To expand upon what I previously wrote, a (somewhat) brief background (followed by a character sheet):
Drynethael Midurien, known to his friends as Dryneth, was born to a rather well respected elvish couple in the elven community of Celene. His early life was relatively sheltered. His father was a respected, if haughty, wizard and his mother was a very capable, yet loving, ranger. Both had retired to Celene to raise a family, and both possessed the wealth to do so comfortably.
Drynethael was the only child born to this couple and, as such, both parents tried to press him into their chosen professions. He understood the spells and formulae his father used, but as a child he was much more enthralled with the swordplay and tales of adventure that his mother would tell him. So, although he dabbled a bit in the arcane arts when his father made him, he practiced the most in the woods with his mother, sparring, doing archery practice, and listening to his mother's many tales of adventures past, with her company of human companions. This is how he spent many of his formative decades; studying the arcane when his father made him, yet practicing swordplay with his mother whenever the opportunity presented itself (oftentimes sneaking away from his studies to do so).
Unfortunately, tragedy was to strike. One day, while Drynethael was far outside of Celene practicing in the woods with his mother, the pair were ambushed by desperate human bandits. Drynethael's mother fought valiantly to defend her son, and for his part, Drynethael fought well beside his mother, proving he learned her techniques well. Along with his mother, they slew most of the bandits easily, and the foolish thieves started to rout.
However, after dispatching the last of the thieves in close combat with himself, Drynethael spied a sniper with a crossbow crouched in the shadows of some nearby shrubs, taking aim at his mother. His mother did not see the hidden sniper; she was busy fighting off a brigand on her own. The hidden bandit was too far away to strike with his sword, and by the time Drynethael could get his bow strung, the bandit will have already fired.
So, Drynethael did the only thing he thought he could do - he cast one of the incantations his father tried teaching him. However, Drynethael's inattentiveness towards his father's studies would come back to haunt him, for as Drynethael tried to form his thoughts into the necessary patterns and give the magic words shape, his lack of practice in the arcane caused him to stumble during the incantation, causing the magic to harmlessly fizzle. He watched helplessly as the thief fired his crossbow, piercing his mother's armor and striking her in the heart just as she dropped the last thief that had threatened her with his sword.
Enraged, Drynethael charged the crossbowman as he was reloading and felled him easily, but the damage was already done. He could do nothing else but watch his mother die in his arms.
When Drynethael came back home and told his father what happened, the old elf flew into a rage. He blamed Drynethael for his wife's death, claiming if he had learned his studies as he should have - as a proper elf would - his mother would still be alive today. Drynethael apologized profusely to his father, promising to be the wizard he wanted him to be, but his father would hear none of it. Instead, he gave Drynethael, his only son, his fair portion of his mother's inheritance, and asked him to leave the house.
Drynethael brooded for a long time, but he finally took the lion's share of his mother's inheritance and enlisted in the academy for the Knights of the Hart in Celene. There, he was determined to take a balanced approach to his fighting techniques; he would still study the way of the sword as a measure of respect and pride for his mother, but he would also study the secrets of the arcane, to hopefully make amends to his father.
The long years at the academy were tough, and lonely during the holidays, but Drynethael took to the training well, and soon became a promising young Duskblade, ready to serve the Knights of the Hart, and, by extension, the elven people, in the world at large. He took his new duty very seriously, with a profound sense of pride, hoping that his deceased mother still looks down favorably upon him, and that he may redeem himself in the eyes of his father.
Drynethael has not ventured far into human lands as of yet, and his view of this younger race is colored very much by the encounter with them that killed his mother. He keeps his distance around humans, expecting them to express their greedy, violent personalities at any moment. However, he still remembers the tales his mother used to tell him about the noble humans in her old adventuring party. He secretly holds out hope that the majority of humanity is more like the tales in his mother's stories, but reality (so far) has taught him differently.
So, without further ado, the rolls and the character sheet:
17, 15, 12, 11, 11, 9
[sblock=character sheet]
Drynethael (Dryneth) Midurien
Male Elf
Lawful Neutral
Duskblade 1
Age 142
Height 5' 1"
Weight 94 lbs.
