[Characters] Character Creation and application storage

[pianoman90]

Please place your applications from the thread here so they are accessible to everyone who might want to have a look. Anything you might want to keep secret of course belongs in the private threads.

Character Creation:

• Starting at level 1.
• 2 Traits allowed, including those found in the player's guide.
• Average gold by class.
• Please also include in your private threads both where you are from and where you boarded the Jenivere if it is not included in the application.
• For your rolled stats, any stat below 6 will immediately be bumped up to a base score of 6.

[Qerps]

Bodwick Name: Bodwick (Stat Rolls) Gender: Male Race: Human Age: 20 Class: Fighter Description Bodwick is just an average Magnimar guy. The only thing that used to make him stand out was his guard uniform, but these days he keeps it packed in the bottom of his bag. Instead, he wears simple, comfortable travelling clothes.   Background   Note: no expert on the pathfinder world, so I mostly choose cities by picking some random ones on a map and choosing those that fit the best with what I had in mind. I don’t mind changing stuff to make it fit better. Background/concept elements Bodwick was born into a family of stone cutters and masons, living in Varisia in the city of Magnimar. While he was pushed towards the family trade from early age, Bodwick founding stones to be incredibly dull. His parents refused to listen, so when he became of legal age, he went behind his father’s back and signed up with the city guard, a contract that would be impossible for his father to undo. Immediately after, he went to talk things over with his parents and apologize extensively. He claimed that if they had offered him more freedom, he might have chosen a different trade. He simply did not want to follow in the family trade. It did not take Bodwick’s parents long for their anger to turn into pride. The hardest action Bodwick saw was during training, making his life a relative easy one. The uniform, general respect for the guard and steady pay check convinced them that their son’s choice wasn’t that bad after all. There critiques quickly shifted to his marital state – or more accurately, his lack thereof. There was a girl that had caught his eye though and he was working up the courage to ask what she thought of him. Life was good, until all of a sudden chaos broke out. Bodwick was on night duty when there was an urgent call from the Temple of Iomedea. The temple had been attacked by thieves and they had stolen a minor relic: The Eye of Iomedae, silver mirror that is claimed to greatly enhance scrying rituals. Bodwick arrived in time to fight a small remnant of the thieves that had been cornered, but the rest had vanished into the darkness with their prize. From the captured thieves they extracted that they were hired to steal only this artefact. They also gave up by the roads they were planning to flee the city to take it a drop off spot. Bodwick volunteered to join the group of guards, clerics and paladins that would pursue and try to intercept the thieves before the Eye was sold. While following the Yondabakari River towards Sanos Forest, they fell upon an ambush. The fighting was brief, but fierce, with their attackers retreating after just a few volleys of arrows, crossbow bolts and spells, fleeing before they could mount a counter offence. With several wounded and two guards dead, a fierce debate started about whether to continue persuit. The captain of the guard squad argued that being on the edges of Magnimar territory with several too wounded to continue, the only sensible option was to turn back. The leader of the temple’s forces pointed out that not only the relic was a valuable temple treasure, the ambush only underlined that whomever had taken it must want it really badly and that it would not bode well to allow them to do so without resistance. In the end, five men ventured forth while the rest returned. Bodwick was the sole guard to represent Magnimar, with a priest and three paladins from the temple to complete the group. The delay had cost them and they arrived too late at the drop off point, finding only corpses that presumably had belonged to the thieves that had stolen the relic. There were clear tracks, showing a large group had travelled away from this point, presumably the new owners of the Eye of Iomedea. The tracks were at times hard to follow and they finally lost them somewhere around Nisroch. Asking around in the city they came up with a few theories, but none solid enough to stand out. Eventually, after some debate, they decided to split up in a last attempt to locate the Eye. Even if they could not get it back on their own, they could always report back on where to find its new possessor. One of the Paladins trabelled back to Magnimar to report, while the rest of the group each boarded a