Nocturno (private)

[Chris1234]

This is for Nocturno's char gen & private posts.

[Chris1234]

Alex Ossic: adopted by Nocturno
Male Human Battlemage 1, CG
XP (current/TNL [bonus]): 191 / 3000, [+5%]

Stats:
Str: 15/05 [to hit +1, +3 dam, wt allow 86, max press 185, OD 9, BB/LG 9%];
Dex: 17/62 [-3AC, +4 react, +4 hit];
Con: 9/77 [SS 65%, RS 70%];
Int: 17/50 [6 lang max, 8th lvl spells, LA 75%, max # spells/lvl 14];
Wis: 9/33 [chance improve 5%];
Cha: 16/19 [+8 loyalty, +4 react];
Com: 13/23

Honor: 19
Hon dice: d4
Presence Factor: (13+Hon die)%
Fame: 1

Particulars:
Ht: 6’0” Wt: 172 lbs Age: 30
Handedness: Right
Social status: UMC
Birth: Legit
Parents: Mom's alive, dad's dead, normal honor
Siblings: 1 older sister, living, 3 younger brothers, oldest dislikes me

AC: 6 (-3 Dex, -1 in melee for Acrobatic suite)
Current HP: 20/20
Status: Normal.

Saves: PPDM (14); RSW (11); PHHP (13); BW (15); Ap (16); Sp (12) [+3 evasion from Dex]

ThAC0: Base/melee: 20 (-5 to hit untrained);
Ranged: (+3 to hit dex)
WP: Staff
Non-WP: -5 to hit

Modern Languages:
Dezian 100% (native tongue)
Elven 28%
Focuran 31% (common trade tongue)

Class bonuses/abilities:

Spell Charging

Quirks & Flaws:
College Rivalry (cannot use necromantic spells), Glutton, Inappropriate Sense of Humour, Missing Finger, Psychotic Aversion to Monster, Obsession: Goatee, Self Absorbed, Truthful

Talents:
Acrobatic Skill Suite, Endurance, Knack for Languages, Lucky (d20), Opportunist, Perfect Grooming, Photographic Memory, Spell Razor, Stealth

Skill Suites:
Administration/Politician Skill Suite 21%

• Administration 30%
  Civil Administration 73%
  Leadership, Basic, 67%
  Leadership, Committee 95%
  Liar, Skilled 25%

Artist Skill Suite 77% (includes Appreciation & Appraisal of Painting & Sculpture)

Skills:
Cricket in the Peapod 29%, Culinary Arts - Cooking 23%, Customs & Etiquette (Elves) 23%, Dirty Fighting NA, Endurance 24%, Fung Chi 37%, Gaming 67%, Looting, Basic 15%, Observation 45%, Poetry, Writing & Comprehension/Interpretation 21%, Read/Write 35%, Slaughter: Livestock 18%, Sleight of hand 22%, Slip Away Into Shadows 52%, Snappy Comeback 36%, Spellcraft 29%, Stealthy Movement 49%, Tumbling 26%

Equipment: [weight in lbs], {objects in container}
Head: ---
Shoulders: Waterskin [9], Backpack [2] {Iron rations x2w [2x25], Spare robes [3], Spellbook [6x4], flint and steel [*],100gp Spinel[*]}
**Strapped to BP: Bedroll [5], Pillow [1x5], 100’ Silk rope [16]
Arms: ---
Hands: Staff [4]
Body: Robes
Waist: Belt, Large Pouch #1 [1] {Spell Components [1]}, Large Pouch #2 [1] {70gp, 57sp [2.5]})
Legs:
Feet: High riding boots

Total Eq wt: [123.5]

Magic: Arcane
75% chance to learn. Max spells/lvl: 1st (5/14) Max spell lvl 8th
Main Spellbook 16"x12"x6", Leather cover, velum pages, 6lb, enc x4, saves as +2 leather, with additional +1 v liquids. ([5]/72 pgs used)

LVL 1 spells: Burning Hands [1], Shocking Grasp [1], Sleep [1], Read Magic [1], Write [1]

