Okay, here it goes. I hope you enjoy, and I hope you can see what I am going after with Sye:
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION:
Sye Dillinger - Human. 5'4, 115 lbs. Sky blue eyes, Golden Blonde hair.
CHARACTER BACKGROUND:
Sye Dillinger has always been normal – for a child lucky enough to be educated. In school, she had her areas in which she excelled, but she also had her areas in which she was absolutely awful. She was great at learning the history of the land and even appreciated debating about the various reasons that history had taken the course it had. She spent many hours in study over the various lands and kingdoms and tried to soak up as much knowledge as she could humanly absorb. He goal was never to prove herself to be more knowledgeable than the next guy, she just wanted to learn.
But of course, there also were the more physical aspects to schooling. She never did very well at all with fine motor control sports. Catching and throwing balls was just not her thing. Wielding a sword often gave her trouble. For her own protection, she did manage to pick up the use of a dagger – but even that was never as good as her father had wanted to see. As she tried the more physical sports, Sye was able to pick up and use the crossbow with some success. But in this regard she has always considered herself sub par.
Then, there were the arts. Music came naturally to her. Writing also was a skill she enjoyed. She loved to write lyrics, poems, and even short stories. But to combine both talents into one masterpiece and set her poems to music was simply joy for her. Her father grumbled in that there was no money to be made in poetry, but he loved her anyway. Her mother merely smiled and said that she hoped Sye would find a husband who liked poems, because otherwise it would be like living with her father for the rest of her life. Sye just smiled at her mother when she said this and went out into the woods to study.
While in the woods studying her precious history, Sye’s mind began to drift off. She wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but it almost seemed as though her eyes became fuzzy for just a moment. When her eyesight cleared, a handsome and wealthily clad young man stood before her. He asked Sye, “Wouldn’t you like to run away with me and share in my wealth? Look at my lavish clothing and the luxury that I live in. This could all be yours if you want it.” Sye laughed out loud and replied, “You sound just like my father. He says that money is one of the main goals in life and keeps encouraging me to use my talents in a way that will earn money. Rather, I like to do things for others that make them happy, regardless of whether it gets me anything or not!” The young man thought for a moment and replied, “Well, I am a prince over a small kingdom. Wouldn’t you like to come away with me and help me rule it when my time comes?” Sye again laughed and replied, “I don’t think so. I have my own kingdom here. The woods and the forest are my muse, I listen to them with a kind ear and they inspire my talents. I don’t need the troubles of a kingdom to weigh me down.” Once more the man thought, and he even sat down on a nearby stump to ponder. “I know. I’ll just be honest. You are a beautiful young woman, and your beauty has captured my eyes. I must have you as my future queen, and I must be honest about how I feel!” Sye laughed once more. “Physical beauty is fleeting. You may think me beautiful today, but in sixty years when my face wrinkles and I am old and fat – will you still find me beautiful? Beauty truly comes from the person within, not from the physical appearances on the outside. Again, I must decline.”
Instantly, her eyes clouded over once more and she fell into a light sleep. In a matter of minutes when she awake, she found herself face to face with a pixie. The pixie looked to her and replied, “Sye, as much as I tried to tempt your heart, you proved to me that you heart was not capable of temptation. I tried to tempt you with money, prestige, and beauty but you held fast. I tried to tempt you with flattery, lust, and adulations but you were not interested. More than that, you honored my woods with your speech. You have proven yourself much unlike the rest of the humans around you. And I would like to give you a reward for your loyalty to the true spirit of life within you. Ask, and I shall reward you.” Sye again smiled and replied, “It is not right for me to ask for a gift, I did not do anything to deserve it other than be who I am. If you desire to give me a gift, then give me what you feel is honorable. I would much rather receive a gift that is true from your heart than one that is requested by my own. I would be honored by whatever you would present to me.”
The pixie again smiled and bowed low. “Again you honor me. Let me then give you this: my friendship. I am Lamark, a pixie of this forest. Whenever you should have need of me, just come to this forest and call out my name. I will hear you calling and will come to honor our friendship.” With that he approached her face and kissed her on the nose. He then sat upon the same stump as the image of the beautiful young man had sat – and Sye and Lamark talked. For the next several years they often spent afternoons talking in the forest. As Sye grew older, she would bring her fiddle into the forests and perform poetry and dance for Lamark, who would often join in the dance and be inspired to add his own poetry. The rest of her schooling years were spent in this fashion.
One day, however, the time for her schooling came to an end. It was time for her to marry – or at least support herself through work. Her father came to her one night – drunk. He had just been laid off from his job and wasn’t handling the pressure well. As he entered her room he startled Sye and she jumped up to meet him. He grabbed the top of her shirt in an attempt to balance himself and the shirt tore – nearly exposing her chest. Her father looked at her through his drunken eyes and began to lecture her. “Let’s see where your history gets you in life! Let’s see how much money that history can make you! Let’s see where that fiddle-playing and dance lands your sorry good for nothing freeloading butt!” He struck her across the cheek out of a drunken rage. “Only place you’ll every find work is as a ‘lady’ in the taverns!”
Sye knew that he was under a lot of pressure and also knew that he didn’t know what he was doing because of the alcohol. She began to sob as she ducked under his arms and ran down the hallway and out the door. She did not remember to grab another set of clothing on her way out. As she entered the cool air outside the house she fell to the wet grass. “I forgive you, father. I cannot accept what you have done and said, but I still love you.”
