Faro Blackjack

Aliases:	Blackjack, Faro
Age:	Twenties
Hair:	Dark
Eyes:	Brown
Height:	5ft'11"
Build:	Slender
Race:	Human
Class:	Rogue 1 / Swashbuckler 3
Alignment:	Chaotic Neutral
Level:	4
Experience:	6,001
Hit Points:	40/40
Gold:	3,108gp
Current Status:	Active
Played by Pale

Description

Faro Blackjack is neither a lawman or an assassin, although he began training as an honest man in his youth necessity has made him a gambler. His upbringing was that of a gentleman; yet fate has left him playing the role of adventuring vagabond. Faro's view can be philosophical, and his wit caustic. While he may look like any other human, he is part 'Lightlost' and carries the significance of that birthright within himself.

Faro's reputation is one of a skillful gambler; and one day soon, as the deadliest crossbowman on Therafim.

Abilities & Skills

Ability	Score	Mod	Temp Score	Temp Mod
Strength	10	+0	10	+0
Dexterity	21	+5	20	+5
Constitution	12	+1	12	+1
Intelligence	18	+4	18	+4
Wisdom	14	+2	14	+2
Charisma	12	+1	12	+1

Armor Class
Total	Base 10 + Dex 5 + Armour 3 = 18
Flat-Footed	13
Touch	15

Saving Throws	Base	Mod	Misc	Total
Fortitude	+3	+1	+0	+4
Reflex	+3	+5	+1	+9
Will	+1	+2	+0	+3

Misc Reflex - Grace +1 (Swashbuckler)
Misc Will - Craven -2 vs Fear

BAB	Mod	Total
+3	Dex: +5	Melee: +3 / Ranged: +10

Bonus Sources: Masterwork +1 / Focus + 1 / Point Blank Shot additional +1 under 30ft

Initiative
Dex = +5

Skills		Ranks	Stat Bonus	Synergy	Misc Bonuses	Total
C	Appraise (Int)	+0	+4	+0	+0	+4
C	Balance (Dex)	+5	+5	+2	+0	+12
C	Bluff (Cha)	+7	+1	+0	+0	+8
C	Climb (Str)	+0	+0	+0	+0	+0
X	Concentration (Con)	+0	+1	+0	+0	+1
C	Craft (Int)	+6	+4	+0	+0	+10
C	Decipher Script (Int)	+0	+4	+0	+0	+4
C	Diplomacy (Cha)	+0	+1	+4	+0	+5
C	Disable Device (Int)	+0	+4	+0	+0	+4
C	Disguise (Cha)	+0	+1	+2	+0	+3
C	Escape Artist (Dex)	+0	+5	+0	+0	+5
C	Forgery (Int)	+0	+4	+0	+0	+4
C	Gather Information (Cha)	+5	+1	+2	+0	+8
X	Handle Animal (Cha)	+0	+1	+0	+0	+1
X	Heal (Wis)	+0	+2	+0	+0	+2
C	Hide (Dex)	+4	+5	+0	+0	+9
C	Intimidate (Cha)	+5	+1	+2	+0	+8
C	Jump (Dex)	+0	+5	+2	+0	+7
C	Knowledge (Int)	+7	+4	+0	+0	+11
C	Listen (Wis)	+0	+2	+0	+0	+2
C	Move Silently (Dex)	+4	+5	+0	+0	+9
C	Open Lock (Dex)	+0	+5	+0	+0	+5
C	Perform (Cha)	+0	+1	+0	+0	+1
C	Profession (Wis)	+6	+2	+0	+0	+8
X	Ride (Dex)	+0	+5	+0	+0	+5
C	Search (Int)	+0	+4	+0	+0	+4
C	Sense Motive (Wis)	+7	+2	+0	+0	+9
C	Sleight of Hand (Dex)	+7	+5	+2	+0	+14
X	Speak Language (n/a)	+0	+0	+0	+0	+0
X	Spellcraft (Int)	+0	+4	+0	+0	+4
C	Spot (Wis)	+6	+2	+0	+0	+8
X	Survival (Wis)	+0	+2	+0	+0	+2
C	Swim (Str)	+0	+0	+0	+0	+0
C	Tumble (Dex)	+7	+5	+0	+0	+12
C	Use Magic Device (Cha)	+7	+1	+0	+0	+8
X	Use Rope (Dex)	+0	+5	+0	+0	+5