different ship, following the most promising leads. Bodwick was chosen to journey to the Shackles. He had misjudged the expense of such a long journey however, so by the time he arrived, the gold he had been given by the temple followers for travel expenses was almost completely gone. He enquired about the Eye, but failed to find any new leads. Hard-pressed to find honest work he had trouble collecting enough funds to return to Magnimar, forcing him to stay longer in the Shackles than he had desired. He got into a few minor scrapes with criminals and gang members, but he managed to avoid serious confrontations. After he was forced to leave a pirate from one of the major ships severely injured on the docks (though he did bind his wounds before fleeing) however, he jumped on the first ship leaving port. Goals Bodwick has accepted that his quest for the Eye of Iomedea is over. That said, if he would stumble on its trail again before managing to return home he wouldn’t hesitate to go after it again. Bodwick claims that all he really wants is to just return home and return to his relaxing old life patrolling Magnimar. It is odd though that whenever some problem arises that he never hesitates to help out. It’s almost as if he doesn’t want to retire too soon. Secrets Bodwick is not one to keep secrets. He doesn’t talk much about where he comes from and how he got here, but if someone really insisted on knowing every last detail of his life they would not meet much resistance. Unknown to Bodwick, his long absence has caused him to be filed as dead and his parents were paid a small hazard compensation. Upon his return to Magnimar he would have quite some explaining to do. Is parents would likely be glad to know he isn’t dead, but the city guard would probably charge him with desertion. People tied to your character Kazadum Greybeard: Dwarven Paladin of Iomedea. Kazadum became a friend when they trekked across half of the known world in pursuit of the Eye of Iomedea. Dasok Grimtooth: Half-Orc innkeeper in Port Peril. Former pirate, but got tired of the fighting and stealing and retired to the more peaceful serving of food and ale. He was kind enough to let Bodwick stay for a decent price and helped find some work now and then. Jack Ninefingers: Human pirate, boatswain for one of the pirate captains moored at Port Peril. Bodwick left him half dead in the docks of Port Peril. While Bodwick was kind enough to bandage the wounded man’s wounds before fleeing, preventing Jack from bleeding to death, the pirate still wants revenge. Memories, mannerisms, or quirks Bodwick learned to smoke the pipe with his father and it’s something he finds relaxing. It helps him clear his mind. He’ll light a pipe when faced with a problem that requires thought, to wind down a little before going to sleep and sometimes simply to pass time. His current pipe is a simple one, but gifted by his father, so he takes good care of it. Bodwick find it incredibly hard to say no. After all, if you help someone in need, it’s only logical that people will help you when you are in need. Right? Bodwick takes extremely well care of his equipment. Weapons and armour are regularly cleaned, oiled, waxed and polished. Clothing is dusted off regularly and occasionally even washed. Stains are washed out as soon as possible. RP Sample Bodwick leaned on the railing of Jenivere, watching the coast line in the distance. Just his luck to board a ship going in the opposite direction he wanted to go. What little money he had managed to save for his passage north, gone at once for a journey south. He sighed. At this rate, he’d be home sooner if he travelled around the world and got back to Magnimar that way. On the bright side, he was finally out of the Shackles. Chances were good he’d have an easier time finding some employment and saving up for the journey home. And then of course, there was the matter of the pirate he had left at deaths doorstep. He wasn’t sure why the man had attacked him exactly. He had yelled something before charging him with his rapier, but Bodwick hadn’t understood what exactly. Probably just any excuse to start a fight, stab him until he stopped moving and steal any valuables he had on him. Fortunately for Bodwick, he managed to down the pirate first. While bandaging his wound to keep his attacker from bleeding to death, he had noticed some tattoos. He wasn’t an expert on the local gangs and pirates, but he knew enough that it was time to get out of town fast. He yawned, starting to get sleepy. He wondered if was due to the boredom of having nothing to do while the ship cleaved though the oceans. It had been nice watching the landscape go by at first, but the scenery only changed very slowly, leaving much time left to fill. Or maybe it was just the combination of his meal and the warm weather? Time to find a hammock. It’s not like there was anything better to do until they hit port.

