I'll get right to the bar-tab, ehr I mean job, right after this ale dear miss!
The idea that sparked Jack was to make a character that nobody knew exactlly what was. He is of corse a bard, but he never does the usual bard things, exept for hitting on the barmaids. He is flexible enough that he can pretend to be near any other class, from frontline fighter, to skulking, lockpicking rogue, to even a dabbling sorcerer. Of corse, faced with a real example of either he will not be able to stand fully up, but could still claim to be a sort of multi- class of either.
So he is a deceptive little skunk, and the bard is perfect for this. Yet how to make people not just guess that he is a bard ? For one thing just make certain he does not behave like a bard, stop using the obvious bard abilities, and infact with not a sinle rank in Perform skill, Jack cant use a single bard song. Make certain he introduce himself so vaguelly as posible, if pushed, he will say he is a man of many different skills.
Of the more subtler side, this also means he will be adept at disguising, bluffing, and even pickup a few spells that will help him in such things. Other things is to not use equipment that pinpoint him to much. Almost any character save sorcerer and mage can use light armors, so those are safe. more than half the various classes also get shields, so a buckler is also somewhat safe. Also a Longsword is martial, wich will put questions if he is a fighter or a ranger, or did he use a feat to get it or ? Keeping things shrouded in mystery, and hinting at the wrong things is a key factor with this character.
For personality i desided to take inspirations from one of my alltime favorite protagonists, Jack Ravenwild, a Rogue with some sorcerous bend from the book: Raven's Bluff, by Richard Baker. Set to the Forgotten Realms of corse. But still twist and change enough that Jack was a definitive own character.
(First impression)
At first glance Jack looks like a short man just a bit above 5 feet, with short black hair, a small stylished goatee, brown eyes, a strong jaw and a slightly round nose. And has been told by several Barmaids all over the realm that he looks handsome.
(Courtier Outfit)
He is dressed in a white shirt, a darkblue hose, with a sleveless doublet of Enchanting blue, with dark green buttons and seams. Leather boots that reach to hes ankles, a fineclothed cape that reaches down to hes knees. All topped with a Enchnting blue widebrimmed hat, with a small plume of Orange on the top. Longsword is strapped to hes side, and he wears leather glowes fit for swordmanship as well as fitting the dress.
(Explorers Outfit)
He is dressed in a darkgrey shirt, black leather breeches and leather doublet. Leather boots that reach up almost to hes knees, and a Coack of pure black that stops a few inches short of hes ankles, with a hood. And leather glowes with a silver lining on the edges. Chainshirt on top, and is died with some substance that it apears dull grey, and reflects no light. A Buckler is strapped to hes left hand, and died in the same way as the armor. A Longsword is strapped high on hes side so as not to impede movement.
“Thief, jester, sorcerer, and knave. Raven's Bluff is Jack's city, and he is the master of every plot, prize, and peril's within.”
Jack usually comes of as a foppish young man, often apearing as a minor noble with hes silver tongue and stylished clothes and behavior. Almost to a fault he will be in good spirit, with a grinn on hes face, attempting to come with humorous and witty comments. He is overly friendly at times. People will usually notice in short time that he is somewhat arrogant and selfish, he also has easy for bragging. He is very proud of hes taste in clothes, and cope badly with comments on hes dressing, neither will he accept wasting a costume on something he deems inapropriate for hes current clothes.
Jack hails from the town of Raven's Bluff, located at the Sea of Fallen Stars right east of Sembia. He does nt speak much of hes home or familly, but it apears he grew up among the poor parts of the town and was forced to resort to several alternative mathods of surviving the streelife (he claims hes infalible charm was the reason for this). Eventually he admits leaving the town to try hes luck in other places becose of wanderlust. He claims to have been many places over the face of Faerun from Selgaunt, Scardale, Cormyr, Berdusk, Calimport, Athkalla, Zazesspur, Hlondeth and Aglarond. Most of the stories he tell's about the places will usually involve him in some manner of a clever plot, or about hes Conquests at the taverns.
Here is a sumarry of some of the more common ones:
“Well, there was always the time I met up with this beutifull woman whom clearly showed interest in my presence, it ended up in a room at her house, of corse. Then just as i was showing of some of my scars of war so to speak, a large man burst in through the door and bellowed something uninteligeble, the woman was clearly afraid, so i picked up the first thing i found to defend us with, a jewelered Dagger and placed myself inbetween the woman and the man. But the woman urged me to leave, saying it was her husband. Well, beeing fooled as that was more than my honor and pride could handle, and i picked up my things quick and jumped out of the window before the angry man (who somehow had picked up a very large axe) came running after me. I landed undignifiable in a bush, where some obviously bad gardening had taken place, they had not even gotten rid of several dog droppings! unthinkable! Either way on my way homewards i realised i had forgotten to drop the Dagger, it was very fine looking though.” -Jack, of himself.
