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Eska
Female Human Fighter (dragonheir scion) 7
CG Medium Humanoid (human)
Init +1; Senses Perception +12

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DEFENSE
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AC 21, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+8 armour, +1 Dex, +2 natural, +0 shield)
hp 68 (7d10+21)
Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +3
...+2 vs. emotion spells and effects
...+2 vs. pain spells and effects
...+2 to recover from continuing effects
Resistance electricity 10
Hero Points 3

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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. with armour)
Melee +1 halberd +14/+9 (1d10+8 P/S/x3)
...silver spear +12/+7 (1d8+7 P/x3)
...cold iron heavy mace +11/+6 (1d8+4 B)
Ranged masterwork composite (+4) shortbow +9/+4 (1d6+4 P/x3) (70 ft.)
Offensive Abilities eldritch strike, draconic presence, hurtful, power attack

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STATISTICS
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Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 12, Cha 13
Base Atk +7/+2; CMB +11, CMD 22
Traits Permanent Scars, Seeker
Feats arcane strike (+2, 1d4 electricity), dazzling display, hurtful, intimidating prowess, motivating display, power attack (-2; +4/+6), skill focus (intimidate), weapon focus (halberd)
Skills Climb +10 (3R), Knowledge (Local) +2 (0R, with 1 minute she can make checks to identify a location in Korvosa as if trained), Intimidate +20 (7R), Linguistics +1 (1R, X), Lore (North Point) +5 (2R), Lore (Old Korvosa) +6 (3R), Lore (Grey Maidens) +5 (2R), Lore (Korvosan Criminals) +6 (3R), Perception +12 (7R), Profession (Korvosan Guard) +6 (3R), Sense Motive +8 (7R, X), Survival +8 (+10 to avoid becoming lost in Korvosa)(4R)
(6 points; 2 background, 2 class, 0 INT, 1 race, 1 favoured class) (*=add check penalty (-3, doesn't apply on acrobatics or climb), X=not a class skill)
Abilities Draconic bloodline (blue, electricity), Draconic defence, draconic presence, Draconic strikes, eldritch strikes, fearful might (+2), weapon training (polearms +1)
Languages Common, Draconic

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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Class Skills The dragonheir scion adds Knowledge (arcana) and Use Magic Device to her list of class skills, instead of Handle Animal or Ride.

Draconic Bloodline (Su): Each dragonheir scion can draw her lineage back to the influence of a great draconic progenitor. At 1st level, a dragonheir scion must select one of the chromatic or metallic dragon types. Once chosen, this cannot be changed. A number of dragonheir scion’s abilities deal damage and grant resistances based on her dragon type, as noted below. If a dragonheir scion takes a level in another class that grants a bloodline, the bloodlines must be of the same type, even if that means that the bloodline of one of the classes must change. Subject to GM discretion, the dragonheir scion can change her former bloodline to make them conform. (blue, electricity)

Draconic Defense (Su) : A dragonheir scion gains a +1 natural armor bonus and energy resistance 5 against her energy type. At 7th level, this increases to a +2 natural armor bonus and energy resistance 10; at 13th level, it increases to a +3 natural armor bonus and energy resistance 20. This ability replaces armor training 1, 2, and 3.

Draconic Presense (Su): A dragonheir scion receives Dazzling Display as a bonus feat. She does not need a weapon in hand to use this ability, and can use it as a standard action. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 6th level.
...Dazzling Display You can perform a bewildering show of prowess as a standard action. Make an Intimidate check to demoralize all foes within 30 feet who can see your display.
...Hurtful When you successfully demoralize an opponent within your melee reach with an Intimidate check, you can make a single melee attack against that creature as a swift action. If your attack fails to damage the target, its shaken condition from being demoralized immediately ends.
...Motivating Display Whenever you use Dazzling Display to demoralize foes, you can motivate your allies to better serve you. In addition to possibly demoralizing foes within 30 feet, your Intimidate check while using Dazzling Display also applies to allies within 30 feet who can see you. The DC for this effect is the same as it would be to demoralize your allies. Each ally so affected gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and skill checks for the duration that it would normally be shaken.