Bodwick Bodwick | Human Fighter | Char Info | Secret Bodwick is just an average Magnimar guy. The only thing that used to make him stand out was his guard uniform, but these days he keeps it packed in the bottom of his bag. Instead, he wears simple, comfortable travelling clothes. AC: 18 (Touch 13 | Flat 15) | FORT: +4 | REFLEX: +3 | WILL: +1 | HP: 13/13 | INIT: +3 Longbow +4 (1d8) | Arrows: 60/60 Greataxe +3 (1d12+3)

[Quarterpound]

Aryana Zdarlight Gender: Female Race: Elf Age: 147 Class: Magus Sheet Description: Visual: Long, blonde hair. Gray eyes. Fair skin. Easy and cocky smirk. Agile movements. She wears no jewelry, but has intricate tattoos covering her entire torso, legs, and arms. The tattoos are her way of remembering her own history, started when she began to forget her father's face. Sound: Often hums snippets of songs she half remembers. Her footfalls are sharp and purposeful. Her voice is clear and sharp. Smell: Oiled leather and tobacco smoke. Gear: Simple, well kept scimitar and a dagger in her boot. A well-used deck of cards. A dice cup. A tobacco pouch with rolling papers. Aryana Zdarlight walked the fine line of magnetic attraction and repulsion. What man could resist the piercing gray eyes and the beautiful blonde hair that framed a face with high cheekbones and a wicked smile? What man would stick around when the curved blade she wore across her back left its scabbard and danced a deadly waltz, seeming to be a mere extension of her body? Would she sooner steal you away for a kiss or flick the embers of her cigarette in your eye? Frankly, the answers to these questions didn't matter... what mattered was what cards you held in your hands and what she held in hers. Background: Background & Concept Elements Aryana is a gambler and an adrenaline junkie. She's spent her life as a vagrant, reliant on her skills at the card table. She enjoys drinking and smoking and the luxuries a bag of coin can provide in the red light district of any metropolis, but she knows her time in any city or township is finite. She lives her life on the road, card table to dice hall, trying to live life to the fullest on the coin she earns. Over eighty years ago, Aryana had an elven family in Erages in Kyonin. Aryana's father was an accomplished spellcaster and held a seat in the local government of Erages. Aryana's mother died while giving birth to Aryana. Aryana grew up watching her father, Errenad Suelanas, maneuver his way through the elven court and politics. He taught her about the hidden machinations in politics and brought her to social functions to be her eyes and ears. She grew up at courtly dances, learning to waltz with her father and feign innocence while gathering information on her father's opponents. Aryana was also taught by her father the intricacies of arcane weavings. From a young age he forced the discipline required for arcane studies in her. Though she left Erages before she was old enough to start wizard studies at the Dolenai Arcanium, Errenad set Aryana on the path to becoming a Magus. Aryana's father remarried in the middle of Aryana's formative years. From day one, Jezrala, Aryana's stepmother, tried to drive a wedge between Errenad and Aryana, jealous of Aryana's closeness with her father. Jezrala also saw Aryana as a reminder of Errenad's first wife. Aryana's stepmother conspired with one of Errenad's political opponents to have Aryana kidnapped and killed. Knowing there was a good chance she would escape, however, Jezrala planted a note on one of the kidnappers, a noted forged to look like it came from Aryana's father's hand, saying Aryana reminded her of a life he no longer had and was a political liability. Aryana turned her back on Kyonin and her family, taking on the new name of Zdarlight and forsaking her family name. Character Goals I would like to see Aryana be able to love once more. She forms no personal attachments to those she meets, seeing them as simply tools to use or marks to gamble money away from. Aryana would like to someday confront her father for his betrayal, but a part of her realizes she's not ready for that confrontation yet. Another part of her doesn't think she'll ever become brave enough to do so. Character Secrets Aryana has never loved or cared for anyone after her father. She's never had any sexual relations either, though she does use her femininity as a tool. (unknown)Aryana's father found out what her stepmother did after a few years and has spent the last eighty years looking for her. Sylvia was only beaten nearly to death and was rotting in a ganglord's prison when Aryana's father broke her out. Now the two of them are searching for Aryana together. Supporting Cast Sylvia Sterling: For a period of eight years, Aryana traveled with another femme fatale by the name of Sylvia Sterling. Sylvia ended up reinforcing Aryana's desire to keep people at a distance, as the sexual tension and mutual caring was cut short when a job went wrong and Sylvia was murdered. Errenad