Hair Blonde
Eyes Blue
Init +4
AC 18 (Base 10, +3 Armor, +1 Shield, +4 Dex*)
HP 8 (1d8)
BAB +1
Move 30'*
Armor Check Penalty -2
*See Encumbrance for speed and AC while Traveling
STR 11 +0 mod
DEX 19 (17 + 2 Racial) +4 mod
CON 10 (12 - 2 Racial) +0 mod
INT 15 +2 mod
WIS 11 +0 mod
CHA 9 -1 mod
FORT +2
REF +4
WILL +2
Racial Abilities:
Immunity to Sleep Effects; +2 vs. Enchantment Effects; Low Light Vision; +2 Racial Bonus to Listen, Search, and Spot checks; always gets a Search check near a secret door
Class Abilities:
Weapon Group (Basic Weapons), Weapon Group (Bows), Weapon Group (Light Blades), Weapon Group (Heavy Blades), Weapon Group (Maces and Clubs), Weapon Group (Spears and Lances), Proficient with all Armors and Shields (except Tower), Spells (listed later), Arcane Attunement, Armored Mage (Light)
Feats:
Weapon Finesse
Spells Known: 0 level - Acid Splash, Disrupt Undead, Ray of Frost, Touch of Fatigue
1st level - Lesser Deflect, True Strike
Arcane Attunement - Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Flare, Ghost Sound, Read Magic
Spells/Day: 0 level - 3/day
1st level - 1 3/day
Arcane Attunement - Combined Total of 5/day
Skills: (only noted skills with ranks or special racial modifiers)
Concentration +4 (4 ranks, +0 Con modifier)
Knowledge (Arcana) +4 (2 ranks, +2 Int modifier)
Knowledge (History) +4 (2 ranks, +2 Int modifier)
Listen +2 (0 ranks, 0 Wis modifier, +2 Racial modifier)
Ride +6 (2 ranks, +4 Dex modifier)
Search +4 (0 ranks, +2 Int modifier, +2 Racial modifier)
Sense Motive +2 (2 ranks, +0 Wis modifier)
Spellcraft +6 (4 ranks, +2 Int modifier)
Spot +2 (0 ranks, +0 Wis modifier, +2 Racial modifier)
Weapons:
Rapier (20gp) Attack +5 (+4 with shield) Dmg 1d6 18-20/x2 Type (P) Wgt. 2 lbs.
(in scabard on the right side of his belt - wields it left handed)
Shortbow (30 gp) Attack +5 Dmg 1d6 /x3 Range Inc. 60 ft. Type (P) Wgt. 2 lbs.
Quiver with 20 arrows (1 gp) Wgt. 3 lbs.
(slung over shoulder)
Dagger (2gp) Attack +5 (+4 with shield) Dmg 1d4 19-20/x2 Type (P or S) Wgt. 1 lbs.
(tucked into left boot)
Armor:
Studded Leather Armor (25gp) Bonus +3 Max Dex +5 Check -1 Wgt. 20 lbs.
Shield, Light wooden (3gp) Bonus +1 Max Dex - Check -1 Wgt. 5 lbs.
(Usually worn on right arm)
Equipment:
150gp starting money
Traveler's Outfit
(Black and Grey Shirt and Breeches with Deep Purple Cloak)
Satchel (Backpack) (2gp) 2 lbs.
(In backpack)
Bedroll (1sp) 5 lbs.
Flint and Steel (1gp)
1 Day Trail Rations (5sp) 1 lb.
Whetstone (2cp) 1 lb.
Waterskin (1gp) 1 lb.
2 Torches (2cp) 2 lbs.
Spell Component Pouch (5gp) 2 lbs.
1 Belt Pouch (1gp) 1/2 lb.
Total Encumbrance: 47.5 lbs. with satchel/backpack, 35.5 lbs. without satchel (during combat)
Medium Encumbrance while Traveling (with backpack) Max Dex +3, Speed 20 feet
Light Encumbrance during Combat (without backpack)
Upkeep: Common (45gp) - 1st Month included
Remaining Wealth:
13 gp 3 sp 6 cp
[/sblock]
EDIT: spelling, format