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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jalon Odessa" data-source="post: 804594" data-attributes="member: 2189">Background:  The only son and heir to an afluent line of gnomish aristocrats, Tycho Faraday Parascelsus Brittleflask was blessed with what may have appeared to have been a charmed and truly fortunate existence.  The lavish wealth of Tycho's parents, coupled with the safety and security that the gnomish mountain-fortress, offered Tycho the opportunity to try his hand at whatever may take his fancy, and left the young gnome with not a care in the world with regard to his wellbeing or financial security.Although hailing from a long line of engineers and machinists, the scientific discipline that truly fascinated the young Tycho was the generally-frowned upon study of alchemy.  'Why is it, my boy,' Tycho's father would implore him during supper in the family estate, 'that one so talented and intelligent as my own son shouldn't find himself drawn to a more honourable profession, such as engineering?'  Indeed, Tycho's father had graduated from engineering school with advanced honours in Clockwork Machinery and Steam-Driven Engines, and was well-regarded as one of the prominent minds in the field of automotion.  Despite his fine heritage, however, Tycho found it impossible to share his father's passion, and instead (with the full, albeit somewhat apprehensive support of his family) chose to follow his dreams, and delve more deeply into the study of alchemy.What young master Brittleflask found most appealing about the alchemical arts was the notion that by transforming one substance into another, the seemingly worthless could be alchemically transmogrified into what could be, theoretically, a priceless treasure.  This thought of persuing alchemical studies for financial gain began to heavily influence Tycho's learning, especially the concept of transforming worthless materials into gold, gems and other more economically worthwhile matter.  Despite his best attempts to do so, however, his experiments at transmuting common base elements into gold quickly proved fruitless, and Tycho grew frustrated and disheartened.It was some five years ago, however, that Tycho devised a remedy to his failure as an alchemist - that of combining the magical and alchemical sciences to conduct experiments into transmutation, and perhaps to finally discover the answer to that age-old alchemical problem... how to transmute lead into gold.  Tycho's father, upon hearing of his son's plan to merge the disciplines of alchemy and magic, attempted obstinantly to dissuade his son (as it happens, the use of magic to aid the sciences is generally considered not terribly sportsmanlike by the gnomes, and is frowned upon as dishonest and generaly un-gnomish).  When it became apparent that Tycho would stand defiant before his father's advice, the elder gnome was left with only one option -- to directly forbid his son's arcane activities, and make it quite clear that dishonesty in the field of science was not to be tolerated in his household.  As it transpires, that was to be Tycho's final conversation with his father...Resenting his father's apparent wishes to stifle his creativity and economic prosperity, Tycho that same night gathered his belongings and left the gnomish islands, renouncing his inheritence and vowing never to return.  Since that day, Tycho has been making his living as an alchemist, and occasionally hiring himself out as a ship wizard to traders and mercenary fleets.  Personality:  Tycho tends to be quiet and pensive, not at all reminiscent of the archetypical gnomish scientist, and displaying an uncharacteristic stubbornness when he feels passionately towards a cause or course of action.  Despite his shyness and quiet demeanor, however, Tycho tends to be quite kind and friendly, and is eagre to engage in conversation with other scholars and academics.  His primary motivation is the pursuit of knowledge and lore that will enable him to further advance his studies.Appearance:  Quite tall, by gnomish standards, Tycho's unkempt black hair and five-day beard pronounce his failure to devote as much effort to grooming as to his studies.  Clad in a hardy leather apron, long leather gloves and with a pair of soot-stained goggles adorning his head, Tycho is obvious to even the most casual observer as no stranger to the laboratory, and this is reinforced upon closer inspection by the countless vials, packets, cases and pouches secured about his person, no doubt containing all manner of alchemical compounds and arcane substances.Tycho Brittleflask, male gnome Tra5: CR 5; ECL 5; Small-size Humanoid (gnome); HD 5d4+20; hp 34; Init +2; Spd 20 ft; AC 14 (+1 mithral buckler, +2 Dex, +1 size); Melee dagger +3 (1d4/crit 19-20); Ranged dagger +5 (1d4/crit 19-20), or masterwork light crossbow +6 (1d8/crit 19-20); SA spells; SQ gnome traits, summon familiar; AL N; SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +5; Str 10, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 17, Wis 12, Cha 10.Skills and Feats: Concentration +12, Profession (sailor) +9, Spellcraft +11, Knowledge Arcana +11, Hide +6 (untrained), Listen +3 (untrained), Alchemy +13; Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus (Transumtation), Brew Potion, Craft Wand.Languages: Common, Gnome, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven.SA–Spells: Cast dancing lights, ghost sound, and prestidigitation each 1/day; speak with burrowing animals 1/day.SQ–Gnome Traits (Ex): Low-light vision, +2 save vs. illusions, +1 attack vs. kobolds and goblinoids, +4 dodge vs. giant, +2 Alchemy checks, +2 listen checks.Barred School(s): Evocation.Spellbook:0 - All spells1 - Mage Armour, Burning Hands, Shield, Spider Climb, Identify2 - Blindness/Deafness, Mirror Image, Melf's Acid Arrow, Alter Self3 - Haste, Dispel MagicSpells Prepared:0: Read Magic, Detect Magic (x2), Mage Hand; 1: Mage Armour (x2), Burning Hands (x2), Spider Climb; 2: Mirror Image, Melf's Acid Arrow (x2), Alter Self; 3: Haste (x2), Dispel MagicPossessions: dagger, silvered dagger, masterwork light crossbow, quiver (40 Bolts), mithral buckler, Wand of Shield (50 charges, CL1), Potion of Cure Light Wounds (x4), Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds, Heward's Handy Haversack (contents: scroll case(20 sheets paper), ink vial, waterskin, alchemist's lab, flask of acid (x3), flasks of alchemist's fire (x3), tanglefoot bag, thunderstone, smokestick, tindertwig (x3), sunrod (x4), chest containing 500 GP, 40 GP gem (x10)).</blockquote>

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