Suelanas: Aryana's father, an accomplished wizard and political mastermind who has forsaken that life and after Jezrala was convicted for her crimes, hit the road to try and find his daughter and bring her back to Kyonin. Marbles Mcgee: A gnome crimelord in Riddleport. Aryana spent three nights winning in his back-room gambling halls and then slit the throat of the assassin he sent to kill her and get the money back. He got one look at her and wanted her for his bride. He's sent thugs, enforcers, and hired bounty hunters to bring her back to him, but so far she has either killed or eluded them all. Memories, Mannerisms & Quirks Aryana remembers the first time her father took her to a ball. There were sparkling candelabras everywhere and he had bought her a new dress of the highest fashion. It was one of the happiest memories of her life until her father betrayed her. Now she looks back on the memory with suspicion, as if there would be hints of his coming betrayal even then. Aryana has trouble sitting still. She enjoys all sorts of dancing (but especially prefers Varisian dances) and when sitting at a card table she fidgets, tapping her fingers, shuffles her cards, plays with the chips or coins, and smokes incessantly. Aryana has found she prefers the fairer sex, but has never acted on it. She pretends she is a sexual person, especially against men at the card tables, but is wholly inexperienced with both males and females. RP Sample: "I'm all in." A hush settled over the bar. The stack of gold coins that had been shoved into the middle of the table was more money than most of the observers could hope to earn in their lifetimes. The man with the glass eye snorted. The eye roved wildly around the room, completely independently of the black one focused on the blonde girl who had just shoved the mountain of coins in. With a yellowed grin, the man popped the glass eye out of its socket and began to clean it with his shirt. The black socket matched the black eye's stare, but the blonde elf's gray eyes never looked away. The three other players at the table sat nervously waiting for glass-eye to respond to the shove. They had already bowed out of the hand. A pile of gold coins sat in front of glass-eye, a pile to match and dwarf the pile that had just been shoved onto the table. "Time's a-tickin'..." said the elven girl, one corner of her mouth flicking upwards to puff at the cigarette lazily hanging there. Pop The glass eye re-entered the eye socket and then continued its wild dance around the room. The black eye, rimmed with red, peered once more at the two cards in his hand and the five face up on the table. "Cards aren't going to change, Shivers." Shivers snarled and threw his hand on top of the pile. The beautiful elven girl smiled, blew out a cloud of smoke across the table at Shivers, and scooped her winnings towards her. Shiver's filthy hand shot forward and grabbed the elf's wrist, pulling it across the table. The dirty hand flipped the pale, tattooed wrist and a single card, the Ace of Spades, was revealed inside the sleeve of the elven girl. In an instant the man with the glass eye found himself drawing a bloody stump back from across the table. His good eye hadn't caught the curved blade slicing down on his wrist. The barroom exploded into chaos. The elven girl cut the throats of two of the three other card players as they attempted to stand. As she scooped coins into a sack she had produced from somewhere under the table, she moved towards Shivers and stuck the point of her blade into his fat belly. "You're gonna take me out of here and none of your goons are going to try and stop me, understood?" The many chins of Shiver nodded as she slowly back out of the room, one hand holding her sack of possessions and Shiver's shirt, the other a deadly looking scimitar. A few moments later, she was outside of the bar, running towards the docks, several men under Shivers command chasing her. Shiver's body lay outside the entrance of the bar. Just another corpse to litter the streets of the Shackles and one that very few would miss. As she ran down the docks, she spotted a ship that would do. Its mooring lines had all been cast off and it was three feet from the docks. She pumped her legs, forcing blood into them and ignoring the intense burning in the muscles. She leaped off the dock, throwing her sack ahead of her, and landed in a heap on a coil of rope. Several tanned and muscled men immediately moved up, ready to throw her back overboard. Before any of them could say "bilge rat" the elven girl was holding out a pouch by its strings, jingling it invitingly. "I've got gold coins to burn, gentlemen, and I would very much enjoy being free with them in exchange for passage and a little courtesy." The biggest of the three took the pouch, counted out the coins, and bowed deeply to the elven girl, reaching his hand out to help her up. "Welcome aboard the Jenivere, Miss...?" "Zdarlight, my dear. You may call me Ms. Zdarlight."

