Preface: Special thanks to Rhun for the character sheet template I "borrowed".
Goric "The Questioner" narvas Zatina, First Heir of the House of Cathfall
Lawful Good Human Male Rogue 1/Favoured Soul 2
XPs: 3000
Age: 21
Gender: Male
Height: 6'
Weight: 168 lbs
Eyes: Colourless
Hair: Blonde (worn long)
Skin: Fair
STR: 12 [+1] (4 points)
DEX: 12 [+1] (4 points)
CON: 14 [+2] (6 points)
INT: 14 [+2] (6 points)
WIS: 16 [+3] (10 points)
CHA: 14 [+2] (6 points)
36 point buy
HP: 28 (Max Hit Points: 6+8+8+6 CON)
Armor Class: 18 (10 base + 5 armor + 2 heavy shield +1 Dex
- Flat-footed AC: 17
- Touch AC: 11
Initiative: +1
BAB: +1
Atttack:
- MW Longsword +34 (1d8+1/19-20)
- Warhammer +2 (1d8+1/x3)
Speed: 20' (30’ base)
FORT: +5 (3 base + 2 con)
REFL: +6 (5 base + 1 dex)
WILL: +6 (3 base + 3 wis)
Abilities:
- Human Bonus Feat
- Human Bonus Skill Points
Feats:
1st Level
- Able Learner
- Skill Focus: Sense Motive
3rd Level
- ...
- ...(Bonus Martial/Divine Feat - thanks JA!)
Skills:
- Bluff +7 (5 ranks, +2 Cha)
- Concentration +6 (4 ranks, +2 Con)
- Diplomacy +14 (6 ranks, +2 Cha, +6 Synergy)
- Gather Information +8 (4 ranks, +2 Cha, +2 Synergy)
- Knowledge (Arcana) +7 (5 ranks, +2 Int)
- Knowledge (Local) +7 (5 ranks, +2 Int)
- Knowledge (Nobility) +7 (5 ranks, +2 Int)
- Knowledge (Religion) +8 (6 ranks, +2 Int)
- Intimidate +8 (4 ranks, +2 cha, +2 Synergy)
- Sense Motive +12 (6 ranks, +3 Wis, +3 Feat)
- Spellcraft +8 (4 ranks, +2 Int, +2 Synergy)
Languages:
- Confederation
- Trade Tongue
- Illum
Equipment:
Armor & Shield
- Breastplate+Chain Mail, Masterwork (350 GR, 30 lbs)
- Heavy Metal Shield, Masterwork (170 GR, 15 lbs)
Melee weapons
- Longsword, Masterwork (315 GR, 4 lbs)
- Warhammer (12 GR, 5 lbs)
Other Equipment
Other Goods & Gear
Weight Carried:
Remaining money:
Description
Due to the martial training with the Knights Goric has started to fill out and lost much of his former lankiness. Rather handsome, he has never been above using his good looks for fun and good times in his younger, wilder days. His most distinguishing feature, however, are his eyes: Though apparently colourless, every shade and colour can be traced in his pupils if one is able to stare into them long enough - something only very few are. Their piercing glance seems to penetrate most people straight to the very core of their being.
Goric usually wears the black of the Society of Truth and Justice, but has discarded the traditional skull cap for a bejeweled headband denoting his status as heir of the House of Cathfall. He also never seen without an ornate longsword by his side, the antique family weapon of the Zatinas given to him by his father.
Personality
If there is one guiding aspect to Goric's personality, it's the question "Why?". Since his early days of training with the instructors of the "Society of Truth and Justice" his father paid for (and even before), he has asked himself the same questions over and over again: "How do things function?" and "Why do they function the way they do?" Later on Goric started to apply these questions to the complex social interactions he experienced everyday as the eldest son of the Grand Duke of Cathfall. His inquisitive nature earned him the nickname "The Questioner" because there was apparently no limit to his thirst for knowledge. (Secretly he takes a good deal of pride in this nickname, but would never openly admit it.) But as the years went on, his limitless curiosity - once considered charming - started to wear on the people surrounding him as he ignored the "polite" limits of conversation again and again.
