CHARACTER PROFILE: ULF GORMUNDR

Ulf has a very clear idea of the division of labor within the Caravan: It is his job to keep you all alive. It is the job of the rest of you to attempt to stymy him in this by constantly trying to get yourselves killed in the stupidest ways possible. This conflict between your assigned tasks can make him grumpy at times.

With the exception of those who are clearly at home in the wilderness, such as Myriana, Liothonae, Shalelu, and Skygni, he therefore sometimes has somewhat of a tendency to regard you all as if you are a bunch of fairly slow children who have been handed a pile of sharp explosive objects. But he is clearly very good at this job, and his insights and suggestions have saved the Caravan from disaster more than once.

He spends a lot of time at that job, spending most of his days checking the landscape, the stars, his maps and charts, and the condition of the Caravan in an attempt to determine where you are, where you are headed, what you are likely to meet when you get there, and whether you are in any condition to face it.

He is fond of foul-smelling cigars.

He has become a regular at the card games, and is generally far more interested in talking to people than in playing well at them. A couple of times, during the evening entertainment when music is being played, he has requested jazz.

He is, of course, very close to Uksahkka, whom he seems to treat as a younger sibling; they seek each other out to chat and check in with one another at least once daily. He appears to get on well with Sandru and Koya, and seems to have struck up, perhaps surprisingly, an easy, joking friendship with Liothonae. Shalelu is perhaps the only person he treats with full-on deferential respect, but he also seems to considers himself an employee of the Caravan - he gives advice rather than orders, takes orders when they are given, and if his advice is overridden, he may grouse, but never to the point of undermining.

Sense Motive DC 20 for more information: not made

CHARACTER PROFILE: SKYGNI

The great wolf is still among the most mysterious of your companions, even after months of travel. She tends to keep to herself, and seldom talks unless approached. In general, she seems more comfortable in the company of the other wolves than the company of the humanoids. She spends most of her social time, such as it is, with Silmemir and Attatoq. She has even been known to occasionally play with them in a roughhousing sort of way. She wins those games.

If any of those on two legs can truly be said to be her friends right now, it would be Kelda and Reta. Kelda has been known to have conversations, if rather monosyllabic ones, with the white wolf in their mutual dwelling place of the Royal Wagon. Reta and Skygni appear to share some kind of odd affinity based on things in their mutual backgrounds, and the wolf allows the goblin to chatter at her while she silently sits and listens.

When Skygni does talk, she tends to be forthright and plain-spoken to the point of sometimes seeming a bit harsh. Occasional comments in response to questions might indicate that she can be rather opinionated about the correct way of behaving, but she generally does not proffer these opinions unless asked for them.

Sense Motive DC 20 for more information: made

Sense Motive DC 25 for more information: not made

CHARACTER PROFILE: SUISHEN

The intelligent, magical blade for some reason gives the impression that it is male. And in fact, certain hints he has occasionally dropped in conversation give the impression that at one time, the blade may have been a living man.

His attitude tends to be genial, rather grandfatherly in a way. He is dedicated to his mission, which is to protect the Amatatsu family, but he usually puts his trust as to the best way to achieve this in the judgement of the knight who bears him, Melinda, and the current head of his clan, Ameiko. It is entirely possible that, if he did not trust their judgement, he could overwhelm their personalities with the force of his centuries-long life.

You have discovered that it was his own idea that he be sold in Kalsgard all those decades ago, in order to raise money to preserve the Amatatsu clan at a time when its fate hung by the thinnest of threads.

All in all, he talks little except when he feels he has something to add to a discussion.

Melinda or Sense Motive DC 20 and aware of the presence of Makoa Godsfist: I is Melinda

CHARACTER PROFILES: JORUN

Although Jorun is still wary and tightlipped, especially around other men, he has thawed considerably since you first met him in Kalsgard. Undoubtedly this is in large part because Liothonae has taken the teenager under her wing, tutoring him in the mysterious ways of the druids. As a result, he no longer looks quite like he will explode if jarred, or choose between fleeing and biting if touched.