Spells Memorized

1st lvl: Read Magic, Shocking Grasp, Sleep, Sleep

======
Priors & Particulars:
Age 30, Right-handed, 6’0”, 172lbs, Upper Middle Class, Legitimate, two loving parents, father deceased, mother did not remarry. Family were not notably honourable. Four siblings (3 brother, 1 sister all living, each is devoted to you apart from the eldest brother). You were second born. You have a goatee which you are obsessed with.
You were trained in a city college by an ill-equipped Master of above average education in a large size class with top notch equipment. You graduated in the bottom half of your class. In your Freshman year you fell in with a certain type of fashionable intellectual and your roommate was an elven Foreign Exchange student. You were forced to take on a part time job as cook and butcher in order to make ends meet. Later into your course you spent an free time playing cards, betting on jousting and so forth.
You received a letter from a notary offering you condolences on the death of your father while you were away studying. His will left an inheritance for you but you must attend in person at the Notary's office in Prompeldia."

Background:
Comes from Cassielda, in the country of Saryn Ar'Keet, which has a human population of 43%, and whose native tongue is Dezian. Focuran is the common trade tongue.
Alex was born second in his family, after his sister Sophia. After him were three brothers, Jordan, Jacob, and Napoleon. The Ossics are a family that date back to the early days of the gentry, and they excelled at being average. No Ossic has ever been famous, never really done anything great, or anything terrible, conversely. They aren't particularly honorable. His parents were Mary and Donovan. His family generally got along, except that he and Jordan were constantly fighting, until the Ossics used their considerable fortune to send him off to college. At battlemage school, he excelled, until Jordan joined the same college. He fought with Jordan constantly, until his girlfriend left him. For Jordan. He fell in with the intellectual crowd, and grew a goatee. He fell away from his studies, and his parents cut off his funding. That put him in a bit of a shock, and he worked at a butcher's part time to make ends meet (meat). He became more successful at school as well, and his parents funded him again. He still worked at the butchers, moving up to cooking meat for the adjoining restaurant. He quite enjoyed cooking. He took the excess money he earned and put it to good use gambling, playing cards, and betting. He had a bit of a knack for it. After graduation, he set out with his elven roommate, who was an archer, to learn more about the world and to become the first Ossic to make something of himself. After receiving this letter, he set out toward home to comfort his mother and grieve for his father. He is now on his way from his elven-run Arcane University to the city of Prompeldia, where his inheritance awaits, along with his siblings, who will be there when the will is read. Yaren, his elven friend, accompanies him. As the eldest son, perhaps the inheritance consisted of more than money? His father had been a bit of a collector, just as Alex was. The pair are walking along a road, near some grain fields.

Well, everyone in my family were bankers, but there was always something slightly better nearby. Essentially, my ancestor was cursed to always be one-upped. So it's a curse. There's always someone just a bit better than my family. A little more money, a little faster, stronger, smarter, whatever. They still made money, but they just didn't get any credit. We Ossics (except me) are humble people and willing to give up credit. My parents cut off my money because my grades were flagging. In fact, my family disapproves of gambling because they know how bad it can be for your money. There was a Battlemage that lived near me as a kid who I admired, name of Roland. He's retired now. The butcher job was recommended to me by a sympathetic teacher, whose brother owned the place. Yeah, my family lives in a very temperate climate. Think Nebraska. I want to be an adventurer because it will help me be the best at something for once. Oh yeah, my old fashionable buddies? They call themselves the society of free thinkers now.