[baahk36]

Name: Valin Aaroft
Gender: Male
Race: Half-Elf
Age: 21
Class: Druid (Jaguar Shaman)

Description: Valin heavily favors his elven heritage. To the casual observer it would be easy to mistake the young man as a full elf with his shining golden hair, piercing blue eyes, and delicate facial features. But to those who know the signs; the rounded eyebrows, broader shoulders, and think the deep tan of someone who spends a lot of time at the beachdarker skin; Valin is clearly of mixed heritage. Valin carries an odd blend of sophistication and ruggedness in his countenance as if one could easily envision him living out in the wilderness but stopping for an elegant seven course meal in the middle of his travels. He wears clothing colored to fade into nature, but cut so that he would be presentable among fine company. The scent of wood smoke and the open road cling to Valin. Those that engage him in conversation are often surprised by the cultured manner with which he conducts his conversations.

Background:

 

Step 1: Core Concepts

1. Valin is the bastard offspring of Sylnith Edasseril, brother of Telandia Edasseril queen of the elven kingdom of Kyonin. Despite the normal stigma such a child would bring to the royal elven family, Sylnith refused to put the child away and Valin was raised in the royal elven courts. Sylnith hoped to use Valin as a mean of furthering Telandia's goals of integration. He hoped Valin would grow to be a bridge between the elven and human races.
2. From an early age Valin felt uncomfortable with the role of diplomat that he had been forced into. He resisted being groomed as a tool for the royal family's political agenda.
3. For his birthday five years ago, Valin was given a panther from far off Sargava. Valin named the panther Midnight in tribute to it's deep black fur and trained the cat himself and as the two of them spent more time together in the wilderness hunting Valin found himself feeling more at home than he ever had in the elven courts.
4. Two years ago, fed up with the oppressive pressure of life in Kyonin, Valin left the life of the elven aristocracy behind him and set out on his own with Midnight. He left with no notice and for a time it was believed he had been kidnapped to be used as a political hostage. Recently word of Valin made it's way back to the royal court and a different sort of manhunt began.
5. Valin is torn between the life of freedom he has found journeying through the wide world and guilt over abandoning his family.

Step 2: Goals

1. Valin wants to explore the lands of Sargava. Ever since he was given Midnight, Valin has longed to see the lands that spawned such a majestic creature.
2. I'd like to see Valin have to decide once and for all how he will resolve the conflicts he feels between his personal desires for freedom and his duties to his family.

Step 3: Secrets

1. (known) Valin keeps his royal heritage a secret from those he interacts with. He doesn't like people to know because he wants to find out who he is outside of his family.
2. (unknown) Valin's father has sent a group of hunters to track down Valin and bring him back to Kyonin.

Step 4: Important People
1. Anderhol Whisperwind. Anderhol was one of Valin's tutors at the elven court, and is the man who first introduced Valin to the ways of nature and to the powers of the druidic order. He is the one who first encouraged Valin to seek his own path in life rather than simply accepting the path he was being forced down. As Valin has journeyed through the lands of Golarion he has periodically sent letters back to Anderhol to reassure his friend that he is still safe and keep him apprised of the events of his travels.
2. Shireen Filin. Shireen is the head of the group dispatched to bring back Valin to the court of Kyonin. Valin is unaware that Shireen is hunting him and only vaguely knows her as a member of the elite royal guard dedicated to serving the royal family and its interests.
3. Gelik Aberwhinge. Valin and Gelik's paths have crossed on several occasions as each of them has embarked on their own journeys. When they meet they always take time to swap tales and catch up on what the other has been up to since they last saw each other. It was Gelik who first told Valin of the Jenivere and it's journey to Sargava.

Step 5: Memories, Mannerisms, and Quirks
1. Despite living more or less on his own for the last two years, Valin has retained many of the mannerisms and sophistication ingrained in him by life raised among the aristocracy.
2. Valin likes to collect small keepsakes of important places he has visited. These are usually small items of no significant value but that still help Valin to evoke the memories of his time spent in different lands.
3. Valin often looks back on the moment he was given his hunting cat. It is his favorite memory and Valin marks it as the turning point in his life when he first began to consider a life outside of the aristocracy.

RP Sample:

 

"...as I raced across the narrow stone ledge with the entire cabal of orcs chasing after me. I knew this was going to be the end of me. I could feel their stinking breath hot on my neck. Then the ledge collapsed under the weight of so many orcs right behind me and the entire lot of them plummeted to the ravine floor hundreds of feet below. And that is how I managed to save the entire town of Dery single-handedly." Gelik let out a long laugh and took a long pull from his tankard of ale as he finished recounting the story to the enraptured tavern patrons. Gelik jumped down from his perch atop the bar. He had climbed up there half way through the story to demonstrate how he had deftly slain the orc chieftan in single combat. As he worked his way over to the table where Valin had sat listening to his friend recount the story. "I tell ya Valin old chum there's nothing like the telling of a good tale to work up a man's thirst." Gelik said as he sat down taking another long pull from his tankard before slamming it down and yelling for another.

"You don't say." Valin mused as he took a sip of his wine. It was an indifferent vintage at best and Valin felt a sudden desire for some of the distinct vintages from Kyonin, but it had been a long time since Valin had enjoyed something that delicious. A serving maid brought Gelik another mug of ale and the gnome began another deep drink. "Although last time I heard you tell that story I believe you said it was a horde of ogres that you saved the village from." Gelik began choking on his drink and Valin allowed a slight smile to crease the corner of his mouth.

