Wow and this is why I wanted to do this I didn't even think of that, I was leaning toward ssomething else won't say yet so others can post about her.
If you find time to finish up please do I think the picture has a balanced looking party.
Not sure if you meant me to throw out my ideas on the others as 'finishing,' or expand on the female charater, so let's just try both, though my weakness for trying to go against type means my ideas may not make an especially balanced party
:
* Man on the left I thought might be an interesting rogue / ranger hybrid type, obviously specialized for range attacks. I don't have any sources other than the online SRD and what I can glean from Crystal Keep, so I'm not sure if there's a better class that does that all on its own. Actually, I'd originally thought of an assassin type, but I believe the actual Assassin class is evil-only?
* Tall man, as others had mentioned, seemed kind of a secondary caster / fighty type. What about a druid? The leather armor fits, carries a healing wand to help, and as the 'nature guy' he might fit into a leader role by helping the party navigate / find shelter.
* I can't help but want the little guy to actually be the stabby one. Barbarian goblin, maybe? Always itching for a fight, with the others having to talk him down. (yes, rather like
Belkar)
* As for the big guy, that sheild looks rather ornate, and I started wondering if it might not actually be a holy symbol for a war-focused god. Half-orc cleric, then?
Like I said, not exactly balanced. I mean, there's no primary arcane caster, though a lot of folks who can help with healing and buffing. In any case, on to trying to flesh out "the girl":
Talhia Shen was born a slave, raised to do whatever it took to keep herself and her family safe. Despite the squallor of her living conditions, she grew into what her master called "a comely wench." He promoted her from maid to his personal 'dancer.' His intentions seemed painfully clear.
What her master didn't realize, what Talhia herself was not fully aware of, was that her maturing body was also maturing into an untapped power. When she danced, her finger cymbols chiming and her lilting voice filling the room, she didn't just entertain: she enthralled. And so it was that, after each command performance, it was Talhia and not her master who gave the orders. In the wake of one of her dances, he was always a perfect gentlemen, though he was never quite sure why when he woke alone the next morning.
When she finally realized what powers she could channel, Talhia used them to arrange for the freedom of herself and her mother. Then she set off into the world, seeking to turn her powers into profit she could use to see that her mother's 'retirement' would be a comfortable one.
Ever the performer, it's often difficult to tell what the young woman is thinking, even when she tells you. She can be simultaneously the center of attention and absent the suspicious thoughts of everyone in a room. Forget a fly on the wall; if you want to know something, you want to put Talhia in the room.
***
Mind you, I'm not sure how you *build* that character. 3.5 bards aren't made to use Dance for most of their abilities, and she feels like she needs a lot more social skills than, say, a sorcerer character would get. Ah, well, that's the idea that the image created, in any case.
jason