======
The Shadow Guild
NAME of MEMBERS: The Shades
LOCATION: Grevan Steppes, Sulivain (Sector C6)
PURPOSE: The Shadow Guild exists merely to train thieves who have some magic using ability. Later, the thieves are asked to pay dues that amount to 25% of their take. In return, they receive fencing services, access to safe houses across Aldrazar and are allowed to train, study and research spells in the guild’s library.
MASTER of School : Xim is the current leader of the Shades. He is a masterful burglar, equally adept at both second story work and defeating elaborate defence systems. He is a tall, thin man, who nonetheless eats more than any two normal men. He dislikes incompetence, and burglars who have screwed up once too often have been known to disappear. Xim is the first Shade since Murrke to have researched his own spell.
ALIGNMENT: Any chaotic.
SYMBOL: The Shades are not foolish enough to adopt a symbol that could reveal them to authorities, but they do maintain passwords that seem to change on a weekly basis.
DAYS of IMPORT : The Shades are unusually superstitious for a group of magic-users. Any given day is as likely as not to have some significance to it, being the anniversary of a botched job or stroke of luck.
RAIMENT: The Shades dress in whatever manner is unlikely to draw attention to themselves.
ADVANCEMENT: Advancement in the order is accomplished through personal combat, assassination or the leaders’ acknowledgement of a member’s superior skills.
MEMBERS: Some Shades perceive themselves as adventurers, stealing more for the excitement than the monetary reward itself, while others steal only when down on their luck, preferring to make their way in life using their magical abilities to entertain. There are even a few who have come to terms with their actions, offering no excuses, either to others or to themselves. This group tends to sneer at the excuses and rationalizations of the other Shades.
STPs: Sleight of hand (bonus), slip away into shadows, stealthy movement, tumbling, (bonus), blind fighting, disguise, reading/writing, spellcraft.
WEAPONS PERMITTED: Any thief weapon.
ARMOUR PERMITTED: Leather or elven chain mail.
ABILITY RESTRICTIONS: Dexterity -13.
POWERS: Shades may receive the following thief abilities: pick locks, find traps and remove traps. For every such ability learned, the Shade must sacrifice one spell slot. When he advances in level and chooses to increase one or more of these abilities, he must similarly sacrifice a spell slot from his daily allotment. When he gains one of these skills or advances in level, he may allocate up to 10 percentage points to it or any of the other thief skills he has, but he must increase each thief skill by a minimum of 1% for each round of improvement. Exceptionally a non-specialised mage with stealthy movement may be welcomed to the ranks of the Shades and may purchase the talent Stealth even if normally racially prohibited. If the character becomes a Shade after initial character creation, he may roll on table 6A (SSG) and can even use the BPs at the time he gains them!
SAYINGS: The owl hoots softly on the wings of silence. No, wait, that’s last week’s password... - Remember, we have skills that not even the greatest of ordinary thieves can duplicate. - When in doubt, get the heck out. - Just because we know magic doesn’t mean we can neglect the more mundane aspects of burglary. Some day your spells won’t work, and then you’ll wish you’d listened to your old teacher a little more closely.
SPELL MODIFICATIONS: Shades are allowed to cast the following Conjuration and Invocation spells: Grease and Web.
When casting Knock or its reverse, a Shade is able to open or close up to three means of preventing passage.
College Rivalry: This character attended a magic school that was part of a storied magic college rivalry. Although this provided for many great, drunken sporting events, it also had a more insidious effect. A character with this quirk cannot cast Necromantic spells.

[TristenC]

*Brings Nocturno a casserole*

Welcome to da neighborhood... neighbor...

[Nocturno]

Alex Ossic: adopted by Nocturno
Male Human Battlemage 1, CG
XP (current/TNL [bonus]): 191 / 3000, [+5%]

Stats:
Str: 15/05 [to hit +1, +3 dam, wt allow 86, max press 185, OD 9, BB/LG 9%];
Dex: 17/62 [-3AC, +4 react, +4 hit];
Con: 9/77 [SS 65%, RS 70%];
Int: 17/50 [6 lang max, 8th lvl spells, LA 75%, max # spells/lvl 14];
Wis: 9/33 [chance improve 5%];
Cha: 16/19 [+8 loyalty, +4 react];
Com: 13/23

Honor: 19
Hon dice: d4
Presence Factor: (13+Hon die)%
Fame: 1

Particulars:
Ht: 6’0” Wt: 172 lbs Age: 30
Handedness: Right
Social status: UMC
Birth: Legit
Parents: Mom's alive, dad's dead, normal honor
Siblings: 1 older sister, living, 3 younger brothers, oldest dislikes me

AC: 6 (-3 Dex, -1 in melee for Acrobatic suite)
Current HP: 20/20
Status: Normal.