He is clearly more comfortable around women, and of course is especially close to Liothonae. But he has also formed a nodding acquaintanceship with both Koya and Melinda that seems at least cordial, a huge step forward which took several months of traveling to occur. Among the men, he seems less wary around Kalimac than the others, although the two cannot be said to know each other well. However, he does seem to get along reasonably well with Tollin, he and the mysterious gunman sharing a kind of silent camaraderie in their wagon.

Sense Motive DC 20: successful roll

CHARACTER PROFILE: UKSAHKKA

Uksahkka, during the past few months, has generally come across as friendly but shy. She is pleasant with everyone, but the only person she appears to be close with, even now, is Ulf.

Not an adventurer by trade or inclination, she is arguably the most "normal" member of your crew, which has, oddly enough, made her a little more difficult to get a sense of than many of the others. She has shown moments of quiet courage when called for, and has always kept a cool head under difficult conditions, but she is clearly unused to the monsters and mayhem which are the adventurer's stock and trade.

Sense Motive DC 20: made my roll

CHARACTER PROFILE: ZAIOBE

Since the mute winged woman can communicate only through touch, it can make her rather difficult to get to know well. To some of you, the beautiful redhead is still something of a figure of mystery. Adding to her already quiet air is the fact that she is an avid reader, who can often be seen engrossed with one of the many books she brought along for the journey.

Nonetheless, she has clearly developed some very close friends in the Caravan, particularly Melinda, Alaric, Liothonae, and Buttersnips (the last one, of course, being a friend from before she joined your journey.)

She is extremely fond of music as well, and is always attentive whenever one of the musicians provides the evenings entertainment. Theater is another clear favorite of hers, and she has never been known to miss one of Spivey's strange illusory shadow plays.

Her delight in flying is plain to see whenever she takes to the air.

Sense Motive DC 20:

Alaric, Melinda, or Sense Motive DC 25: Melinda is me.

CHARACTER PROFILE: KELDA

The taciturn and laconic Ulfen woman does not make friends easily. Among your group, she is perhaps the most traditional "adventurer" in her way of thought - her way of life is to kill the enemy and take their stuff, and she does not trouble herself with the moral questions that plague many of the rest of you.

She is a bit of a perfectionist, especially where it comes to her swordplay, and she spends many hours practicing slashes, thrusts, and parries. Even in the heat of her barbarian rage, she is driven to maintain her form.

She gets on well with Skygni, and of course with Rhost, although exactly what is between Rhost and her remains largely unspoken. After what may have been some initial friction with Melinda, the two women seem to be getting on reasonably cordially now.

Sense Motive DC 15: made it

Sense Motive DC 20: missed by 1

Sense Motive DC 25: not even close

CHARACTER PROFILE: SILMEMIR

Silmemir is very much the most "wolf-like" of the strangely many wolves that have joined your Caravan.

Her unusual intelligence is clear in her bright eyes and quick responses, and her well-adapted domestication may perhaps be attributable to her devoted attachment to Myriana. But in spite of this, she seems less likely to philosophize or write poetry than the others might - a night-time run through the woods or the snow, a pack to be a part of, and a good stick or bone to chew on seem to be her pleasures. She is a wolf who is happy to be a wolf.

And there is something infectious about that delight in what she is. It is hard to see her taking such sheer pleasure from running, for example, and not feel a bit of her joy yourself.

Sense Motive DC 15: rolled a 13

CHARACTER PROFILE: BUTTERSNIPS

Buttersnips is one of the oddest members of your exceedingly odd group. However, since Kalsgard, she has toned herself down considerably. While always delighted to receive interesting body parts as gifts, she has stopped scavenging them from the dead, and keeps her opinions about the morality of such behavior to herself.