Where X is Cross Class and C is a Class Skill

Crafts:
Poisonmaking, Weaponcrafting

Knowledges:
Local, Religion

Profession
Gambler

Languages Known:
Common, Draconic, Drow Sign Language, Literacy, Trade Tongue, Undercommon

Skill Tricks:
None so far

Skill Point Total:

Show Skills Breakdown

1st 52
2nd-4th 9, 9, 9

Feats & Class Abilities

Feats:
Human: Craven
Level 1: Point Blank Shot (+1 attack/damage within 30ft)
Swashbuckler 1: Weapon Finesse
Level 3: Hand Crossbow Focus (Reload as a free action, also gives benefits of weapon focus)

REP1: Precise Shot (Can shoot into melee, no problemo)
REP2: Crossbow Sniper (Half Dex to Damage, and can Sneak Attack up to 60ft)

Class Abilities:
Sneak Attack +1d6
Grace +1 (Competance bonus to reflex saves)
Insightful Strike - Int to damage

Trapfinding - Replaced by - Poison Use

Racial Abilities: http://therafimrpg.wikidot.com/human
Plain ol' Human

Equipment

Weapon	Attack Bonus	Damage	Crit	Damage Type	Weight
MW Elvencraft Hand Crossbow	+10	1d4+C1+CS2+I4+SA1d6	19-20/x2	P	2lb

Range Increment:
30ft (90ft; Gnomish Sights - Ignore first two ranged increments)

Damage Sources:
Attack & Damage Bonus: Not including Point Blank Shot
Craven: +1 on Sneaks
Crossbow Sniper: 1/2 Dex Bonus to Damage (5/2 = 2)
Insightful Strike: Int Bonus to Damage +4
Sneak Attack: +1d6

Armour	Armour Bonus	Max Dex	Armour Check	Arcane Spell Failure	Movement Speed	Weight
Masterwork Studded Leather	+3	+5	-	15%	30ft	20lb

Slot	Item
Head	-
Face	-
Neck	Amber Amulet of Vermin
Shoulders	-
Torso	-
Arms	-
Hands	-
Right Ring	-
Left Ring	-
Waist	-
Feet	Boots of Agile Leaping
Slotless	-

List of Items Here:
Amber Amulet of Vermin, Huge Monstrous Scorpian Edition (700gp)
Boots of Agile Leaping (600gp): Use Dex instead of Str for 'Jump' & 5 in Balance means you can stand from Prone as a 'Swift.'
x1 Crossbow Sight, Gnome (150gp [150gp]) [1lb (1lb)]
x1 Masterwork Elvencraft Hand Crossbow (650gp [650gp]) [2lb (2lb)]
Masterwork Studded Leather (175gp) [20lb]

Misc:
x60 Bolts (6gp): They're good for shooting things.
x3 Clearwater Tablet (1gp [3gp]): Purifies 1 gallon of water, removing poisons, diseases or any other toxins.
Heartfire (10 GP) (2lb): Twelve cubes that when wet give off no heat but 20ft. of light and 20ft. of additional shadow illumination for 24 hours and can be reused by drying off the cube.
Hewards Handy Haversack (2000gp)
x6 Insectbane Candle (1sp [6sp]): For 1 silver piece no vermin will approach you within 5ft. for an hour.
x2 Marbles (2sp [4sp]) [2lb (4lb)]: The destroyer of Frenzied Beserkers everywhere. Forcing a balance check of 15, this can topple near every medium-sized foe you encounter (because seriously, who puts points in balance?).
Milked Huge Monstrous Scorpian Venom - x3 - Personal use, milked from Amulet [Fort DC18; 1d6 Con]

Non-common Sources:
Clearwater Tablet - Complete Scoundrel
Crossbow Sight - Arms and Equipment Guide p35/36
Heartfire - Races of Stone
Insectbane Candle - Arms and Equipment Guide
Marbles - Arms and Equipment Guide

Gideon Reward:
Ivory Card & Playing Cards
Powder… of Happiness?