Saves: PPDM (14); RSW (11); PHHP (13); BW (15); Ap (16); Sp (12) [+3 evasion from Dex]

ThAC0: Base/melee: 20 (-5 to hit untrained);
Ranged: (+3 to hit dex)
WP: Staff
Non-WP: -5 to hit

Modern Languages:
Dezian 100% (native tongue)
Elven 28%
Focuran 31% (common trade tongue)

Class bonuses/abilities:

Spell Charging

Quirks & Flaws:
College Rivalry (cannot use necromantic spells), Glutton, Inappropriate Sense of Humour, Missing Finger, Psychotic Aversion to Monster, Obsession: Goatee, Self Absorbed, Truthful

Talents:
Acrobatic Skill Suite, Endurance, Knack for Languages, Lucky (d20), Opportunist, Perfect Grooming, Photographic Memory, Spell Razor, Stealth

Skill Suites:
Administration/Politician Skill Suite 21%
Administration 30%
Civil Administration 73%
Leadership, Basic, 67%
Leadership, Committee 95%
Liar, Skilled 25%


Artist Skill Suite 77% (includes Appreciation & Appraisal of Painting & Sculpture)

Skills:
Cricket in the Peapod 29%, Culinary Arts - Cooking 23%, Customs & Etiquette (Elves) 23%, Dirty Fighting NA, Endurance 24%, Fung Chi 37%, Gaming 67%, Looting, Basic 15%, Observation 45%, Poetry, Writing & Comprehension/Interpretation 21%, Read/Write 35%, Slaughter: Livestock 18%, Sleight of hand 22%, Slip Away Into Shadows 52%, Snappy Comeback 36%, Spellcraft 29%, Stealthy Movement 49%, Tumbling 26%

Equipment: [weight in lbs], {objects in container}
Head: ---
Shoulders: Waterskin [9], Backpack [2] {Iron rations x2w [2x25], Spare robes [3], Spellbook [6x4], flint and steel [*],100gp Spinel[*]}
**Strapped to BP: Bedroll [5], Pillow [1x5], 100’ Silk rope [16]
Arms: ---
Hands: Staff [4]
Body: Robes
Waist: Belt, Large Pouch #1 [1] {Spell Components [1]}, Large Pouch #2 [1] {70gp, 57sp [2.5]})
Legs:
Feet: High riding boots

Total Eq wt: [123.5]

Magic: Arcane
75% chance to learn. Max spells/lvl: 1st (5/14) Max spell lvl 8th
Main Spellbook 16"x12"x6", Leather cover, velum pages, 6lb, enc x4, saves as +2 leather, with additional +1 v liquids. ([5]/72 pgs used)

LVL 1 spells: Burning Hands [1], Shocking Grasp [1], Sleep [1], Read Magic [1], Write [1]

Spells Memorized

1st lvl: Read Magic, Shocking Grasp, Sleep, Sleep

======
Priors & Particulars:
Age 30, Right-handed, 6’0”, 172lbs, Upper Middle Class, Legitimate, two loving parents, father deceased, mother did not remarry. Family were not notably honourable. Four siblings (3 brother, 1 sister all living, each is devoted to you apart from the eldest brother). You were second born. You have a goatee which you are obsessed with.
You were trained in a city college by an ill-equipped Master of above average education in a large size class with top notch equipment. You graduated in the bottom half of your class. In your Freshman year you fell in with a certain type of fashionable intellectual and your roommate was an elven Foreign Exchange student. You were forced to take on a part time job as cook and butcher in order to make ends meet. Later into your course you spent an free time playing cards, betting on jousting and so forth.
You received a letter from a notary offering you condolences on the death of your father while you were away studying. His will left an inheritance for you but you must attend in person at the Notary's office in Prompeldia."

Background:
Comes from Cassielda, in the country of Saryn Ar'Keet, which has a human population of 43%, and whose native tongue is Dezian. Focuran is the common trade tongue.
Alex was born second in his family, after his sister Sophia. After him were three brothers, Jordan, Jacob, and Napoleon. The Ossics are a family that date back to the early days of the gentry, and they excelled at being average. No Ossic has ever been famous, never really done anything great, or anything terrible, conversely. They aren't particularly honorable. His parents were Mary and Donovan. His family generally got along, except that he and Jordan were constantly fighting, until the Ossics used their considerable fortune to send him off to college. At battlemage school, he excelled, until Jordan joined the same college. He fought with Jordan constantly, until his girlfriend left him. For Jordan. He fell in with the intellectual crowd, and grew a goatee. He fell away from his studies, and his parents cut off his funding. That put him in a bit of a shock, and he worked at a butcher's part time to make ends meet (meat). He became more successful at school as well, and his parents funded him again. He still worked at the butchers, moving up to cooking meat for the adjoining restaurant. He quite enjoyed cooking. He took the excess money he earned and put it to good use gambling, playing cards, and betting. He had a bit of a knack for it. After graduation, he set out with his elven roommate, who was an archer, to learn more about the world and to become the first Ossic to make something of himself. After receiving this letter, he set out toward home to comfort his mother and grieve for his father. He is now on his way from his elven-run Arcane University to the city of Prompeldia, where his inheritance awaits, along with his siblings, who will be there when the will is read. Yaren, his elven friend, accompanies him. As the eldest son, perhaps the inheritance consisted of more than money? His father had been a bit of a collector, just as Alex was. The pair are walking along a road, near some grain fields.