Over time, it is plain to see that her somewhat frivolous demeanor is a slipcover over a rather keen mind -- although admittedly one that does not always think along the lines that humanoids do. Her artwork, even if it is not necessarily to everyone's taste, is done with consummate artistry and skill, and her theoretical knowledge of the rarefied and complicated nature of fey magic is unparalleled.

There could be nothing more obvious than the torch she is carrying for Myriana - an attraction she has had since the day the two met. She is close friends with Zaiobe, and generally at least polite and affable with everyone else.

She is a regular in the card games, and both likes winning and dislikes losing, although never to the point that she spoils the game. She does, however, play to win.

Sense Motive DC 20: made it

CHARACTER PROFILE: HELGARVAL

Helgarval has remained officious, literal-minded, and a bit high-handed. While he is certainly helpful, nothing has ever disabused him of the notion that this entire expedition is essentially his quest to defeat the Five Storms, and that the rest of you are well-intentioned assistants that he has picked up along the way.

He spends a good deal of time sleeping (or "meditating", as he would prefer to call it), which seems a bit odd to those of you who have any knowledge whatsoever about the being of the outer planes ... they do not, as far as you know, have any need to sleep. Spivey certainly never does.

And speaking of Spivey, his distrust of her has never particularly diminished. It is clear that they knew each other, or had at least met, at some point in time long before joining your Caravan, and their mutual dislike is a long-established feeling.

Other than that, he has shown no particular feelings either way, either positive or negative, towards any of you, with perhaps the single exception that he naps most frequently upon Rhost's head. However, even then, it is an open question as to whether he has a particular fondness for Rhost, or whether Rhost simply has the most comfortable noggin.

CHARACTER PROFILE: SPIVEY

Over the months, at least one thing has become very clear about the little outsider you met outside of Brinewall - she is an incorrigible flirt. No one has failed to receive a double entendre, innuendo, or outright erotically-tinged comment from her, and she distributes them without regard to gender, age, relationship status, size, or species.

She has lived on Golarion for only a very short segment of what sounds like a very long life. And even though that "segment" is probably longer than anyone else in the group except perhaps the elves have even been in existence, it is still sometimes clear that she is not from around here - odd comments, strange misunderstandings, or simply failure to recognize or understand what seem like basic facts of life to the rest of you.

The fact that she is an avatar of primal chaos may also be a factor in the strange nature of some of her thoughts and comments.

She is generally pleasant, although she can get grumpy when she feels she has been insulted, and she is occasionally a little bossy. Nonetheless, she gets on well with practically everyone except Helgarval. She seems particularly close to Myriana and Koya.

Myriana or Sense Motive DC 20: rolled a 17

Sense Motive DC 25: nope

Sense Motive DC 30: not a snowball's chance in hell

CHARACTER PROFILE: HRUNNDALF JARLSSON

During the first part of the journey, Hrunndalf had rather kept to himself, preferably spending with his older friends (the NPCs) and those among the new ones who approached him cordially. He likes to leave people their space, and does not rub his life's story under people's noses.

Since Kalsgard, however, he has made an effort to start conversation and participate in those initiated by others in an attempt to get more acquainted with everyone, and fit himself into the social environment.

Sense Motive DC 15: rolled a 12

Sense Motive DC 20: sadly, Mel does not understand

Sense Motive DC 25: Hrunndalf at all... :)

The cramped conditions on the High Ice have a mixed effect on Hrunndalf; on one hand, he likes the spirit of camaraderie, mutual dependence, and sheer adventure that it brings, while on the other hand he sometimes feels claustrophobic and often volunteers for guard duty for some precious alone-time.

Hrunndalf has come to see the caravan as his new adopted family for the time being, and feels very protective of it, taking external and internal threats to its safety and cohesion rather personally.

He makes no secret of his romantic interest in Ameiko, but does not divulge any details in public. He seems hell-bent on keeping his friendship with Kalimac undamaged through this.

