Xarafine's page

Xarafine was the only child of Viscount Alistair Orlovsky and his wife, Aurelia. Her mother adored her, spending much of her time playing with and doting on Xarafine. The Viscount, however, did little to hide his displeasure that Xarafine had not been the male heir he desired. He rebuffed her attempts at affection, and only spoke to her to correct her behavior or dismiss her from his sight.

As the years passed, Xarfine noticed that her mother’s belly would sometimes grow, as if expecting a child, but then her mother would fall ill, be confined to her bed for several days, only to emerge with no swollen belly and no child. Her father’s mood grew darker, and her mother grew weaker, and less able to play with her. Eventually, Aurelia could no longer leave her bed, and Alistair would not allow Xarafine to stay in her mother’s room for more than a few moments at a time.

Xarafine was consumed by loneliness. She spent longer and longer periods of time away from the manor, realizing her father seemed to neither notice nor care about her absences. On one such excursion, she encountered a man she knew, by his face, to be kin. He was sitting in a large chair under a tree, his leg bound in a splint. He looked so much like her father that Xarafine was afraid to approach him. The man noticed her, and with a warm smile, beckoned her over to him. He introduced himself as Finnabar, the son of her father’s older brother. Although he clearly was in no condition to run and play, Finnabar talked with her the entire afternoon, seeming genuinely happy for her company.

In the days following, Xarafine sought out her cousin, sometimes bringing him flowers, or fresh-picked apples. They would talk, play word-games, and tell stories for hours. Those days were golden in her memory, but they did not last. One day, she came to her uncle’s estate to find that Finnabar was not at home. Her uncle gave her a dismissive wave when she asked where he had gone. She tried to visit again several days after, but again was turned away.

Aurelia, meanwhile, seemed to be thinner and paler on each rare occasion that Xarafine got to see her. Alistair was spending more and more time in the company of young women from other notable families, and stopped speaking of Aurelia altogether.

When she was eleven, Xarafine’s mother passed finally passed away, no more than a shriveled husk barely resembling the beautiful woman she once knew. Less than a fortnight after her funeral, Alistair remarried. Jessenia was the seventeen year-old daughter of a very wealthy merchant and already showed a noticeable bulge of pregnancy.

Half a year later, Xarafine’s half-brother, Kendrun, was born, to the unabashed delight of her father. Alistair held a weeklong festival in honor of the birth of his heir. He doted on his son, and Xarafine felt keenly her father’s disdain for her. Her stepmother began publically arranging for young nobleman to visit the manor, and insisted on dressing Xarafine in fine gowns and jewelry.

The experience was excruciating. Xarafine knew that Jessenia’s attention was a deliberate attempt to be rid of her. The young nobles were well groomed and gentlemanly, at least in public, but several of them tried to forcibly kiss or fondle her if the two were out of sight for any length of time.

Eventually, she had enough. On her fourteenth birthday, Xarafine announced to her father and stepmother that she was leaving to join the priesthood. To her surprise, rather than being glad to be rid of her or even indifferent (as she expected), her parents were furious. Her father harangued her about her duty to the family, and that she was expected to marry another noble family, bear sons, and ensure an alliance with them. Nevertheless, Xarafine left that same day with no farewells.

Xarafine’s studies at the Academy were arduous, days and days of reading, reciting, writing, singing, studying and praying. She was a talented student, though, and the positive reinforcement of the priests encouraged her to do her best. Throughout the years, letters periodically arrived from her father, demanding that she return and fulfill her duty to the family. She left those letters unanswered, knowing that her father would not dare come to the Academy and attempt to forcibly take her home. After four long, but rewarding years, Xarfine took The Oath, and was granted the title of Teacher. She then sent a single letter to her father, informing him that she would, for the rest of her days, do her duty to the Nine.

Now, Xarafine has been charged with her first assignment, to carry the faith into the wild lands. The Mysteries must be taught and retold, and the blessings of the Nine bestowed on the nascent colonies. The Academy has provided her with the Precepts, a portable Shrine, a Speaking Staff, and the necessities for performing the required rituals. Xarafine was also given a handful of Stars, small nine-pointed throwing knives used by Teachers for self-defense (although she still has not mastered them). She has been charged with their care, and their eventual return to the Academy when the first temple is constructed.

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Nobleborn:Orlovsky +1 trait bonus to Diplomacy checks, and +1 to CMD. House Orlovsky is known for avoiding conflict when possible.

Physician: Xarafine gained experience in treating the sick and wounded at the Academy. She receives a +1 on Heal checks and healing is always considered a class skill.

Heirloom Weapon: Xarafine was given the Speaking Staff for use on the expedition, it is a masterwork quarterstaff. Xarafine also gains a +1 trait bonus to attack with the Speaking Staff.

0-level:
Message
Read Magic
Detect Magic
Resistance
Dancing Lights

1st level:
Cure Light Wounds
Comprehend Languages
Share Language

Bardic Knowledge: Xarafine can add half her bard class level to any knowledge check (minimum +1), and can make all knowledge skill checks, even if untrained.

Bardic Performance: 4+(charisma modifier) in rounds per day.
Starting performance is a standard action and may be maintained as a free action in subsequent rounds. 4+3+6 (Extra Performance): 13 rounds per day

Countersong: Xarafine may counter the effects of a sonic attack or sound based magical effect. While performing, any creature within 30 feet of Xarafine (including herself) may use Xarafine's perform check result in place of their saving throw if the result is higher.