Demoralize Rules You can use this skill to cause an opponent to become shaken for a number of rounds. The DC of this check is equal to 10 + the target’s Hit Dice + the target’s Wisdom modifier. If you are successful, the target is shaken for 1 round. This duration increases by 1 round for every 5 by which you beat the DC. You can only threaten an opponent in this way if they are within 30 feet and can clearly see and hear you. Using demoralize on the same creature only extends the duration; it does not create a stronger fear condition. You gain a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks if you are larger than your target and a –4 penalty on Intimidate checks if you are smaller than your target. (standard action)

Eldritch Strikes (Su): At 1st level, a dragonheir scion gains Arcane Strike as a bonus feat using her fighter levels as her caster level. She does need to meet its prerequisites. This replaces the fighter feat gained at first level.
...Arcane Strike Benefit: As a swift action, you can imbue your weapons with a fraction of your power. For 1 round, your weapons deal +1 damage and are treated as magic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. For every five character levels you possess, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +5 at 20th level.
...Draconic Strike (Su): Whenever the dragonheir scion damages a target with an attack augmented by Arcane Strike, the attack deals an additional 1d4 points of damage of the dragonheir scion’s energy type. This ability replaces the bonus feat gained at 4th level.

Fearful Might (Ex): A dragonheir scion gains a +1 bonus on Intimidate checks to demoralize a foe. This bonus increases to +2 at 6th level and by an additional 1 every 4 fighter levels thereafter to a maximum of +5 at 18th level. This ability replaces bravery.

Focused Study All humans are skillful, but some, rather than being generalists, tend to specialize in a handful of skills. At 1st, 8th, and 16th level, such humans gain Skill Focus in a skill of their choice as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the bonus feat trait. (You get a +3 bonus on all checks involving the chosen skill. If you have 10 or more ranks in that skill, this bonus increases to +6)
...skill focus (intimidate)

Intimidating Prowess Add your Strength modifier to Intimidate skill checks in addition to your Charisma modifier.

Permanent Scars You carry the physical and emotional scars of your Gray Maiden initiation as mental armor. You receive a +2 trait bonus on saving throws against emotion and pain spells and effects.

Power Attack You can choose to take a –1 penalty on all melee attack rolls and combat maneuver checks to gain a +2 bonus on all melee damage rolls. This bonus to damage is increased by half (+50%) if you are making an attack with a two-handed weapon, a one handed weapon using two hands, or a primary natural weapon that adds 1-1/2 times your Strength modifier on damage rolls. This bonus to damage is halved (–50%) if you are making an attack with an off-hand weapon or secondary natural weapon. When your base attack bonus reaches +4, and every 4 points thereafter, the penalty increases by –1 and the bonus to damage increases by +2. You must choose to use this feat before making an attack roll, and its effects last until your next turn. The bonus damage does not apply to touch attacks or effects that do not deal hit point damage.

Seeker Basic (Social), You are always on the lookout for reward and danger. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Perception checks, and Perception is always a class skill for you.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Proficient with all simple and martial weapons and with all armor (heavy, light, and medium) and shields (including tower shields).

Weapon Training (Ex): Starting at 5th level, a fighter can select one group of weapons, as noted below. Whenever he attacks with a weapon from this group, he gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls.
...Every four levels thereafter (9th, 13th, and 17th), a fighter becomes further trained in another group of weapons. He gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls when using a weapon from this group. In addition, the bonuses granted by previous weapon groups increase by +1 each. For example, when a fighter reaches 9th level, he receives a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with one weapon group and a +2 bonus on attack and damage rolls with the weapon group selected at 5th level. Bonuses granted from overlapping groups do not stack. Take the highest bonus granted for a weapon if it resides in two or more groups.
...A fighter also adds this bonus to any combat maneuver checks made with weapons from this group. This bonus also applies to the fighter's Combat Maneuver Defense when defending against disarm and sunder attempts made against weapons from this group.
...Polearms +1