Well, everyone in my family were bankers, but there was always something slightly better nearby. Essentially, my ancestor was cursed to always be one-upped. So it's a curse. There's always someone just a bit better than my family. A little more money, a little faster, stronger, smarter, whatever. They still made money, but they just didn't get any credit. We Ossics (except me) are humble people and willing to give up credit. My parents cut off my money because my grades were flagging. In fact, my family disapproves of gambling because they know how bad it can be for your money. There was a Battlemage that lived near me as a kid who I admired, name of Roland. He's retired now. The butcher job was recommended to me by a sympathetic teacher, whose brother owned the place. Yeah, my family lives in a very temperate climate. Think Nebraska. I want to be an adventurer because it will help me be the best at something for once. Oh yeah, my old fashionable buddies? They call themselves the society of free thinkers now.

======
The Shadow Guild
NAME of MEMBERS: The Shades
LOCATION: Grevan Steppes, Sulivain (Sector C6)
PURPOSE: The Shadow Guild exists merely to train thieves who have some magic using ability. Later, the thieves are asked to pay dues that amount to 25% of their take. In return, they receive fencing services, access to safe houses across Aldrazar and are allowed to train, study and research spells in the guild’s library.
MASTER of School : Xim is the current leader of the Shades. He is a masterful burglar, equally adept at both second story work and defeating elaborate defence systems. He is a tall, thin man, who nonetheless eats more than any two normal men. He dislikes incompetence, and burglars who have screwed up once too often have been known to disappear. Xim is the first Shade since Murrke to have researched his own spell.
ALIGNMENT: Any chaotic.
SYMBOL: The Shades are not foolish enough to adopt a symbol that could reveal them to authorities, but they do maintain passwords that seem to change on a weekly basis.
DAYS of IMPORT : The Shades are unusually superstitious for a group of magic-users. Any given day is as likely as not to have some significance to it, being the anniversary of a botched job or stroke of luck.
RAIMENT: The Shades dress in whatever manner is unlikely to draw attention to themselves.
ADVANCEMENT: Advancement in the order is accomplished through personal combat, assassination or the leaders’ acknowledgement of a member’s superior skills.
MEMBERS: Some Shades perceive themselves as adventurers, stealing more for the excitement than the monetary reward itself, while others steal only when down on their luck, preferring to make their way in life using their magical abilities to entertain. There are even a few who have come to terms with their actions, offering no excuses, either to others or to themselves. This group tends to sneer at the excuses and rationalizations of the other Shades.
STPs: Sleight of hand (bonus), slip away into shadows, stealthy movement, tumbling, (bonus), blind fighting, disguise, reading/writing, spellcraft.
WEAPONS PERMITTED: Any thief weapon.
ARMOUR PERMITTED: Leather or elven chain mail.
ABILITY RESTRICTIONS: Dexterity -13.
POWERS: Shades may receive the following thief abilities: pick locks, find traps and remove traps. For every such ability learned, the Shade must sacrifice one spell slot. When he advances in level and chooses to increase one or more of these abilities, he must similarly sacrifice a spell slot from his daily allotment. When he gains one of these skills or advances in level, he may allocate up to 10 percentage points to it or any of the other thief skills he has, but he must increase each thief skill by a minimum of 1% for each round of improvement. Exceptionally a non-specialised mage with stealthy movement may be welcomed to the ranks of the Shades and may purchase the talent Stealth even if normally racially prohibited. If the character becomes a Shade after initial character creation, he may roll on table 6A (SSG) and can even use the BPs at the time he gains them!
SAYINGS: The owl hoots softly on the wings of silence. No, wait, that’s last week’s password... - Remember, we have skills that not even the greatest of ordinary thieves can duplicate. - When in doubt, get the heck out. - Just because we know magic doesn’t mean we can neglect the more mundane aspects of burglary. Some day your spells won’t work, and then you’ll wish you’d listened to your old teacher a little more closely.
SPELL MODIFICATIONS: Shades are allowed to cast the following Conjuration and Invocation spells: Grease and Web.
When casting Knock or its reverse, a Shade is able to open or close up to three means of preventing passage.
College Rivalry: This character attended a magic school that was part of a storied magic college rivalry. Although this provided for many great, drunken sporting events, it also had a more insidious effect. A character with this quirk cannot cast Necromantic spells.