Spells

Spells per Day
Level	Base	Bonus	Total
-	-	-	-

Spell DCs:
Spell Level	Mod	Misc	Total + 10(Base DC)
-	-	-	-

Questionnaire

A: Appearance

• 1) Describe yourself as someone meeting you for the first time would see you.

A well dressed vagabond that has the garb of a nobleman but wears it like a typical vagabond. His 'ten gallon' hat is perhaps the most distinctive aspect of his suit attire, along with a well grommed moustache. His build is slender, more a runner than a brawler, but there's a clear tone in his form that suggests he probably takes an effort to keep in shape.

• 2) What other details would someone notice on a closer look?

Brown eyes, so dark they coud be mistaken for black coals of mischief.

• 3) Do you have a distinctive way of speaking or any other mannerisms or memorable behavior?

He has a bit of an accent from his homeland, a bit of flavour from the various places he has visited on his travels. Overall it comes off as a bit 'wild west,' but he's clearly an educated man.

B: Birth and Family

• 1) Where and when were you born?

Wake, run, hide, forage, eat, study, sleep. That is the life of a child born into a family of the Lightlost, but he was fortunate at least that one of his parents was a surface dweller. They had been making a last attempt to break out into the surface when Faro's mother went into labor, and the Underdark is just about the worst place for that the happen. Before they could make their escape they were re-captured at the mouth of an exit to the surface, outside there were storms raging and the flashes of powerful bolts of lightning. It was the last his parents ever saw of the surface, and they did so through the barred cages of a Vamipre thralls' slaving carriage.

• 2) Who are your parents?

Both of his parents are dead without even the courtesy of being buried in unmarked graves, for their repeated insolence in the form of escape attempts they were killed mercilessly and raised as mindless ghouls by their vampire masters.

• 3) Do you have any siblings?

None that he is aware of, although he often saw his mother crying in his early years on a specific day of the calendar. It was probably some accident, a death, a miscarriage, but he never pressed to find out more.

• 4) Do you know any members of your extended family?

The Lightlost and other sentients that made up the thrall herd of Blackjack's vampire masters were unrelated to him, and even if they were related they were mostly too scared to talk to each other. They lived in perpetual fear, so potent it never quite left Faro even when he finally made his escape.

• 5) How did you get along with your family?

It's difficult really to 'get along' with a family in the circumstances which he was raised, just another plaything for the vampires. His parents couldn't do anything to protect him, they tried, but it was futile. There was no real sense of family in the darkness, beyond biological ties they were barely allowed to exchange words during the 'day' for risk of punishment. Most of their interaction came in the form of education, forcing the history of their respective families into their child so that it would live on… once his mother was a noble, but no more. She was one of many discard courtesans of the vampires, but in time she came to love Faro's father… or at least appear to.

C: Education and Work

• 1) Did you serve an apprenticeship in order to learn your current profession/class? For how long?

A single playing card was one of the only 'gifts' Faro ever received as a child, it was, coincidentally a black Jack. Although it was just a tattered piece of paper, it was the closest thing to a toy he had during his childhood and even into his adolescence. When he finally made his escape into the surface world as a teenager, gambling just seemed to call to him.

His proficiency with the handcrossbow is something that he picked up to defend himself, the vampires allowed him it one year for 'especially pleasing' one of the vampires. It wasn't until he broke free that he had much chance to practice with it though.