CHARACTER PROFILE: TOLLIN

Tollin's friendship with Shalelu is characterized by a joking rivalry over the merits of arrows versus those of his preferred, more modern weapons. He has developed a relationship of quiet comradeship with his wagonmate Jorun.

Other than that, Tollin is a mysterious man of mystery. None could be more mysterious than this mysterious gunman, who is mysterious.

As he is far too mysterious for any mere Sense Motive roll to penetrate, his mysteries perforce remain a mysterious mystery to most of you.

CHARACTER PROFILES: BEVELEK AND VANKAR

The two Varisian brothers are not separated here because they are hardly ever separated in life; they tend to keep to themselves, spending their free time together and seldom socializing with others.

Vankar never speaks at all, and Bevelek speaks only seldom, adding to the impression that they are somehow two parts of the same person.

Despite the length of time you have traveled with them, you know them hardly at all - not what entertainments they enjoy, not what their favorite foods are, and almost nothing about what they are like. They simply, in general, do not interact with you. The only other human beings they seem to spend time with are Sandru and Koya.

Sense Motive DC 20: sadly Mel rolled an 8

CHARACTER PROFILE: RETA BIGBAD

The young goblin girl is one of the longest-standing members of the group, having been with you ever since that first fateful day in Brinestump Marsh, when she adopted Alaric Graff as her father.

Although Reta is closest to Alaric, to whom she is fiercely devoted and loyal, she also seems to be good friends with Melinda, Zaiobe, and Skygni, and appears to be on reasonably good terms with everyone. Perhaps least explicable is the time she spends each week with Shalelu, a woman who is known to distrust goblinoids. It took months for any of you to realize it, but the two appear to have some kind of regularly scheduled meeting, which some of you have by now gotten the impression are "lessons" of some sort.

Although for a goblin, Reta is a model of self-control, she is still subject to the ... well, frankly, to the insanity that characterizes her species. Her apparently iron will has minimized damage to the Caravan from her occasional forays into lunacy, but her periodic attempts at self-propelled flight, self-immolation, or challenging the horses to unarmed combat when she perceives they have insulted her does sometimes necessitate medical intervention on her behalf.

Sense Motive DC 20: I made my child's sense motive... wow

CHARACTER PROFILE: ATTATOQ

Something awoke in this wolf's soul when he saw the sights of the Big City of Kalsgard. Ever since, the wild Varisian wolf has done his best to reinvent himself as a sophisticate - a poet, a romantic, a linguist, a patron of the arts.

But he has never forgotten his roots, and his longtime companion Kalimac is still very much his Best Friend In The Whole World. The good-natured wolf clearly regards everyone else as part of his pack, although he harbors a particular fondness for Liothonae. Myriana and Melinda he also regards with great affection. (It is not impossible that he has a soft spot for the opposite gender in general.)

Skygni he seems to treat as a kind of older sister, and all of you have probably noticed by now that he regards Xanderghul with a strange mixture of awe and dread.

His slow-blooming but growing romance with Silmemir has been interesting, as it has tended to involve poetry and courtship on his side, and playful nips and runs through the wild on hers. Nonetheless, it somehow still seems to be working out.

Sense Motive DC 15: Mel is a cat person...

CHARACTER PROFILE: XANDERGHUL

The black cat is quiet, stealthy, and probably has been around on numerous occasions when you weren't aware of him. Although he can most often be found in the company of Melinda, the human he has taken as his familiar, he often makes the rounds of the camp.

On irregular but not-infrequent occasions, he can be seen having some kind of meeting with Silmemir and Attatoq. He looks like nothing so much as a teacher holding a class on these occasions. Skygni never attends these.

Like most cats, he is dignified and mysterious, except when he is not.