"Orcs, ogres, what's the difference? It's the stories that matter!" Gelik sputtered between bouts of coughing. Valin always enjoyed putting the gnome off balance then watching him struggle to regain his composure. Despite Gelik's tendency to embellish stories, Valin enjoyed the gnome's company. True friends had proved few and far between since leaving Kyonin and Valin had to admit the Gelik was certainly entertaining. Forget about that for now," Gelik said dismissively, clearly searching for some way to change the subject. "I've got something that might interest you far more than the difference between orcs and ogres. I've just booked passage on the Jenivere. It's a trading vessel heading to Sargava and they still have room for more passengers." Valin's attention perked up at the mention of Sargava. For years now Valin had longed to journey to Sargava with Midnight and explore the far off jungles. "I thought that might get your attention." Gelik laughed softly to himself. "Decide quickly lad, the Jenivere leaves at first light. If you're going to be on it you better get down to the docks and book passage now."

Valin thought about it for all of a second before making his decision. An opportunity like this just falling into his lap seemed too good to be true. "Thank you my friend. This is the best news I've ever heard." Tossing a few coins onto the table, Valin threw on his cloak and hurried out of the tavern. As he rushed out into the night patch of deep shadow broke off from the deep shadows at the corner of the tavern. A pair of glowing golden eyes regarded Valin for a moment before falling in beside him as he rushed down to the docks. "You're going home Midnight. Any chance you'll have a family reunion?" Valin regretted the joke as it left his lips and he turned his head in the direction of Kyonin. The elven city was leagues and leagues away yet he wished he could glimpse it one last time before this journey. The trip to Sargava was going to be a long one and part of Valin wondered if he would ever return.

[Digorig]

Souls for Smuggler's Shiv Application Name: Bella Silversong Gender: Female Race: Halfling Age: 25 (Adult) Class: Bard (1) Description: 3’2” tall, 42 Lbs, Black hair, Green eyes   Bella Silversong is a kind and happy woman who loves to sing. Her jet black hair is a stark contrast to her stunning green eyes but complements her lightly tanned skin. Bella has always desired to travel, even from an early age. She wants to see the world! The Halfling is very social, loves to meet interesting people and makes new friends wherever she goes. Her love of music dominates her desire for possessions, and she has been known to perform for free. Bella is somewhat naive and is more trusting than she should be in a world that can be torturous.   Bella wants to see every corner of the world and meet people of all races. Her more immediate goal is to escape the Island she is stranded on, but she plans to make the best of it while there.   Before she left her home, one of the local lads had a crush on Bella. Rufus Greenstep followed Bella in secret to pursue his unrequited love. Bella is illiterate. She will sometimes pretend to be able to read to hide her embarrassment over this flaw.   Rufus Greenstep: A local lad who has a crush on Bella and has followed her since she left town. Jillian Tealeaf: Bella’s closest childhood friend and playmate. They lived next door to each other and have known one another since they were five years old. She was heart-broken when Bella left, but she had to stay to help her family. Falco Tighfield: The bully. He has always been the Halflings nemesis, teasing her mercilessly for many years.   Bella will never forget the day that her father, Holland Silversong presented her with her first Lute. It was the most beautiful thing she the young girl had ever seen, and the sound was exquisite. The Halfling was often in the kitchen, helping her mother Fiona with the cooking. She especially loved helping with the baking of pies, and could smell the fresh cooked apples even now. Bella does not walk; she skips. Well, not always, but most often she can be seen skipping around and, of course, singing. If she is walking, it most always means she is sad, but that is quite seldom.   RP Sample Link Application RP Sample: She was young when Bella first learned of the annual sailing of the Jenivere, but even then she knew that one day, she would be aboard the tall ship. It wasn’t that Varisia was anything special – though just the fact that she had never been there made it so – so much as a way to travel; and she loved to travel! She had wandered as far as she could from home, exploring nearby hamlets, but she wanted more – she needed more. Once, while still a teen she even made the journey to the next town. Her parents were not as pleased as Bella thought they might be; she was punished severely once she got back home two weeks later. The Halfling knew she could not afford to pay for the passage, and she had no desire to sneak aboard and hide away! That was something that Falco would do. So one day when she spotted Captain Kovack in the Tavern, Bella acted. Moving to an open area she began to play and sing. Soon the tavern was silent, with every ear and every eye upon her. The applause was thunderous when she finished and she curtsied politely to the crowd. Going over to the Captain, she made her offer; free passage on the Jenivere in return for her entertaining the passengers and crew free of charge. "Please sir, It would mean so much to me!" she pleaded. Kovack agreed and the following week she was aboard the sailing ship as they left the port, bound for Magnimar.