• 2) If you were not an apprentice, how did you learn your trade/skills/ect? Formal schooling? Informal Teachers? Self-Taught?

Self-taught, though it took a long time before he became good enough to scrape together decent coin to make a living for himself. His early years of 'freedom' were no better than slavery, begging in streets and feeding off of rats and other easy to obtain foodstuffs.

• 3) Due to the rarity of literacy in this setting, how important are books, writings, letters, ect. to your character? Regardless as to whether or not he/she can read?

Books are important to Blackjack, but he wouldn't cry if someone ripped a page out of one. They're practical things, and pornographical texts are quite informative. He has little patience for written fiction, silly books which let you escape the harsh reality of the world.

• 4) Do you have a job other than "adventurer"? Who do you work for? How much of your time does this require?

He gambles in his spare time, sometimes he's lucky and other times he isnt but he has a bit of a reputation as an upcoming professional in the gambling business.

D: Friends

1) Who were your friends as a child? As an adolescent? As an adult?

Faro mistakenly thought that his Vampire masters were his friends, even lovers at times. Slaves weren't allowed to have friends, but he wasn't called a slave, he was called a 'pet' or 'pretty boy' or some such similar label. Sometimes he would be called Faro by the Vampires who most adored his company, but it wasn't like they were with him out of the kindness in their hearts.

2) How many of these people are still alive? How many are you still friends with?

As far as he's aware, the Vampires are still probably alive and enslaving more people as they need to. Some people might want to go back and seek revenge, but Faro doesn't. Aside from the likelihood of being recaptured or killed, the deep emotional scars that his time with the Vampires have left on him make it difficult to even think about.

3) Who is/was your best friend? What is the most memorable thing that the two of you ever did together?

Several of the Vampires said they loved him, some loved monogamously, others polyamorously, some as a child, others while he was a teen. The most memorable thing he did was participate in the games of the Vampires willingly, it was all he knew and he saw them as role models so participated in their vice fully and without hesitation. Even if he had hesitated, it wasn't like he had any choice, but he never uses that as an excuse to himself.

4) What do you look for in a friend?

Gold and giggles, a hot body, he might not be capable of friendship in the traditional sense. He can get to know people, but usually he isn't even sure what he thinks about them. His thoughts and actions often aren't in congruence with each other, and closeness is difficult given the circumstances of his upbringing and his personality.

5) Have you ever been in love? Was it reciprocated? Do you have (or have you had) a boy-/girlfriend, a lover, or a spouse? More than one? Are you looking for one? What do you look for in a romantic partner?

Blackjack was raised in debauchery, so he doesn't have any real hesitation when it comes to sex. He has thought he was in love, with the Vampires, but he has probably never truly made love to someone. For now he treats sex as a commodity or a tool, its only value being what it can do for you or how much you have to pay to get it.

E: Attitudes and Beliefs

• 1) What are your beliefs about religion and the afterlife? Do you follow any particular god or gods? What appeals to you most about this religion? Least?

Faro isn't an atheist, he believes in a 'lady luck'. As for belief in religion and the gods in general though, he has no interest, just as they had no interest in him for the years he spent in darkness. There are doubtless far stronger things than man out there, but perhaps they are just as interested in the servitude of man as the Vampires were. In a nutshell, cynical.

• 2) Where do spirits of nature, the elements and the dead fit into these beliefs?

Faro has no doubts about the existance of all kinds of paranormal, life in the Underdark and with Vampires left no doubt of that in his mind.

• 3) What gods, religions, or priesthoods will you have nothing to do with?

He's indifferent towards them all, at least until they start recanting their scriptures, at which point he'd most likely rapidly lose interest in their company or perhaps ridicule.

• 4) What is your moral code? Under what conditions will you kill? Steal? Lie? Do you have a personal code of behavior about violence? Magic? Sex? Dealing with Evil Beings?