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HERO POINT USES
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- gain 1 per level up
- maximum 3 at once
- Act Out of Turn: You can spend a hero point to take your turn immediately. Treat this as a readied action, moving your initiative to just before the currently acting creature. You may only take a move or a standard action on this turn. Bonus: If used before a roll is made, a hero point grants you a +8 luck bonus to any one d20 roll. If used after a roll is made, this bonus is reduced to +4. You can use a hero point to grant this bonus to another character, as long as you are in the same location and your character can reasonably affect the outcome of the roll (such as distracting a monster, shouting words of encouragement, or otherwise aiding another with the check). Hero points spent to aid another character grant only half the listed bonus (+4 before the roll, +2 after the roll).
- Extra Action: You can spend a hero point on your turn to gain an additional standard or move action this turn.
- Inspiration: If you feel stuck at one point in the adventure, you can spend a hero point and petition the GM for a hint about what to do next. If the GM feels that there is no information to be gained, the hero point is not spent.
Recall: You can spend a hero point to recall a spell you have already cast or to gain another use of a special ability that is otherwise limited. This should only be used on spells and abilities possessed by your character that recharge on a daily basis.
- Reroll: You may spend a hero point to reroll any one d20 roll you just made. You must take the results of the second roll, even if it is worse.
- Special: You can petition the GM to allow a hero point to be used to attempt nearly anything that would normally be almost impossible. Such uses are not guaranteed and should be considered carefully by the GM. Possibilities include casting a single spell that is one level higher than you could normally cast (or a 1st-level spell if you are not a spellcaster), making an attack that blinds a foe or bypasses its damage reduction entirely, or attempting to use Diplomacy to convince a raging dragon to give up its attack. Regardless of the desired action, the attempt should be accompanied by a difficult check or penalty on the attack roll. No additional hero points may be spent on such an attempt, either by the character or her allies.
- Cheat Death: A character can spend 2 hero points to cheat death. How this plays out is up to the GM, but generally the character is left alive, with negative hit points but stable. For example, a character is about to be slain by a critical hit from an arrow. If the character spends 2 hero points, the GM decides that the arrow pierced the character’s holy symbol, reducing the damage enough to prevent him from being killed, and that he made his stabilization roll at the end of his turn. Cheating death is the only way for a character to spend more than 1 hero point in a turn. The character can spend hero points in this way to prevent the death of a familiar, animal companion, eidolon, or special mount, but not another character or NPC.

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GEAR/POSSESSIONS
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Combat Gear +1 halberd, silver spear*, cold iron heavy mace*, masterwork composite (+4 Str) short bow, arrows (20), blunt arrows (20), aegis of recovery (2d8+3), acid (2)*, caltrops (2)*, holy water (2)*, potion of cure moderate wounds*, potion of cure light wounds (3)*, smokestick (2)*, tanglefoot bags (2)*,
Possessions +2 agile breastplate, handy haversack* (move to retrieve, doesn't provoke), traveller's any-tool*, badge (Korvosan Guard), bedroll*, belt pouch (coins), chalk (2), charcoal (2), city map (Korvosa)*, crowbar*, explorer's outfit (worn), fetters (2)*, flint and steel*, grappling hook w/ silk rope (50 ft.)*, grooming kit*, hammer*, hip flask, ioun torch*, journal*, manacles (2)*, pitons (10)*, reversible cloak (worn), silk rope (50 ft.)*, signal whistle, signet ring (family heirloom, sigil with a stylized blue dragon), soldier's uniform (Korvosan guard), waterskin*, whetstone*
Carrying Capacity
Light 0-100 lb. Medium 101-200 lb. Heavy 201-300 lb.
Current Load Carried 51 lbs.
Handy Haversack Capacity 120 lbs; Current Load Carried in Haversack* 84 lbs
Money 25 GP 5 SP 6 CP

Gear Details
...Aegis of Recovery An aegis of recovery grants its wearer a +2 resistance bonus on all saving throws made to recover from a continuing effect, such as ongoing poison damage, daily saving throws against disease, a hold person spell, or lingering damage from an attack. This bonus does not help against initial saving throws against such effects. Should the wearer ever drop below 0 hit points, the aegis heals the wearer for 2d8+3 points of damage and then crumbles to dust.
...City Map (Korvosa) This map aids in navigating a single city. You can consult the map for 1 minute to gain a +2 bonus when attempting a Knowledge (local) check to identify a location in that city (and can attempt checks for DCs above 10 even if untrained) or when attempting a DC 15 Survival check to avoid getting lost in that city.

Eska Zavonson was born and raised in Korvosa's North Point district. Her family has been around since the city's founding, and takes great pride in their home and lineage. Magical powers often manifest among her kin, and those who don't become teachers at the Academae, or politicians, often join the Korvosan Guard or the Sable Company Marines.

Eska's immediate family is small, with only her grandmother, parents, two older brothers, and a younger sister among them. One of his brothers and her sister are married, and her elder brother has young children of his own. She also has various aunts, uncles, and cousins kicking around the neighbourhood which she's quite close with.

