Balin the Elder
Male Human Abjurer 4
Hair: Formerly Brown, but now mainly gray
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 150 lbs.
Age: 50
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Size: Medium
Type: Humanoid
Speed: 20 ft. (After losing his left leg from the knee down combined with his age, his speed has been reduced)
Str: 10 (+0) [11 base, -1 age]
Dex: 11 (+0) [12 base, -1 age]
Con: 13 (+1) [14 base, -1 age]
Int: 18 (+4) [16 base, +1 level, +1 age]
Wis: 15 (+2) [14 base. +1 age]
Cha: 11 [10 base, +1 age]
HP: 17 (4d4 + 4 Con)
AC: 11(19 w/shield and mage armor in place) [10 base, +1 bracers, +4 shield spell, +4 Mage armor spell]
Saves:
Fortitude: +3 (+1 base, +1 Con, +1 vest)
Reflex: +2 (+1 base, +1 vest)
Will: +7 (+4 base, +2 Wis, +1 vest)
Init: +4 (+4 Improved Init)
Base Attack Bonus: +2 (+2 base)
Attacks:
Darkwood Quarterstaff, +3, d6, x2, B
Skills:
Skill Points: 43 (36 class, 7 human)
Max Rank for class skills: 7
Concentration: +4 [4 ranks]
Decipher Script: +11 [7 ranks, +4 Int]
Disable Device (cc): +7 [3 ranks, +4 Int]
Knowledge (arcane): +11 [7 ranks, +4 Int]
Knowledge (history): +10 [6 ranks, +4 Int]
Profession (Locksmith): +5 [3 ranks, +2 Wis]
Search (cc): +13 [4 ranks, +4 Int, +5 glasses]
Spellcraft: +10 [6 ranks, +4 Int]
Feats:
Lvl 1 (class): Improved Initiative
Lvl 1 (racial bonus): Spell Hand (Com Arcane)
Lvl 1 (class bonus): Scribe Scroll
Lvl 3 (class): Craft Wonderous Item
Languages: Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elvish, Gnomish
Equipment:
Vest of Resistance +1 (1,000 gp Comp Arcane pg 150)
Bracers of Prot +1 (1,000 gp)
Glasses of Minute Seeing (1,250 gp)
Wand of Enfeeblement (1st) (750 gp) (50 charges)
Wand of Magic Missle (1st) (750 gp) (50 charges)
Darkwood Quarterstaff (340 gp)
Traveler's outfit
Backpack: 2 gp
Spellbook
Journal: 15gp
Inkpen: 1sp
3 vials of ink: 24gp
Scrollcase: 1gp
Bedroll: 1 sp
Everburning torch: 110 gp
Rations, trail (per day) x3: 1 gp, 5 sp
Sack: 1 sp
Waterskin: 1 gp
Potions of Cure Light Wounds 4: 200gp
Money
5pp. 5 gp
Spells
Spell Hand abilities: 1/day- mage hand, open/close, Tenser's floating disk DC: 14 (10 + 4 +0)
Spells per day: 4/4+1*/3+1
Spells Known: 0- All minus Ench/Necro
1st- Alarm*, Shield*, Prot from Evil*, Mage Armor, Magic Missle, Feather Fall, Identify, True Strike,
2nd- Resist Energy*, Detect Thoughts, Prot from Arrows*, Mirror Image,
Spells Memorized
0-Resistance x2, Ray of Frost, Mending
1st- Shield*, Alarm*, Mage Armor, Magic Missle x2
2nd- Resist Energy*, Prot from Arrows*, Web, Mirror Image
*=Spec School Spell
Description: Leaning on the ebony staff that is just as tall as he is, Balin often looks like a man who is living on borrowed time. His gray hair and beard retain only the faintest hints of the brown hue it once had and his lower body no longer has the strength in it to allow him to walk smoothly with the wooden artificial limb that is his lower left leg. The end result is a slightly awkward gait that while comical looking at first gives Balin maximum result with minimum effort. However when his gaze settles upon someone, they quickly realize that while age and injury might have stolen some of Balin's youthful fire, his mind is as keen as it was in his younger days.
After traveling to Setti and surviving the encounter with the undead inside the crypt, Balin has taken to wearing his enchanted vest, bracers, and glasses at all times. While he has convinced the others he only needs the glasses for helping him read and examine things close to him, the truth of the matter is that his eyesight is not what it once was and without the magical lenses to compensate his natural vision as well, Balin would nearly be blind without them.
Background: Balin began his first career as an adventurer nearly three decades ago armed with nothing more than the meager spells he had mastered as an apprentice and a desire to see justice prevail in a land often plagued by those who would prey upon those unwillling, or able, to defend themselves. It did not take him long to realize that life was not a cookie cut out of black and white, and more often than not, the path filled with the gray aspects of life was the one most often walked.
It was on one such path that Balin lost his leg serving a young duke who was little better than the brigands that Balin and his companions were sent after. A cleverly placed trap severed Balin's left leg just above the knee and nearly took the other as well. Although Balin's companions offered the priests of the Silver Harp all the funds they could produce to have the priest try to restore the limb, it was beyond the ability of the clergy to do so.
Seeing it as a sign from the gods he was not truly meant to travel the road of an adventurer, Balin took a job as an apprentice locksmith and soon took a wife and started a family. The years that passed were happy for Balin and he thought less and less of the road as the seasons came and went. Shortly after his wife passed away however, Balin's life would drastically change.
His son sought to follow in his father's footsteps, and when the younger Balin heard the stories of the ancient crypts in the neighboring town of Setti, he could not resist their siren call. Joining forces with some of the locals of Setti, they opened the doors and instead of a hero's saga they found only their deaths.
When the news reached Balin the elder, he felt the fire burn bright in him again and knew that he could not rest until the evil that had slain his son had been vanquished. Selling everything he owned, Balin prepared himself as best he could and embarked down the once familiar road with only one desire, avenge his son or die in the process.
Convincing the Baron of Setti to allow him the oppurtunity to assist the others the Baron had gathered was no easy feat, but in the end the Baron humored the old man and allowed him to join forces with the others.
The battle for the crypts seems almost a blur for Balin now, as several times he felt as if his heart would simply explode due to the adrenaline that coursed through his veins like a raging river. In the end though, Balin and the others stood triumphant and he put his son to rest in the vault where he fell.
It was only after they had left the crypts that Balin realized he had not expected to survive the battle and that he was now at a true crossroads in his life. At an age where most began considering hanging their blades up and relaxing for the rest of their days, Balin was considering taking up the path once more. Laughing at the irony of it all, Balin is willing to take on one more task from the Baron to see if he can still hold his own in this world before re-entering retirement once again.