This was also one of the reasons the Society of Truth and Justice "promoted" him to the Knights chapter in the Valley of Light. They certainly did not object to his neverending search for the truth behind all things but became increasingly uncomfortable when he did not confine himself to matters outside of the Order and even started to question the very foundations of their faith. Together with the discovery that they were unable to teach him magic after he had been deemed worthy because it simply came to him this proved to be the final straw and he was sent off to the Valley of Light.
His very nature made it hard to find and establish a circle of friends as he tends to question everyone and everything. Though this is always done without malice or intention to spite, Goric often scared potential friends or acquaintances away - not least because his observations were usually rather accurate.
Over the last years Goric has finally learned to restrain himself, something that occasionally unnerves people even more. His steadily increasing skills of "reading" people have stood him in good stead when the Church began to make use of his mediation talents.
Calm to the point of a total lack of emotion, he has become a very private man who opens up only to select few. (The escapades of his youth are still legend in the Grand Duchy and surrounding regions and nobody who knew him in those days would believe that these two are one and the same man. But all of these friends and acquaintances (and his former life with them) are now left behind far way in the Confederated States.)
[sblock=Background (hidden for length)]
Background
(as overheard in and about the manor of Rigas Zatina, Grand Duke of Cathfall, a few years ago)
"I need to talk to you, son."
"A pleasant surprise. Not. You are here because of the Knights, aren't you?"
"... Well, yes. Your mother and I have talked it over and we think there are other possibilities for you ..."
"Meriana, of course. Always Meriana. I have told you before, father, I don't have the slightest interest in her - or her dowry. So why don't you marry Magoras off to her?"
"Because that is not the way we do things, Goric. The marriage treaty calls specifically for the first son, the first Heir. Do you think Kilcare would have offered such a generous dowry for just anybody? No, the eldest daughter and the eldest son. This is the Old Way - this is the only honorable way."
"[Sigh] They are offering so much to get rid of her, father, and you know it. Meriana narvia Doruld is nothing but trouble and the one dark blot on their otherwise impeccable white vest that they haven't been able to lose yet."
"You are exaggerating again, son. And if you compare her to ..."
"Oh, please, father, I know where this is going. I'd be the last one to deny her pleasing looks, but where would this lead to? Do you expect the heir of Cathfall to choose his bride solely based upon her appearance ? Where is the honor in that, father ?"
"I expect the heir of Cathfall, my heir, to choose his wife in accordance with his duty to his house and family, because there is honor in that! "
"Ah, yes, "duty". The one little flaw in all my designs. The Light knows I've tried to find another way, but it always comes down to duty."
"A good thing it does, son. This shows that you haven't lost your repect for the Old Ways as some have feared. As I have started to fear. You will marry Meriana narvia Doruld for the honor of the House of Cathfall and if you really find her to be that disagreeable ... there are other ways."
"Other ways ... which reminds me, father. Councilwoman Jereva asked me relay her greetings when I met her only recently. She said she is looking forward to the next session and your ..."
"Silence, fool! Don't you dare to mention that woman in this house again."
"Relax, father - no need to pretend. I already knew that mother is not listening in on our "father-son-talk"."
"And what lead you to this conclusion ? Did you try the door to check if your mother was pressing her ear to the keyhole like a common servant ?"
"There was hardly any need for such ridiculous behaviour. I knew she wouldn't be listening - otherwise you'd never dared to speak of "other ways". ... Not to mention that I'd be willing to bet that she already knows, anyway."
"Perhaps ... probably. And yet, we have managed to stay together for 25 years now without going at each other's throat and even got some nice kids out of it. ... That could have gone better, of course, but you know how it is - sometimes your own children are just ungrateful, regardless of what one has done for them."
"That can't be compared in any way, and you know it, father! At least mother has the good graces to let you pretend in public that it's you who's still got the pants on in House Cathfall, but Meriana has openly declared that she intends to buck all tradition and become the first Grand Duchess to hold the title not only in name but with full rights!"
"Yes, I remember that. A real pity. Ah, young people today."
...
