[sblock=Gentleman Jim Barrington, Fighter (Battle Master) 4]
James Barrington, "Gentleman Jim"
LG Human Fighter
Level 4
Abilities:
STR 12 (+1)
DEX 16 (+3)
CON 14 (+2)
INT 9 (-1)
WIS 13 (+1)
CHA 16 (+3)
Size M
Speed 30
AC 16 (incl. +1 heavy house rule)
Init +3
Hit Points 36
Proficiency bonus: +2
Proficiencies: all armor, shield, simple and martial weapons,
Saves: STR, CON
Skills: Athletics, Persuasion, Deception, Insight, Stealth
Tools: Watercraft, Navigator’s tools, Disguise kit, Forger’s tools
Languages: English, French, Latin*
Attacks:
Rapier, 1d20+5 to hit, 1d8+3 piercing
Pistol, 1d20+7 to hit, 1d10+3 piercing (loading, ammunition) 30/90
Background (trait): Charlatan (false identity)*
Race abilities:
* Variant Human: extra skill, feat, +1 dex/cha (included above)
Class abilities:
* Fighting Style: Archery, +2 with ranged attacks (included above)
* Second Wind: 1/rest, bonus action to regain 1d10+4 hp
* Action Surge: 1/rest, take 1 additional action
* Combat Superiority (4 dice)
-- Pushing Attack: +d8 damage, L or smaller make STR save vs DC 13 or be pushed 15’
-- Menacing Attack: +d8 damage, make WIS save vs DC 13 or be frightened until end of my next turn
-- Disarming Attack: +d8 damage, make STR save vs. DC 13 or be disarmed.
Feats
* Firearms Expert:
-- ignore loading property of firearms
-- no disadvantage when within 5’ on ranged attacks
-- when I attack with a 1HW, use bonus to attack with a loaded pistol
* Ritual Caster (Wizard):
-- Spells in spell book: Tenser's Floating Disk, Alarm, Gentle Repose
Skills
+3 (dex) Acrobatics
+1 (wis) Animal Handling
-1 (int) Arcana
+3 (str) Athletics
+5 (cha) Deception
-1 (int) History
+3 (wis) Insight
+3 (cha) Intimidation
-1 (int) Investigation
+1 (wis) Medicine
-1 (int) Nature
+1 (wis) Perception
+3 (cha) Performance
+5 (cha) Persuasion
-1 (int) Religion
+3 (dex) Sleight of Hand
+5 (dex) Stealth
+1 (wis) Survival
Characteristics:
Personality: Trustworthy. I know everyone's secrets.
Ideal: Everything can be explained by reason. Everything.
Bond: (see below)
Flaw: I want to put down the self-important mighty.
Bond: Secret agent
Fortunes:
-- Enlightened (adv. vs. fear and spells; must fail WIS save to benefit from a spell)
-- Shore leave (nav tools above),
-- Wanted (Gaston Sauveterre hunted by the Academie Royale des Sciences, and agents of the French government)
Equipment:
Weight: 35 carried, 40 in backpack, generally in bunk.
*Studded Leather (45gp, 13)
*Rapier (25gp, 2)
*Pistol (10gp, 3)
*Bullets (48) – (1gp, 8)
*Pocketwatch (5gp)
*Traveller's clothes (2gp, 4)
*Signet ring (5gp)
* Trinket: Fashionable leather hat which always seems to find its way back to me with the tide and wind.
* Ritual book, wrapped in oilskin and tied.
Backpack (2gp, 5), containing:
*Forger's kit (15gp, 5)
*Navigator's kit (25gp, 2)
*Disguise kit (25gp, 3)
*Fine clothes (15gp, 6)
*Scroll case (1gp, 1)
*Bedroll (1gp, 7)
*Perfume (5gp)
88 gp, 94 gp in backpack, = 182gp
[* indicates some change or substitution, as per house rules]
[/sblock]
[sblock=backstory]Gaston Emile Sauveterre was born in Rouen, and when he was recruited to work at the Academie Royale des Sciences, his parents were very proud. The Academie Royale brings together the nation’s top arcane minds, and recruits garcons du pays (boys from the countryside) in the belief that they are incapable of understanding the nature of their work. Mostly, that is true. Had Gaston’s name not appeared on one of the scroll fragments he was cleaning up, it is unlikely he would have discovered their larger purpose for his life. Gaston was being groomed as a (mundane) agent for l’Academie. The Academie runs several schools, and their missions are generally successful because of La Divination: with scryers working in conjunction with one of les garcons, their missions (secret surgical strikes at the most influential people of Europe) are consistently successful and ties to the Academie are almost unprovable. The wizards and sorcerers of the Academie are playing a long game. Most of them are elves anyways, so they can afford to do so.
Thomas Milner was born in Greenwich, and apprenticed as a cabin boy. Though not of a naval family, he was dedicated and keen, and (perhaps because of his place of birth) was assigned to the Astronomer Royal himself when the King agreed to send him to witness the Transit of Mercury, which would only be visible in the Caribbean. It was an honour, and Milner – as played by Gaston – was a convincing character who ingratiated himself to the Astronomer. Gaston’s mission was to ensure kill the Astronomer after the observations, and return to Paris with the records, preventing the British Crown from having the information. It would have worked, had the Astronomer Royal not been such a charismatic personality. Through the long overseas voyage, many lengthy conversations won Milner to the cause of the Enlightenment. It was Gaston who then realized the true nature of the Academie, and understood that he could not complete this mission. The Astronomer Royal even invited young Thomas to look at the transit through one of the telescopes they had brought. He was a new man. The voyage completed its observations, and the Astronomer Royal returned to Greenwich, with all his records but without a cabin boy, who was proclaimed lost at sea.
Jim Barrington has served on various ships, and has earned a reputation as a respectful, able worker. He’s been an officer since he was eighteen, and has served as Master Gunner under Ben Hornigold, and Quartermaster under Jayne McChul, captain of the Darkness Comes. He is ambitious and a good sailor, a crack shot, and no one else knows that he is being hunted by the French government and the agents of the Academe Royale des Sciences, who know that Gaston (and Thomas Milner) have betrayed them.
Jim lives in a world of magic, but believes in reason. There is much he needs to explain that science has not quantified or measured. The 18th C is a period of attempts at systemization (the "Age of Wonders") and he has more wonders that need explaining. His Ritual book constitutes his original scientific research into understanding the universe. The 18th C. firmly believed in Aether, the medium by which gravity and electricity was conveyed. Part of what Jim is doing is explaining the workings of Aether and other ineffable substances as best he can. He may be right -- that's really irrelevant. He believes he is right, and that reason will explain what those around him see as the workings of magicians, loas, or petty divinities.
(see also post 280 for some changes)
[/sblock]
