half-elf devotee of Shelyn who had suffered many of the same trials and tribulations as Vilena in his youth.
Just as she was adopted by the kind bard, Vilena in turn adopted Shelyn as her patron deity, trying desperately to always see beauty even in places where others saw only hideousness, telling her guardian wondrous stories of the beauty of strange things each evening. In time, her devotions were answered with a calling by holy Shelyn, and she realized that, just as she was saved by kind strangers, others were in need of such protection. Because Shelyn has so few paladins, Vilena knows that she bears an even greater burden, for there is much beauty in the world which needs protecting, and very few dedicated to that cause.