[Muggins]

[URSULA]
[GUSTAV]

Application Name: Ursula (and Gustav). Gender: Female. Race: Halfling. Age: 23 Years. Class: Summoner (Master Summoner). Theme: Waltz Op.34. Description: Ursula is garbed in dark, earthy tones, which are themselves garbed in an large, crimson cloak which seems many sizes too large for her. Beneath her hood lies a mob of messy brown hair, and her colourless eyes show a level of critique which seems out of place on her otherwise innocent face. Her features are more equivalent to those of a human child than a mature halfling woman, and while she dislikes this so-called 'quality' she abuses it wherever and whenever the opportunity arises. Clasped upon her wrists are a pair of bulky, black shackles which seem out of place on her body, but which she refuses to remove. Background:     1 Ursula was born in the city, to a tightly-knit family of halfling nobles in the Shackles. No harm ever befell them, but as the youngest child the rest of the family often excluded or forgot of her. 2 Wishing to make herself known amongst her siblings, Ursula delved into the arcane from a young age. Although she lacked particularly sorcerous talents, she possessed the determination and confidence to hone what little natural skill she had. 3 At the age of sixteen, Ursula met her first friend; a summoned being, Gustav, who had been pulled from another realm by her magic. In some part made by her, Gustav came to represent Ursula's inner child in a form unbound by innocence. 4 Although she came to accomplish much, steadily learning a variety languages, arcana and simple tricks, Ursula never received her parents' recognition. Her elder siblings had done much in the time it had taken her to mature, and she came to be viewed as an imitator of her eldest sister, Maggie. 5 Nobody ever came to Ursula's twentieth birthday. Deciding that her parents would never accept her efforts, she left home and abandoned her family name. Instead of seeking their approval, she would seek out that of the world and become a better arcanist than her siblings ever were. She and Gustav eventually wound up on the Jenivere, even though neither of them ever had any intention of boarding.   1 Ursula wants to be acknowledged not only as being equal to her siblings, but greater than them. Above everything and everyone else, she wants to stand on her own feet and be recognised as a master spellcaster. 2 Ursula is heavily reliant on Gustav, who provides the safety and emotional support she'd lacked until then. It would be pleasant for her to not only be weaned from this reliance, but for her to begin trusting others. In a way, Gustav is preventing her from ever growing up, accepting her responsibilities or fending for herself.   1 Gustav, Ursula's current eidolon, actually contains a fragment of Ursula's soul as part of a deal she forged in first summoning him. In exchange for being granted the last piece of power needed to do so - specifically, the peace of mind she could never achieve - Ursula's inner child was locked away within Gustav, so that she may never lose it. Ursula does not know who she forged this deal with or what its precise terms are, but does seek to eventually break it. Unfortunately, doing so would cost her Gustav, and she's not prepared to lose him just yet. 2 Ursula's greatest treasure, the belief that she's a pure- and royal-blooded halfling, is false. Not only is she the bastard child on her mother's side of the family, but her ancestry possesses the blood of various genasi and plane-blooded creatures. She's virtually a mongrel, and losing that last piece of her identity could easily shatter what remains of her self-concept. There lies the chance that the being who granted her the power to summon Gustav is related to her through those ties, who themselves lie on another plane and seek to craft deals with mere mortals.   1 Raulin Carter, Ursula's elder brother and the younger sibling of Maggie. He grew up to be a noble swordsman and first mate of the Jenivere, scoring the role despite his various illegal dealings in the past thanks to a healthy relationship with the captain. A well-traveled adventurer who lacks any magical talent of his own, he accepted Ursula's boarding upon the Jenivere but soon after met an unknown, and likely unfortunate, end. 2 Gauwyn Adams, one of Ursula's fellow arcanists and explorers. They've spent limited time together in research projects and small-time adventuring efforts in the Shackles, and Gauwyn made a recent trip to Sargava as part of one such effort. A skilled alchemist, Ursula never expected to meet with him - although that seems much more probable now that she's been stranded on one of the islands he'd love to investigate. 