“Well down in Zazesspur, I was looking at a good looking sword but they where going to charge me 20 gold pieces! I was politelly declining the offer and turned to walk away as i noticed this man trying to use my bartering as a distraction. Such a dishonerable thing i could not accept, and warned the shop owner. However lacking insight he yelled up and the thief started running, and the shop keeper after him. Well i knew the good man would have given me a discount as thanks for helping him, but since he ran away after the thief i couldnt exactly discuss it with him. So i put placed 10 gold on the table, and brought along my new sword with me.” -Jack, of himself.
Name Jack Race Human, Damaran Gender Male Class Bard Level 3 Alignment Chaotic Neutral Deity Tymora
Size Medium Age 25 Height 5 feet, 4 inch Weight 137 lb Eyes Brown Hair Black, short Skin Light-skinned
Strength 13 +1 Dexterity 16 +3 Constitution 14 +2 Inteligence 14 +2 Wisdom 6 -2 Charisma 15 +2
HitPoints 19 ArmorClass 18 (10 +4 armor +1 shield +3 dex) Initiative +3 Speed 30 ArmorCheck -3 SpellFailure 25% (Negated, bard ignore light armor.) Fortitude +3 (+1 base +2 constitution) Reflex +6 (+3 base +3 dexterity) Will +1 (+3 base -2 wisdom)
Name ToHit Damage Critical Range Longsword +3 1D8+1 19-20×2 Shortbow +5 1D6 20×2 60×10 Magic Dagger +6 1D4+1 19-20×2 10×5
Dodge (Level 1) Point Blank (extra human Level 1) Mobility (Level 3)
name total rank Appraise +5 3 Bluff +8 6 Climb +4 3 Consentration +5 3 Disguise +8 6 EscapeArtist +6 3 Heal -1 1 Hide +6 3 Listen +1 3 OpenLock +6 6 PickPocket +6 3 Search +5 6 SpellCraft +5 3 Tumble +8 5
Common Damaran Orc Giant
Level 0 3 Level 1 2 Level 2 0
Level 0 - DC=12
Light Mage Hand Open/Lock Prestidigation Detect Magic Read MAgic
Level 1 - DC=13
Disguise Self Charm Person Cure Light Wounds
Weapon Prof: Simple, All
Longsword Rapier Sap Short Sword Short Bow Whip
Armor Prof: Light
Shield (not Tower)
No Casting Failure in Light Armors. Bardic Knowledge
Clothing and Item details:
Courtiers Clothes:
Shirt, Mulhorandi Cotton, white Hose, Darkblue Doublet, blue, with green decorations. Cape, knee long, Darkblue (same as Hose) Wide brimmed hat, blue (same as doublet), tiny plume Boots, leather, ancle-high, darkbrown.
Explorer Outfit:
Shirt, loose, darkgrey, cotton Leather Breeches, black Leather Doublet, padded Cloack, black, with hood. Boots, leather, high, up half the cavles, darkbrown.
Returning Dagger & Glow:
The Dagger is a finelly wroght dagger, finelly
balanced, with a hilt showing some traces of silver in the decorations and a Bloodstone set onto the bottom. The blade itself seems dull, and does not reflect much light at all. The glow is of sturdy leather, in common brown with some silver lined in for decorations at the edges (radiates slight magic, transmutation).
The dagger can "disapear" into the glow, just where
it goes is unknown, but upon mental command of the wearer it will return to hand. And when the dagger is thrown, the wearer can mentally will it to disapear from wherever it is and apear inside the glow and thus return to hes hand.
Chainshirt:
died in a way that it apears more grey than silver,
and does not reflect light. (Jack claims that bright colors is so Pasè.)
Buckler:
died in same was as chainshirt.
Bloodstone Ring:
A Ring formed of the blodstone itself, The original
stone must have been very large indeed, or some magician has altered it to form a small ring. Its is perfectly round with no extra decorations. Jack likes the color of the Stone, and near always wear it on hes right hand.
< ITEMS >
CLOTHING:
Explorers Outfit
WORN:
Chainshirt Buckler Longsword Shortbow Glow/w.dagger Bloodstonering Arrows (50)
MONEY:
GP 36 SP 167 CP 203
BACKPACK:
Explorers Outfit Courtiers Outfit Bedroll Winter Blanket Mirror, small steel
10 Rations
Rope, silk
10 Torch
Waterskin Disguise Kit Mapcase Spellbook Ink pen Vial with ink
POUCH:
Flint & Steel Signet Ring Bloodstone Ring
SPELL COMPONENT POUCH:
Firefly M: Light Glow Moss M: Light Brass Key F: Open/lock Crystal Clear F: Read Magic