I took another stab at the character, and this time felt much more successful...definitely more of a healer/support, more scouting capacity with ravens and a familiar too...
Human Bard (Voice of the Wild) 1 + Inquisitor (Reaper of Secrets) 6
[SBLOCK=Character Building]
CHARACTER BUILDING
-- human ability score (+2 Charisma)
-- human Skilled (+1 skill rank/CL)
-- replace Bonus Feat > Focused Study (Skill Focus feat @1st, 8th, 16th)
CL 1 -- BARD 1 (Voice of the Wild)
-- 1st-level feat (Spellsong)
-- Bardic Performance (distraction, fascinate, inspire courage +1)
-- Wild Knowledge, Nature Magic (animal messenger)
-- Spells Known (0th: ghost sound, know direction, message, unwitting ally; 1st: animal messenger, ears of the city, summon minor monster)
CL 2 -- INQUISITOR 1 (Reaper of Secrets)
-- Domain (Possession inquisition), Judgment 1/day, Deceitful Lore, Soul-Piercing Gaze
-- Spells Known (0th: detect magic, detect poison, guidance, stabilize, 1st: animal purpose training, cure light wounds, disguise self)
-- favored class (+1 hp)
CL 3 -- INQUISITOR 2
-- Cunning Initiative, Detect Alignment, Track
-- 3rd-level feat (Eldritch Heritage - Arcane - gain raven familiar)
-- Spells Known (0th: read magic, 1st: hidden diplomacy)
-- favored class (+1 hp)
CL 4 -- INQUISITOR 3
-- Mind-Game Tactics, Teamwork Feat (Ally Shield)
-- Spells Known (0th: sift, 1st: lend judgment)
-- favored class (+1 skill rank)
-- ability score boost (+1 Dexterity)
CL 5 -- INQUISITOR 4
-- Judgment 2/day
-- 5th-level feat (Deadly Aim)
-- Spells Known (2nd: cure moderate wounds, detect thoughts, lesser restoration)
-- favored class (+1 skill rank)
CL 6 -- INQUISITOR 5
-- Bane, Discern Lies
-- Spells Known (1st: weapons against evil; 2nd: muffled sound)
-- favored class (bonus known spell: "weapons against evil")
CL 7 -- INQUISITOR 6
-- Teamwork Feat (Lookout)
-- 7th-level feat (#?)
-- Spells Known (2nd: calm emotions, see invisibility)
-- favored class (bonus known spell: "calm emotions")[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Actual Character]
ACTUAL CHARACTER
[SBLOCK=Picture]
[/SBLOCK]
Dietrich Kraust the Thieftaker
LG Human Bard (Voice of the Wild) 1 + Inquisitor (Reaper of Secrets) 6
Str 11, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 14
HP 44; AC 18 (mithral shirt +1, ring of protection +1); Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +10 (cloak of protection +1)
Combat:
Silver Longsword +1 (atk +5 or +7 with bane; 1d8 damage, or 1d8+2+2d6 with bane)
Repeating Crossbow +1 (atk +5 or +7 with bane; 1d8+5 damage, or 1d8+7+2d6 with bane)
Class Features: Wild Knowledge, Bardic Performance (Distraction, Fascinate, Inspire Courage) 6/day, Possession Inquisition (Self Control & Beast Ride), Deceitful Lore, Detect Alignment, Soul-Piercing Gaze, Mind-Game Tactics, Change Teamwork Feat 2/day, Cunning Initiative, Track, Bane 6/day, Discern Lies 6/day, Judgment 2/day
Traits: Foul Brand (drawback), Canter, Everhome, Exchange Agent
Feats: Spellsong (1st-level feat), Skill Focus (Knowledge: Local) (human bonus feat), Eldritch Heritage: Arcane (3rd-level feat), Ally Shield (teamwork feat), Deadly Aim (5th-level feat), ?# (7th-level feat), Lookout (teamwork feat)
Familiar: Quassir, a raven with the Valet archetype
Skills: Acrobatics +2, Appraise +8, Bluff +11, Climb +0, Craft (Weapons) +5, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +10, Escape Artist +2, Fly +2, Handle Animal +9, Heal +7, Intimidate +9, Knowledge (Arcana) +5, Knowledge (Geography/Nature) +2, Knowledge (History) +5, Knowledge (Local) +8, Knowledge (Nobility) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +5, Linguistics +6, Perception +9, Perform (Oratory) +9, Ride +6, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +9, Spellcraft +6, Stealth +9, Survival +6, Swim +0, Use Magic Device +9
Bard Spells:
0th: ghost sound, message, oath of anonymity, unwitting ally
1st: animal messenger, ears of the city, summon minor monster (celestial ravens)
Inquisitor Spells
0th: detect magic, detect poison, guidance, read magic, sift, stabilize
1st: animal purpose training, cure light wounds, disguise self, hidden diplomacy, lend judgment, weapons against evil
2nd: calm emotions, cure moderate wounds, detect thoughts, lesser restoration, muffled sounds, see invisibility
Magic Items & Equipment (15,648.8 / 16,105 gp)
repeating crossbow +1 = 2,550 gp
silver longsword +1 = 2,455 gp
mithral shirt +1 = 2,100 gp
ring of protection +1 = 2,000 gp
handy haversack = 2,000 gp
healer's satchel = 1,500 gp
cloak of resistance +1 = 1,000 gp
wand of protection from evil (1st level, 50 charges) = 750 gp
10 durable adamantine bolts (in 2 cases) = 610 gp
sleeves of many garments = 200 gp