[Chris1234]

Adding a little detail into the character backround to try and give you a bit of of feel for it. (See PM).

[TristenC]

Wow.. bobby?! nm
Green-bean casserole with a cheesy cracker crust

[Chris1234]

You can cook, so that's a good thing.


======
IG:
In the early months of your training at the elven-run arcane university you literally bump into a nondescript but perfectly amiable elf dressed in worn but serviceable forest greens. He's aloof, but far less so than most of his kin. He introduces himself as Dovar and gives you a lot of smalltalk over a drink or two and some advice on how to handle one or two key assignments. After playing a few games of chance with him that night, you don't see Dovar for another half year.
He picks up the conversation as if it had only been days since you had played the complex elven game with 13 dice. The conversation is almost a mirror of its predecessor, apart from his mention of a benevolent organization that gives bursaries to the most promising of arcane apprentices, especially ones with a affinity for the elven way. You certainly could do with the money, struggling to make ends meet as it is, and your costs will increase as you have more practicals and and component costs and so forth loomng over the next couple of semesters.

What do you say to him?

[Nocturno]

Acting less interested than I actually am. "Interesting. Are there many strings attached?"

[Chris1234]

Dovar shrugs. "They might ask a favour in return in the future. Maybe to Identify some things at no profit to you. Or perhaps to teach a course for some number or weeks. It depends on what you end up being good at. Or they may never ask anything of you." He stands up. "I have to go see someone. Do you want me to put your name forwards?"

[Nocturno]

"I am interested yes. Please put my name in the mix!"

[Chris1234]

Dovar nods, "Then I shall do so. I wish you well." The elf smiles, a smile of warmth from deep within, and departs.

The bursary arrives. You're never quite sure how much it is, but it seems to never quite be enough. Perhaps that is the point.
You decide to take the martial path: to become a Battlemage; to let that be your mark upon the world.
Over the next seven years you see Dovar once, maybe twice a year. The time with him is enjoyable as you dice, make small talk, discuss classes and arcane conundrums and hear of elven tales.

The journey to become a Battlemage turns out to be arduous beyond belief. Long hours, six days a week and you feel that you're slipping behind and often work on the seventh.
Unable to work eight days a week, your grades start to slip.
Dovar comes to you, this time more serious than you recall, "My friend, I have to tell you that your bursary is about to be withdrawn. Do you have any other source of funds?" As you don't, you sahke your head, not quite sure where this is going.
The elf continues, "All is not lost. Your aptitude for stealth has been noted. After consultation I have been authorised to offer you probationary membership of an organisation. I will be your sponsor, so your performance will reflect on me. It means that your tenure, your studies here, will take you several years longer. But better than not finishing them, hmm? That will allow you to develop your skill in remaining undetected. A useful skill. The organisation is protective of its member ship so you must not reveal its secrets nor, whilst a probationer at least, even mention its name to any that you do not know to be members. They will, in later years, require service from you, typically a significant proportion of your profits. But nothing substantially disagreeable or immoral. I can tell you no more until you agree to swear a Gawd Oath to abide by the organisation's tenets. Will you so swear?"

======
{OOC: Gawd Oath - violation of which results in loss of Honour and experience (but loss of levels will not exceed one level).

[Nocturno]

"I will swear it." Seeing no other real option, as he wants nothing more than to conclude his training.

[Chris1234]

Dovar inducts you into the Shadow Guild. The extracurricular studies with your Guild grant you additonal abilities that you had previosuly only dreamed about.