3 Maggie Baker, Ursula's eldest sister and role model. Ursula's attempts at arcane magic were perceived as attempts at imitation by not only her parents, but by Maggie herself. Although long retired from adventuring, she has applied her talented sorcery to the task of hunting down her younger sister and permanently stripping her powers. Envy and fear of succession are what drive Maggie to do what she does.   1 Ursula's twin shackles, heavy and rusted, are old trappings made by her sister Maggie. Although they once restricted the young summoner's magic, Ursula had them purged of their antimagic enchantments by a wizard who pitied her. She keeps them as mementos, for they represent her struggle against the expectations of her elder siblings. 2 While highly knowledgeable, Ursula has difficulty in applying the correct skills to the task at hand; she is, in a word, scatterbrained. This proves particularly bothersome with her multiple languages, should she ever mix them up - an act which proves quite common when just one languages fails to meet her needs. 3 Ursula's difficulty in asserting herself commonly manifests in the form of a non-sequitur. While she believes herself to have perfected their use, no real skill is involved; in truth, they just come naturally to her off-beat mind. RP Sample:   The box was cold. Highly, incredibly cold. It was dark, too, like the bottom of the ocean. It was a fitting analogy, given that they were still on the docks. While Gustav lacked the social talent to note her cunning statement, Ursula giggled softly in pride. "Ursula, I would recommend that we remain as quiet as possible while they pass us by," a voice chimed gently. Gustav sat beside her in the crate, within which existed barely enough room for the two of them. While there was the possibility of dismissing him, Ursula wasn't confident enough of their safety to willingly do so. "They passed us ages ago, Gustav!" she hissed in return, glaring through the inky blackness towards his voice. She could barely see him, given that so little light filtered through the cracks of the crate, but she knew he was there. Their pursuers, a pack of thieves who seemed to call themselves the Harrowed Marrow, made no noise in the room - and, given that they didn't strike upon hearing her and Gustav's voices, Ursula assumed that they had left. She was correct, of course, but something still stood in their way from escaping from this debacle; getting back out of the crate within which they'd hid. She began to search immediately, and for a good deal of time there was silence within the crate. "Can you not find the exit?" Gustav queried after a long pause, hesitant to speak as the hot-blooded Ursula searched. His voice was still quiet, and seemingly unheard by the other inhabitant of the crate. He sat and waited, patiently, for the young summoner to reply. Gustav's wait was interrupted by the creak of wood underfoot, then a shift of weight to his right side. A wizard, presumably, was loading cargo - including them, as it happened. While he would have liked to know just what their crate was meant to contain, now was not the time to ask or check for himself. Ursula kept completely quiet, and so did he, as they were loaded elsewhere with the rattling of what little their crate contained. ... Ursula awoke from a bout of concussion-induced unconsciousness sometime later, to the sound of a humming Gustav who whispered sweet nothings into her ear. Pushing him away with a scowl, she looked up to see the midnight sky above and a familiar face which cast in the moon's shadow. "It has been a great deal of time since we last met, Ursula," the face hummed pleasingly, and Ursula soon remembered the name for that face. Raulin, her brother, stood above her with the crate lid in his hands. While she would have loved to get away from all of her family, rather than just her twisted sister and parents, she supposed that not everything could go to plan. She would be forced to live with this man for now. "Hello, brother," she responded with a sliver of shown negligence, "I see that your favours led to a profitable job. You always wanted to be a seaman, didn't you?" "I wouldn't consider it a lifelong dream of mine, but I suppose so," he replied. After a moment he commented, "you know, I'm not supposed to let stowaways on board." "Won't you make an exception for a kinsman?" she replied, smiling crookedly and in an attempt of honesty. He'd never done anything wrong, but Ursula had never truly been close to Raulin. It took a few moments of humming and hawing, but eventually the man nodded and gestured for her to stand. "I'll take care of myself, and try to keep out of the way of the crew," she promised, "with Gustav serving as my guardian, perhaps I'll get away with it." Raulin nodded and shuffled to the box beside Ursula and Gustav's, twisting open the lid with a crowbar. Within lied many preserved fruits, presumably intended for the chef. "I know you always liked exploring, Ursula, but I never took you for the type to set course for Sargavan," he mused. "Believe me, Raulin," she replied, "if it had been up to me, I'd rather be back in the Shackles than here."

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Originally Posted by Muggins

 

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