scroll of blood biography (2nd-level bard)= 200 gp
everburning torch = 110 gp
antitoxin x2 = 100 gp
rookery of 24 messenger ravens = 48 gp
iron holy symbol flask w/ holy water = 40 gp
assorted adventuring gear = 30.8 gp
10 durable silver bolts (in 2 cases) = 30 gp
scroll of comprehend languages (1st-level bard) = 25 gp
scroll of discern next of kin (1st-level bard) = 25 gp
scroll of share language (1st-level bard) = 25 gp
scroll of sanctify corpse (1st-level inquisitor) = 25 gp
10 durable cold iron bolts (in 2 cases) = 20 gp
falconry gauntlet = 10 gp
spell component pouch = 5 gp[/SBLOCK]
[SBLOCK=Revised Backstory]CHILDHOOD: Dietrich Kraust worked his way up from below, the indolent son of a traveling coffin-maker father and a blind heretic mother who tended ravens. To do his part providing for his family, the boy turned to thieving – con-artists pretending to be priests, potion-peddlers, traveling ascetics, and drunken mages among his favored targets. Behind his mother's back he trained her ravens to aid his thieving ventures. Only his extraordinary charisma saved him from lashing; indeed on several occasions Dietrich managed to befriend (or at least beguile) those he'd stolen from...
BARDIC APPRENTICESHIP (Bard 1, Voice of the Wild): One mage, a canny enchanter and practiced con named ELAVREA was impressed by Dietrich's gift-of-gab, and took him under her wing. An unhealthy romance formed between them as Dietrich learned the bardic arts and rudiments of magic, while ELAVREA used his skills and rapport with ravens toward her own unscrupulous ends. Despite ELAVREA'S attempts, Dietrich proved ethically incorruptible, and so it was that he was sent on a final mission to prove himself – he had to steal the WANTON EYE from the Statue of <INSERT DEITY NAME> in the temple of ISOCHRONISM. However, he was caught by the temple guards! ELAVREA got away with the Wanton Eye, and Dietrich would not give her away. A grim fate awaited the thief, surely...
DIVINE INTERVENTION (Inquisitor 1, Reaper of Secrets): HIGH PRIEST VOUND of the church of ISOCHRONISM, had a premonition as Dietrich awaited execution for profaning, and ordered the young man brought to the Censer of Holy Flames. There, Dietrich's hand became permanently branded with the sign of <INSERT EVIL DEITY> and an unfathomable presence touched his mind, filling him with visions of ravens over a battlefield. This experience shook Dietrich to his core. Unhappy with this divine sign, but not willing to risk angering his deity, the HIGH PRIEST VOUND saw a way he might use Dietrich to do what servants of the church could not – to investigate the enemies of the faith from within for signs of evil's taint. It helped that HIGH PRIEST VOUND was willing to turn a blind eye to Dietrich's mother's heresy if he came to serve the church...
THE WORG CORPS (Inquisitor 2-3): Sentenced to compulsory military service in defense of NARAKAWA, Dietrich found himself in a mercenary scouting band known as the WORG CORPS. Misfits and criminals sent behind enemy lines, backstabbing was common place among the WORG CORPS and not a night went by without a dagger close to Dietrich's bedroll. This was his deep cover mission for the church of ISOCHRONISM. Though trained as an arbalister, his knack for bolstering the spirits of his brethren (and his tendency to shy from the dirty deeds of the mercenaries) earned him a place as camp medic. His closest companion during those long nights was an unusually clever piebald raven whom Dietrich trained and named QUASSIR after a fallen brother-in-arms. Despite the wickedness of many of the men he served alongside, Dietrich remained the moral compass for the few men of honor. The WORG CORPS was pitted against the <INSERT EVIL ORGANIZATION>, but their corrupt natures won out and half the Worg Corps betrayed their brothers-in-arms, making an alliance with the <INSERT EVIL ORGANIZATION>. Dietrich and a handful of brothers (most now leading scarred lives in hiding) were the only ones to survive the massacre...
MASTER OF RAVENS (Inquisitor 4-6): Returning to NARAKAWA with no little acclaim and no little notoriety, Dietrich learned that HIGH PRIEST VOUND had known all along the viper's nest Dietrich was sent into. Thus, he turned his back on the church of ISOCHRONIM and found a placement as Master of Ravens among the SILVER SWORDS. While Dietrich was close to XANDER CROMWELL'S Spymaster, they could keep an eye on him and exploit his growing knowledge of the city's temples, paramilitaries, criminal underworld, and merchant houses. Dietrich relies on a rookery of dozens of messenger ravens which deliver information among his scattered contacts across several cities and keep him apprised of many secret dealings...[/SBLOCK]