Here's my character:
Urgas Alem of House Vela
Appearance
Platinum blonde hair, almost to the point of whiteness, frames a dark, smooth-skinned face with slightly almond eyes. Urgas has a delicately elongated build, like a swimmer's or an eel. His clothing is almost always formal and dark, often with a splash of electric, unexpected blue being his only nod to the distinct color of his House.
Personality
Urgas is a study of passionate dispassion. While his face rarely reveals his thoughts, sometimes he lifts the mask of control and shows those who displease him the rage and menace that lurks behind his eyes. On the other hand, he can be quite charming as well. Those who stay on his good side often comment on how helpful, friendly and courteous Urgas is.
Background
Urgas Alem was not born to House Vela, he was purchased. While slavery is theoretically frowned upon in Farnese proper, the high seas are a lawless place where many niceties of civilized society are discarded - even by the merchants of Vela. At first he was a prized as a curiosity. Despite his apparently western genetics, he was clearly raised as an island savage even though the slavers who sold him were decidedly circumspect about his origins. It was not until much later, when the young boy's shrewd and devious nature gave hints to what he truly was and could one day become.
Years of very discrete inquiries revealed a complex web of deceit and intrigue that surrounded the circumstances of the child. Highlights of the his youthful journey include a mysterious messenger from House Serpens sent to meet with certain pirates, a shipwreck, rumors of an indiscretion involving either an eastern princess or the infamous pirate Scarlett Shael, and a tribe of cannibalistic headhunters. Urgas simply discards it as useless for the most part, unless there is some advantage to be had by dallying with it. Quite simply young Urgas has preyed upon the curiosity and sympathy of others, including those in his own House since he came to Farnese.
In other Houses, except for perhaps Serpens, such ruses and guises might be seen as indicators of untrustworthiness. Perhaps his elders were guileless or simple-hearted, as some say, but many suspect that either the boy possesses hidden depths of character revealed only to those close to him or that Vela's ruling merchant princes see his almost sociopathic dishonesty and lack of morals as
virtues.
Strangely enough, for a Velan, Urgas's financial endeavors have so far not particularly involved money - at least in the traditional sense. Instead Urgas worked his way up the Velan power spectrum by making
other people money. He often works for "free", which most people understand is very much
not free. Instead, people that Urgas does favors for owe him favors. People who fail to return Urgas's favors sometimes have accidents, or their wives and children meet strange, menacing men in odd places. Most people work very hard to return Urgas's "favors". Consequentially, Urgas's "appointment" to the Committee was simply the cashing in of many such favors - as Urgas begins the next phase of his life, turning himself legitimate.
Male LE Rogue4/Aristocrat 1
S 10 (2 pts)
D 10 (2 pts)
C 10 (2 pts)
I 10 (2 pts)
W 16 (8 pts +1 Lvl)
Ch 18 (16 pts)
Hit Points 26 (4d6 +1d8)
AC 14 (10 +4 Mithral Shirt), 10 Touch, 14Flat
Init +0
BAB +3
Melee +3/Ranged +3
MW Rapier +4 1d6 18-20/x2
Speed 30'
F +1 R +4 W +6
Special Qualities & Abilities
Sneak Attack +2d6, Trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1, Uncanny Dodge, Commanding Presence 1, House Law
Skills (36+8/lvl) & Feats
Appraise +1 (1 rank)
Bluff +14 (8 ranks + 4 Cha +2 Per)
Diplomacy +14 +20(8 ranks + 4 Cha +2 Neg +2 Bluff +2 Knowledge:Nobility +2 Sense Motive)
Disguise +9 +11(5 ranks + 4 Cha +2 Bluff)
Escape Artist +5 (5 ranks)
Gather Information +15 +17(8 ranks + 4 Cha +3 SF +2 Knowledge:Local)
Intimidate +14 +16(8 ranks + 4 Cha +2 Per +2 Bluff)
Knowledge: Local +5 (5 ranks)
Knowledge: Nobility & Royalty +5 (5 ranks)
Sense Motive +13 (8 ranks + 3 Wis +2 Neg)
Slight of Hand +5 +7(5 ranks +2 Bluff)
Negotiator
Persuasive
Skill Focus: Gather Information
Languages Common
XP 10,000
Equipment
Mithral shirt (1,100 GP)
MW Rapier (320 GP)
Noble's Outfit (75 GP)
Artisan's Outfit (free with character creation)
2 Light Horses (150 GP)
Carriage (100 GP)
Trained Carriage coachman hired for 100 days (30 GP)
Signet Ring of House Vela (50 GP)
Signet Ring of House Serpens (50 GP)
Signet Ring of House Corona Austrina (50 GP)
MW Disguise Kit (100 GP)
Silver Holy Symbol (25 GP)
10 bottles of fine wine (100 GP)
2 wine glasses (4 GP)
2 sets of MW manacles (100 GP)
Keelboat- Yacht called "Merchant's Valor" (3,000 GP +1,000 in fine accomodations)
10 trained sailors hired for 100 days (300 GP)
20 trained House guards/thugs hired for 100 days (600 GP)
50 untrained "pollsters" hired for 100 days (500 GP)
200 GP in jewelry to go with noble outfit (200 GP)
2 Potions of Cure Light Wounds (100 GP)
2 Potions of Mage Armor (100 GP)
Potion of Pass Without Trace (50 GP)
Quaal's Feather Token, Whip (500 GP)
2 Elixers of Love (300 GP)
GP 96
SP
Ht 6'4 Hair Platinum Blonde
Wt 150 lb Eyes Hazel
Age 20
Roleplaying Hints
He's like the Godfather, except better looking. A regular Velan capodecina, if you will.