======
See write up now added to you char sheet.
Main feature of this is that you can now do stealthy, scouty stuff, not on a par with a thief and not as a combat skill, but more akin to the natural abilities of elves.
You gain the Stealthy Talent and the skills Slip Away Into Shadows, Stealthy Movement, Sleight of hand & Tumbling
The downside is that as the Guild requires you to donate 25% of any adventuring profit and you cannot use Necromantic spells.
Have a good look through the Shadow Guild write up and, in particular, at the Stealth Talent. Happy to deal with any queries. Then we skip ahead 8 or 9 years to your first post college adventure.

[Chris1234]

Alex is traveling with Yaren, his elven roomie, headed from their inland elven-dominated college towards the human dominated coast en route to attending at the Notary's office in Prompeldia. Most movement and trade there is via boat as inland movement through the subtropical forests, for non-elves at least, is slow and extremely taxing. Alex is aware that outside the forests slavery is legal and a lot of the trafficking is by hobgoblins and half-hobgoblins. It's late morning and warm enough to make it hard work doing anything active in chainmail and completely exhausting in anything heavier.

Yaren has called in some favours and arranged for an elven patrol to escort you both towards the coast. {Alex had to put his hand in his pocket for this, 18sps.} The elven patrol wave farewell to Yaren, ignoring Alex, as their sweep takes them further inland. Truth be told, they've already made something of a detour in their two day trek to bring the pair of you this close to the coast. "It's straight that-a-way, can't miss it," one of them, Vanmor, calls out, quickly shushed by the patrol leader. They disappear into the forest with nary a sound. Alex is heading for the nearest town, Narmaren, not that he knows much about it. The most promising plan seems to head directly towards the coast, which is arguably the western bank of the great river delta, and then head south along the coastal road.

If one goes as the crow flies, you can hit the coast in a little better than five hours. {OOC: Finding the most direct route requires a Mapless Travel check (with a 20% bonus) every hour. (Map sense give a bonus to this equal to the degree of success, but 5% bonus minimum)}

{OOC: Alex succeeds at an Observation skill and avoid the possibility of surprise.} During the second hour, as the forest thins out, Alex hears the a noise ahead and peering through the sparce undergrowth perceives a pair of cats, presumably hunting - him! The Feral Cats, each about 2' at the shoulder, one on each side of the trail about 100' ahead, maybe 60' apart, and clearly fancying dome dinner; Yaren has disappeared from view, blending effortlessly into the subtropical forest, sparse as it it at this point.

Having neither weapons nor spell component equipped, although both are at hand, Alex pulls out a pinch of fine sand as the cats run towards him, now less than 50' away.
He casts Sleep centered between the cats, just as they are about 10' away. Everything goes dark.

***
Round 1
The battlemage awakens, lifting his head to see Yaren bending over one of the cats, short sword in hand, apparently having dispatched the feline while Alex and both cats were asleep..
Alex stands up. "Mistimed that a little," he quips to Yaren. Yaren pauses, looks up at Alex and shrugs, then stands up and advances to strike at the ferral cat while it is still sitting {OOC: +1 to hit}.
The cat howls and then bites and claws back damaging both the elf and his studded leather armour, then attempts to rear paw rake attacks, both missing.

Round 2
Yaren swiftly tries to skewer the cat which nimbly avoids the awkward thrust.
The cat claws back at the elf causing him to sidestep, but doesn’t avoid a bite that tears a strip out of his studded leather armour.
While Yaren unsheathes a dagger, Alex finally has his quarterstaff ready and delivers a bone shaking blow to the cat’s hip. Yaren fumbles his dagger up into the air and it travels 12’ to the far side of the cat.

Round 3
Intentions and relevant rolls?

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Happy to answer any queries. Tristen is familiar with the system if I'm not about.
Note: With the retrofit to Shadow Guild, Alex is permited to use any thief's weapons and wear leather armour. Happy if you wish to re-spec weapon proficiency/re-equip.

[Nocturno]

[I've been meaning to read up on this, but with it being the week leading up to Christmas, I haven't been able to steal the extra bit of time needed. Can I give you the action I want to do, and have you do a sample round of combat for me? Showing me the actual rolls and such?]

"What's the matter friend? Cat got your tongue?" [Inappropriate sense of humour lol]

He will strike at the cat with his quaterstaff.