Sye picked herself up off of the ground and ran into town. She swore off any alcoholic drink on account of what it had done to her father that night. Fortunately, as she ran into town she met an amazing traveling minstrel by the name of Jacobus. Jacobus saw her trained musical talent and immediately knew how to put it to work. He taught her to dance and recite her poetry while he played on his mandolin. He played his pan pipes while she played her fiddle. Under the tutelage of Jacobus she learned the lifestyle of a traveling minstrel. But she learned far more than that. Sye learned how to talk people out of a drunken stupor. Sye learned when to begin a simple or amusing debate to free up people’s tongues – and eventually to open their pocketbooks in appreciation for a good evenings entertainment. Sye learned that her talents were useful, even if she couldn’t wield a dagger well. And through it all, whenever she returned home she reacquainted herself with Lamark and sang of her journeys with Jacobus. Even Jacobus thought that Lamark was wonderful – for a pixie.
And then one day it happened. Jacobus grew deathly ill. The doctor said something about consumption. Something caused him to lose his strength and to have horrible fits of coughing. She began to play more and more solos in taverns and inns, playing to make Jacobus smile as he watched than anything else. Eventually Jacobus died; Sye mourned the loss of her mentor and closest friend. For the first time since the night when she was struck by her drunken father – she felt alone and unsure of where to go.
Then she heard the cry one day by the town crier. “The humans and dwarves will wage war on the elves! Anybody can serve; all hands are needed to defend our land! No person too small, no ability will go unused!”
She knew what to do. She said so-long to Lamark. She refused to say goodbye, because she vowed that if she survived the war then she would return to Lamark and tell him of her travels and the war. Before too long she found herself serving upon an airship.
She could do most jobs, but she especially liked addressing those around her regarding the war. She could relate the historical significance of the battle as well as remind the troops of the reasons that they fought the war with the elves. She could lift their spirits and inspire them into courage through her ability to tap into the communal memory of who they were as people. She could give advice to anyone who sought an understanding about the typical tactics of elves and how they had been fought before. She was willing to do any job that her captain asked, but the job that she prized the most was being the rallying force of the troops and an advisor when needed.
OTHER DETAILS AS REQUESTED:
CLASS and LEVEL:
[Sblock]As you hopefully picked up, Sye is a Bard. As to her level, this of course depends on how much grunt work she does, how much inspiration she can bring, and how much “advising” she can do. Ideally, I would like to start her at level 3 (or higher only if you see fit). However, I would be willing to play Sye at any level. As for character development, honestly right now I am thinking of taking her in straight Bard levels without multiclassing or using a PrC.[/Sblock]
NON-CORE FEATS REQUESTED:
[Sblock]Extra Music: [Complete Adventurer] You can use your bardic music more often than you otherwise could.
Prerequisite: Bardic Music ability
Benefit: You can use your bardic music four extra times per day
Normal: Bards without the Extra Music feat can use bardic music once per day per bard level.
Special: You can gain this feat multiple times, its effects stack.
Nymph’s Kiss: [Book of Exalted Deeds] By maintaining an intimate relationship with a good aligned fey (such as a nymph or dryad), you gain some of the character istics of fey.
Benefit: Fey creatures regard you as though you are fey. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus on all CHA-related checks, and a +1 bonus on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities. Starting with the level when you take this feat, you gain 1 extra skill point per level.
Obscure Lore: [Complete Adventurer] You are a treasure-trove of little known information
Prerequisite: Bardic Knowledge or Lore class feature
Benefit: You gain a +4 insight bonus on checks using your bardic knowledge or lore class feature
Versatile Performer: [Complete Adventurer] You are skilled at many kinds of performances.
Prerequisite: Perform (any) 5 ranks
Benefit: Pick a number of Perform categories equal to your INT bonus (minimum 1). For the purpose of making Perform check, you are treated as having a number of ranks in those skills equal to the highest number of ranks you have in any Perform category. You cannot change these categories once you have picked them, but your score in them automatically increases if you later add additional ranks in your highest Perform category. You gain new categories of your choice if your INT bonus permanently raises. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus on combined Perform checks when using using two or more forms of Performance at the same time, such as a bard strumming a lyre while singing. In such cases, add the bonus to the higher of the two Perform skill modifiers.
Rationale for asking for these feats: Given that Sye is a very non-combat oriented person, I hoped to make her shine in areas of Diplomacy, Gathering Information, and Perform skills.
The Nymph’s Kiss feat I like because it adds a neat flavor to the background, although its benefits will obviously help out in Sye’s non-combat goals.
The Extra Music will allow Sye to play a better “boosting role” in combat in place of her inability to melee. Even though the feat allows it, I do not plan on taking it more than once unless some of my other choices are denied.
The Obscure Lore feat will help her relay information easier.
The Versatile Performer is really just a flavor feat. I plan on taking Perform (stringed instruments) anyway to account for the fiddle. Anything that calls for a Perform check can be done through the fiddle in any regard. However, this way I can add flavor to her actions by adding dance or singing/poetry. If this feat is allowed and I get the appropriate INT score, I would use Versatile Performer to pick up Perform (dance) and Perform (sing) and Perform (poetry) in that order. As I said, however, while it does provide a +2 bonus to Perform skill, it is really just a flavor feat. And it is definately a non-combat choice!
The other feats I am interested in are Investigator, Negotiator, and Persuasive – all of which are in the PHB. As you can see by my possible feat selection, I am truly trying to make a non-combat character who excels in an area outside of swordplay. The feats I would take at first level (Assuming they are allowed) would be Extra Music and Nymph’s Kiss (Human bonus feat). These would reflect her background. Assuming I would get to start 3rd level or higher, I would like to take Versatile Performer to also reflect her background.[/Sblock]
) woman who roams the ship, having access to most of it. Most believe she is the captain/officer/whatever play-thing, and only a few know her true identity.