Melinda or Perception DC 15: Hi Mel

Sense Motive DC 20: mmm... rolls

Sense Motive DC 25: empathic bond

CHARACTER PROFILE: SHALELU ANDOSANA

The oldest of the humanoids present and the most experienced warrior of you all, Shalelu was, at least locally, a legendary figure before she joined your group. She had been southwest Varisia's defender and unofficial Lord Marshall for longer than any of you had been alive. She is known for being laconic, practical-minded, and she has the reputation of having the finest tactical mind in Varisia.

The group is somewhat split between those who know her extraordinarily well and those for whom she is still a bit enigmatic. Those who can count themselves as being close to her include her adoptive sister, Myriana, and her closest friend, Ameiko. Sandru and Koya can also say they know her well. As has been mentioned before, she has some kind of baffling interaction with Reta. And, of course, all of you are by now aware of her romance with Liothonae.

And perhaps it is this last which is responsible for the changes you have seen in her as you have traveled. More and more as the days go by, a certain unspoken tension in her has lessened. She has become more and more likely to smile, laugh, and even chat. For those of you who knew her before the journey began, this is something of a miraculous transformation.

Spoiler: Did not make 20

CHARACTER PROFILE: SANDRU VHISKI

Sandru is affable, friendly, and particularly fond of a good meal and a fine drink. He is especially good friends with Kalimac and Ameiko, and gets on well with Alaric, Melinda, Myriana, Shalelu, Spivey ... practically everyone, really. Even those whom he does not know very well can expect a friendly smile from him at the very least, and he is always open to getting to know someone better.

His respect for Rhost's cooking borders on devotion. He effectively treats Koya as if she were his mother.

He is a regular at the card games, and a devotee of the evening entertainment in all its forms, but especially dance. He is an enthusiastic if untrained volunteer during Myriana's periodic efforts to get everyone dancing.

Kalimac or Sense Motive DC 15: nope

Kalimac or Sense Motive DC 20: less so

CHARACTER PROFILE: KOYA MVASHTI

The further away you get from the lowlands of Varisia, the greater the sparkle in Koya's eyes. It is hard to imagine this reflects a dislike of her native land, so it is undoubtedly the travel itself she finds invigorating. She has become an avid devotee of new vistas and new sights, which she witnesses with endless delight even as she looks to what is beyond the next horizon.

Other than that, Koya has changed little since your trip began. She long ago traded the opaque and gnomic airs associated with professional fortune-tellers for a plainspoken forthrightness about everything in general, and sees no reason to change that now.

She is fond of everyone in the group, but Sandru, Rhost, and Alaric all clearly have special places in her heart, and she quietly keeps an eye out for their well-being. She has also grown very close to Spivey, and the two spend many hours talking about matters sundry and profound.

Alaric, Rhost, or Sense Motive DC 20: yes :)

CHARACTER PROFILE: AMEIKO KAIJITSU

Ameiko is still the same Ameiko - daring, adventurous, dressed to the nines, and fond of a ribald joke - but she has grown a bit more thoughtful the closer you get to Tian Xia, most likely wondering how whatever might happen there will affect her life.

Her closest intimates in the group are Melinda, Shalelu, Sandru, Koya, Hrunndalf, and Kalimac, but she could also state truthfully that she is quite good friends with Liothonae, Myriana, and Alaric, and on good terms with Rhost, Reta, Spivey, Zaiobe, Buttersnips, Suishen, Attatoq, Silmemir, Xanderghul, Ulf, Uksahkka ... she gets along with people. Even the ones she is not so close to, like Helgarval, Skygni, Kelda, Jorun, Bevelek, Vankar, and Tollin, she does not seem to have any emnity with - she simply doesn't know them as well for whatever reason.

In a group this small, in such close quarters, it is by now fairly apparent that both Hrunndalf and Kalimac appear to be, to some degree or another, vying for her affections. Whether she is vying for either of theirs or anyone else's, or how the notoriously single adventuress is responding to the overtures, is less certain.

Her hair, for the moment, remains the pink-and-black she dyed it back in Kalsgard.

Melinda, Hrunndalf, Kalimac, or Sense Motive DC 20: am Mel