I guess it would help if I had a submission to "get in on it" with:
Farid bin Anwar abu Mikal Al-Hassan
Neutral Good Human Male Swordsage 6
Age: 34
Gender: Male
Height: 5'3
Weight: 100 lbs
Eyes: A disturbingly yellowish amber in the left, and dark brown in the right
Hair: Black and Prematurely Graying
Skin: Sunbrowned
STR: 18 [+4]
DEX: 16 [+3]
CON: 14 [+2]
INT: 10 [+0]
WIS: 16 [+3]
CHA: 09 [-1] [+1 Lvl 4]
Hit Points: 55
Armor Class: 22 (10 base + 3 Dex + 3 Wis + 6 Armor)
Initiative: +5 (+3 Dex +2 Quick to Act)
BAB: +4
- Melee: +9
-
+1 Adamantine Scimitar +11 to hit 1d6 +9 (+4 Str, +1 Blade Meditation, +3 Insightful Strike +1 Magic) [18-20x2]
- Ranged: +7
Speed: 30'
FORT: +4 (2 Base +2 Con)
REFL: +8 (5 Base + 3 Dex)
WILL: +8 (5 Base + 3 Wis)
Abilities:
Human Bonus Feat
- 4 extra skill points at 1st level, +1 skill point per additional level
- Favored Class: Any
- Weapon Focus [Desert Wind]
- Insightful Strike [Desert Wind]
- +2 Quick to Act
Feats:
- Sudden Recovery
- Desert Fire
- Unnerving Calm
- Blade Meditation [Desert Wind]
Skills:
Skill Points at 1st Level: 28 ((6+0 INT) x 4) +35 Swordsage
- Balance (Dex) +12 (9 ranks)
- Concentration (Con) +11 (9 ranks)
- Knowledge (History) (Int) +9 (9 ranks)
- Knowledge (Nobility) (Int) +6 (6 ranks)
- Profession [Sailor] [Wis] +12 [9 ranks]
- Sense Motive (Wis) +6 (3 ranks)
- Tumble (Dex) +14 (9 ranks +2 Blade Meditation)
Manuevers: (6 Readied) [Initiator Level 6]
1
st
- Burning Blade
- Blistering Flourish
replaced
- Distracting Ember
- Sapphire Nightmare Blade
- Counter Charge
replaced
- Shadow Blade Technique
2
nd
- Fire Riposte
- Emerald Razor
- Drain Vitality
- Flashing Sun
3
rd
- Death Mark
- Fan the Flames
- Zephyr Dance
Stances
- Island of Blades
- Step of the Wind
- Holocaust Cloak
Languages:
- Common, Ignan, Abyssal, Infernal
Equipment:
Melee weapons
- +1 Adamantine Scimitar 5,015 GP 4lbs.
Ranged weapons
Armor
- +1 Elven Chain 5,150 GP 20lbs.
Other equipment
- Belt of Hidden Pouches 5,000 GP
Total Encumberance: 24lbs. (light load)
Remaining money: 3,835 GP 0 SP 0 CP
Description
Farid's ruddy appearance belies his more refined nature. His strange, mismatched eyes force are a source of pride for all of House Hassan, and he keeps his long, flowing graying hair up in a long braid woven together with small kerchiefs embroidered with religious and philosphical sayings. Despite his small build and lithe appearance, Farid is built like a coiled snake and not a single ounce of him is wasted on anything as unnecessary as softness. Even the planes of his face are whiplike and angular, and he can often be seen stroking the long waxed points of his moustaches or goatee while pondering some calamity.
Personality
Farid is vain, prideful, somewhat socially unaware, a womanizer, a man of sometimes decadent pleasures, and has a tendency to be brutal in his honesty and critiques. He's also loyal, courageous, selfless in battle, and devoted to his causes. He can carry himself with the imperious, stand-offish demeanor that one expects of a prince, but he is also friendly and open when he allows himself to be. Always though, Farid is plotting his advantage, a failing that he notes and worries over to some extent, acknowledging that his attention to the demands of kingship and power might draw him away from a more appealing and enlightened path.
Background
Farid is a prince of the House of Hassan, one of the 13 hereditary ruling houses of the Southern Kingdoms. The House of Hassan holds no positions of true power anymore, instead having been pushed by failed alliances, unfavorable battles, shifting interests, and lack of male children into more of the role of a respected and valued noble merchant house. Still, the House Hassan commands respect and obediance in many places in the Southern Kingdoms and their wealth is as legendary as their supposed decadence.
Farid's life has been dictated by the concerns of his House and of his father. He was married at age 10 to a woman 10 years older than him, had his first born son at 14 and several since. His father called for a veritable army of tutors to his ship when Farid was younger, trying to teach the young man the skills of a merchant prince to no avail. Instead the young Farid skilled himself on walking the long ropes in the rigging, fighting pirates, and learning the whispers of the wind while steering vessels all across The Shallow Sea.
Eventually, his father determined that if he were to dream and act like the young bravo prince of legend that he must train as one as well. To that end the elder Anwar sent his son far to the north to train at the legendary Temple of Nine Swords, where he has spent the last 12 years mastering his forms and craft.
Armed with the knowledge and mastery of much of the legendary Desert Wind style, Farid was almost ready to end his time at the temple and seek out his home and his son, who is now nearly the age that Farid was when he was sent off to study at the Temple. Instead, he has discovered, he must take the time to act as a warrior prince now in fact, to save a kingdom, to unite an ancient knowledge lost, and protect the art of the Nine Swords.
***
I have no clue what advantage Farid could have. Basically I read the stuff for Desert Wind and decided that I really wanted to something very Al Qadim with a character. Once I saw the black and white illustration by Steve Prescott (I think thats the correct signature), it was clear what flavor of scimitar wielder I'd have.