Distraction:Xarafine may counter the effects of magic dependent on sight, such as figments and illustions. While performing, any creature within 30 feet of Xarafine (including herself) may use Xarfine's performance check result in place of their saving throw if the result is higher.

Fascinate:Xarafine may attempt to fascinate any creatures within 90 feet of her who are capable of seeing and hearing her. Those who fail must sit and listen for as long as Xarafine maintains the performance, taking a -4 penalty to any reaction-based skill checks, such as Perception. Any potential threat allows a those affected a new saving throw. Any obvious threat, such as drawing a weapon, immediately negates the effect.

Inspire Courage:Xarafine may inspire her allies to greater deeds of valor with this performance. Her allies must be able to perceive the performance. Allies receive a +1 morale bonus on saving throws vs charm and fear effects, as well as a +1 competence bonus to attack and damage rolls.

Inspire Competence:: Xarafine can use her performance to help an ally succeed at a task. That ally must be within 30 feet and be able to hear her. The ally gets a +2 competence bonus on skill checks with a particular skill as long as he continues to hear the bard's performance. This bonus increases by +1 for every four levels the bard has attained beyond 3rd (+3 at 7th, +4 at 11th, +5 at 15th, and +6 at 19th). Certain uses of this ability are infeasible, such as Stealth, and may be disallowed at the GM's discretion. A bard can't inspire competence in himself. Inspire competence relies on audible components.

Versatile Performance (Ex): At 2nd level, a bard can choose one type of Perform skill. He can use his bonus in that skill in place of his bonus in associated skills. When substituting in this way, the bard uses his total Perform skill bonus, including class skill bonus, in place of its associated skill's bonus, whether or not he has ranks in that skill or if it is a class skill. At 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the bard can select an additional type of Perform to substitute.

The types of Perform and their associated skills are: Act (Bluff, Disguise), Comedy (Bluff, Intimidate), Dance (Acrobatics, Fly), Keyboard Instruments (Diplomacy, Intimidate), Oratory (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), Percussion (Handle Animal, Intimidate), Sing (Bluff, Sense Motive), String (Bluff, Diplomacy), and Wind (Diplomacy, Handle Animal).

Well-Versed (Ex): At 2nd level, the bard becomes resistant to the bardic performance of others, and to sonic effects in general. The bard gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made against bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects.

Monk Abilities:

AC Bonus: Xarafine adds her Wisdom bonus to AC and CMD, as long as she is unarmored and unencumbered. This bonus still applies if flatfooted, but not if helpless or unconscious.

Flurry of Blows: Xarafine may make two attacks per round as a full attack action at a -1 penalty per attack. She may only do so with unarmed strikes or with a monk weapon.

Stunning Fist: Xarafine must declare that she is using this feat before making an unarmed strike. A foe damaged by the attack must make a Fortitude save (DC 13). If the target fails, it is stunned for one round (can take no actions, loses Dex bonus to AC, and a -2 penalty to AC). This ability may be used 1/day. A failed attack is still considered a use of the ability.

Evasion (Ex): At 2nd level or higher, a monk can avoid damage from many area-effect attacks. If a monk makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, he instead takes no damage. Evasion can be used only if a monk is wearing light armor or no armor. A helpless monk does not gain the benefit of evasion.

Bonus feats: Improved Unarmed Strike, Dodge, Improved Grapple

Arcane Strike: As a swift action, Xarafine can imbue her weapon with a fraction of Belan's Might. For 1 round, her weapon deals +1 damage and is treated as magical for the purposes of overcoming damage reduction. For every five caster levels, this bonus increases by one, to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.

Extra Performance: Xarafine can use her bardic performance ability for six (6) additional rounds per day.

Improved Unarmed Strike: Xarafine is considered armed when fighting bare handed.

Stunning Fist: See class abilities for description.

Dodge: Xarafine has a +1 dodge bonus to her AC. Any effect that would deny her Dex bonus also denies the dodge bonus.

Mobility: +4 dodge bonus to AC vs Attacks of Opportunity when moving through a threatened area.

Improved Grapple: You do not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a grapple combat maneuver. In addition, you receive a +2 bonus on checks made to grapple a foe. You also receive a +2 bonus to your Combat Maneuver Defense whenever an opponent tries to grapple you.

32 ranks total (20 class, 8 int, 4 human)

Acrobatics: +9 (4 ranks, 3 class skill, 2 dexterity) *Special: +3 AC when fighting defensively, +6 to AC when in Full Defense*

Diplomacy: +10 (3 ranks, 3 class skill, 1 trait, 3 charisma)

Healing: +8 (+10)(2 ranks, 3 class skill, 2 wisdom, 1 trait)*add an additional +2 to check if Healer's Kit is used*

Intimidate: +9 (3 ranks, 3 class skill, 3 charisma)

Knowledge (religion): +9 (3 rank, 3 class skill, 2 intelligence, 1 bardic knowledge)

Perception: +9 (3 ranks, 3 class skill, 3 wisdom)

Perform (oratory): +8 (2 ranks, 3 class skill, 3 charisma)

Perform (singing): +9 (3 rank, 3 class skill, 3 charisma)

Ride: +6 (1 rank, 3 class skill, 2 dexterity)

Sense Motive: +10 (4 ranks, 3 class skill, 3 wisdom)

Spellcraft: +8 (2 ranks, 3 class skill, 2 intelligence)

Use Magic Device: +7 (2 rank, 3 class skill, 2 intelligence)