Unlike her brothers, both of whom were blessed with sorcerous powers, Eska was a normal child. She fought a lot as a kid and was eventually enrolled in Vencarlo Orsini's combat academy. In time she graduated and joined the Korvosan Guard. She worked a beat in Old Korvosa for many years, and was promoted to Guard Captain in her home district of North Point only a year ago.

A few months ago Queen Ileosa requested all the attractive female Korvosan Guards be transferred to her personal retinue, under the command of Sabina Merrin -- a friend Eska once trained with at Vencarlo's. Eska, being rather blunt and far from a slender beauty, was passed over for the job. But her best friend, Grace, was not. Grace was surprised, but happy to be chosen. On the other hand, Eska was thrilled she hadn't been. She thought the Queen was a petulant, spoiled brat. She and the other guards joked that the Queen was making her own personal harem. Until, of course, they saw them. The Gray Maidens. Silent, stern... Cold. The women and friends she used to know had become distant and... strange. Something was off about them. She could feel it.

Then, just last month, she happened to pass by the Queen in the barracks. The Queen whispered something -- Eska couldn't quite hear what -- and ordered Eska be transferred immediately. She was to become a Gray Maiden. Eska was both shocked and devastated. She was seized by the Gray Maidens and brought in for initiation -- an process which turned out to include weeks of psychological and physical torture. But, Eska was harder to break than most. When the opportunity to flee presented itself she made a break for it, tearing off one of the Grey Maiden's helmets and beating her with it. The Maiden turned out to be Grace, and her face showed signs that she had been tortured -- just as Eska had been. Shocked and confused, Eska fled the castle. She got home just in time to see the Gray Maidens had come for her family.

Having a few sorcerers in the family certainly paid off! After defeating the Gray Maiden contingent alongside her kin, they contacted their extended family, and the whole of the Zavonson family made plans to either lay low, or leave the city. Eska contacted her old mentor Vencarlo Orsini, and with his help she got what family she could to safety.

However, Eska was branded a traitor. her face was plastered on wanted posters all throughout the city. To keep the family that remained behind safe, Eska stayed far away from them, and has been hiding out ever since in Old Korvosa. She spends her time obsessively spying on Gray Maidens, and rumourmongering, in a desperate attempt to learn everything she can about the Mad Queen Ileosa and what she did to the women who became her Gray Maidens.

Glory to Korvosa! Down with the Queen!

Eska is a tough-looking woman with long dark hair, brown eyes, and deeply tanned brown skin. She wears a blue headband and a few beads in her hair. Her face is covered in horrendous, jagged scars which look like they've only recently healed. A few are still scabbed over. She wears a fine looking breastplate, worn out clothes, dirty leather pants, and plated boots. On her simple belt is a belt pouch, and a badge marking her as a member of the Korvosan Guard. Over her shoulder is a quiver of arrows and a backpack. Surprisingly she appears unarmed, having not even a bow in sight. On top of it all she wears a navy blue hooded cloak which covers up most of her attire.

Her skin is unnaturally tough, and her arms bear what looks like faint tattoos of scales.

Eska is tough, bold, and jaded. She's seen a lot on the streets of Korvosa, and little surprises her. She's outspoken and blunt, seeing little point in lying or pandering. She loves her city and the people in it, even the lowly criminals and conmen. She's a terrifying sight to behold on the battlefield, striking fear into her enemies and inspiring her allies. Although typically laid back, she's recently become obsessed with discovering all she can about the Mad Queen Ileosa and what she's done to the women she turned into her Gray Maidens. Her obsession with this has made her tense, and her recent status as a wanted criminal has her more than a little paranoid.

- During the reign of Kazavon one of his wives bore him two half-dragon children. When Kazavon was killed the woman fled with her sons, knowing they would be put to the sword. She shortened their last name from Kazavonson to Zavonson in order to throw off suspicions, but was unwilling to part with any more of their proud and noble heritage.
- Eventually the descendants of the Zavonsons settled in the newly founded city of Korvosa and have been citizens of the city ever since.
- The Zavonson's regularly show sorcerous powers
- The Zavonson's signet ring depicts a unique sigil surrounded by the face of a blue dragon (or whatever other symbol Kazavon used to represent himself)
- These days, Kazavon himself has long since been forgotten. However, his blood is still present in their veins and the Queen could sense it within Eska.
- Eska knows Vencarlo Orsini, Sabina Merrin, Grace (a Gray Maiden), and Cressida Kroft