"You know I can almost hear you grinning, father, don't you? Do you really think I'll give up just like that? Dream on, old man. My plan is sound and you are not going to stop me."
"Frankly, I'd be disappointed. Disappointed and worried that I failed to raise you propererly as the First Heir of Cathfall. But I didn't. So, let's talk about your plan then. You somehow talked your friends in the church to send you to the Valley of Light for initiation. Based on this you argue that your duties as member of the Chruch and First Heir collide and that the only honorable way to solve this is to postpone the marriage because we did not set a particluar date for it in the Marriage Treaty. Oh, what a fool have I been! It's like that instructor disaster all over again. I gave you too much leeway to hire the ones you found most suitable, but I did expect them to teach you how to fight, of course, not to make a philosopher out of my heir!"
"But they did teach me how to fight, father , just one a different battlefield than the one you wanted."
"Good to see you found your grin again, my son. You are going to need it. I trust you still remember that I am about to select a new bishop. Having a suitable instructor sent from the Valley of Light for the new bishop ... and others shouldn't be too difficult."
"No, I guess not. But it won't do any good, unfortunately. The Society has already made it clear to the Church that my training has to be continued by the Knights in the Valley by all means."
"They are getting rid of you."
"They are, indeed. But since it serves me well this time, I am far from arguing against it. I'm sorry that mother's plan didn't work - it was good a one. Just not good enough. How about yours?"
"My plan? You must be confused, my son, I don't have any secret plans. Did you hit your head?"
"Ha-ha! Don't bother trying to fool me, father, I can see it in your eyes. The light - you have an idea how to stop me and you even believe I can't do anything against it."
"You must have hit your head. Perhaps Kyra will help you nursing it? I believe she will. I have heard that your mother's maid is rather "fond" of you. But enough of the chit-chat! As I said, no secret plan, no nothing, I am simply going to let you leave. Don't look at me like that. I'm not old enough to not remember what it is like to be young. Surely I would preferred to have things go my way, but if you got to sow your wild oats before you accept your duties, so be it."
"Just like that?"
"Just like that. No strings attached. Come back when you are ready."
...
"You do have a plan."
"Of course, but if I told you it wouldn't be much of a secret plan anymore, right? Since I have faith in my heir, though, I won't use it yet and will instead await your eventual return. And return you will - one way or the other."
"Threats are hardly becoming ..."
"One way or the other, son. I expect the First Heir of the House of Cathfall to be back, but he can't make it, I am not above leaving my title to the bishop instead."
"That's absurd, father. Simply absurd. The council would never allow any bishop to assume the ..., the ... Oh no, you wouldn't!"
"I am the Grand Duke, Goric. I, and only I, select my bishop. How far do you think the Church would go to further its influence in the Confederation? Having a churchman on the Ducal Council? Think about it, my son. Safe travels to you."
.
.
.
"Well, that didn't go so well, right? You look like ..."
"Shut up, Kajas. My sister already told you everything so there's no need to pretend anything. I warn you - marrying into this family can only lead to disaster."
"Bitter much, Gor? And maybe I won't, who knows. I thought a lot about my life recently and perhaps I will even join the church."
"[Snort] Don't make me laugh! Joining the Church! Let me guess - you found someone willing to do a little conversion work on you, right?"
"You wound me! How can you doubt my newfound spirituality?"
"Because you don't have any. Do I know her?
"No ... no, I guess not. I mean you are still new to the Knights , in fact you aren't even a real Knight yet."
"[Sigh] Kajas, Kajas, there are no female Knights in the Confederation - it's against the Old Law. So why don't you ... Wait, wait. I don't like that smirk. What am I missing?"
"Not much or two nice handfuls - it really depends on your perspective. But you'd know all about it, wouldn't you?"
"Stop this nonsense, how would I ... Meriana. This is impossible!"
"Unthinkable even, Goric. But everything seems to be in order. Apparently she apparently a precedent that matters of faith trump all other concerns."
"..."
"That's right, my friend. You opened the door but she slipped through before you did. It seems you still have to learn a lot ... about people and the life out there."[/sblock]