Judge a man on his actions, but judge them in the present. Try not to dwell too much on the past, and just do what you have to do to survive. People can change, sometimes 'evil' is necessary, his moral code is flexible and geared in accordance to his jaded survival instincts.

• 5) How committed are you to seeing through something (a task, quest, bargain, etc) that you have started?

If the deal is fair, he'll probably see it through unless the circumstances change. If it comes to a decision between the task and his life, he'll go for saving his own hide unless doing so would get him killed anyway - in which case it becomes a momentary conundrum.

• 6) How important are the following to you?: Power, Wealth, Fame, Honor, Family, Friends, Love, Knowledge, Religion, Your job? To what lengths would you go to acquire or preserve these things?

Gold and giggles, that's all that matters to him. So long as he can continue to live the life which he has become accustomed to and never again return to the darkness which he was raised in, that'll be just dandy. Right now any other concerns are secondary to him, power may facilitate wealth, honor is worthless if you're dead. His experiences have left him twisted and jaded, cynical to his core, unable to show genuine kindness to anyone that isn't another cripple, bastard or 'broken thing' like himself.

• 7) How often do you remember your dreams? How much attention do you pay to them? Do they inspire you? Guide you? Inspire You? Warn you? Frighten You?

If he hasn't gotten laid in a while then he can have some pretty vivid, sometimes lucid sex dreams. Mostly he doesn't pay much attention to dreams and would probably mock a person if they did.

• 8) What is your attitude towards magic? People who use it? Fearsome monsters? The unknown in general?

He has seen how magic can be used for great evil, so he is naturally hesitant to throw in his lot with spellcasters. He wouldn't let it be known that he had his hesitations though, better for them not to suspect a dagger in the back before it arrives. That's not to say he doesn't also appreciate there are good spellcasters out there, just that it's potentially dangerous, and he hasn't had the best experiences up till now.

F: Edges and Flaws

• 1) What are you especially good at? What sets you apart from the rest of the world? A skill? An unusual knack? A certain flair of style or wit?

A little wit, some gambling prowess and a dead eye with his handcrossbows. One day he will probably be legend for all of the above.

• 2) What flaws do you have? Bad habits? Obsessions? Terrible (or embarrassing) secrets?

Difficulty to trust, love, let down his guard, see people are more than commodities. All of the typical problems you can relate to a man with traumatic childhood. His more mundane and easier to comprehend vices are gambling, drinking, and sex.

• 3) Do you have any enemies? How much trouble do those conflicts cause you?

The Vampires he ran away from would probably skin him alive if they ever caught him and turn the flesh into sheathes for their eternal pleasure, or they might just do what they wanted with him until they got bored and got rid of him somehow. His experiences with the Vampires have shaped his entire life, so you could say it's a perpetual trouble, but it's not one he's consciously battling with day to day. He'd rather forget about it, and does a pretty good job too.

G: Likes and Dislikes

• 1) What do you love? (People? Places? Creatures? Kinds of Food? Activities? Subjects?)

Gambling, freedom, beauty, pleasure. Although he'd never realise it or agree, he also has a soft spot for people like himself.

• 2) What do you hate? How do you typically react to these hated things?

The thought of being captive, or having to live off of scraps. You'd think he'd hate the vampires, but there's a fucked up kind of love/hate thing going on that'd take some serious therapy to work out.

• 3) What do you fear? What is your worst nightmare?

As above, Vampires, fear itself, death, loss of liberty, impotence.

H: Miscellaneous

• 1) Describe your first encounter with a nonhuman monster.

The first 'monster' that Faro was exposed to was as a child, Vampires naturally, but they had various other thralls. Minotaurs, ghosts, wraiths, a menagerie of undead and races some of which he never learnt the name for. As a child it was the minotaurs that scared him most, not because they were powerful, but because he knew some of the Vampires favoured them in the bedroom and he was scared they would take his place.

• 2) If you have any unusual possessions, describe how you acquired them. Is their value practical, monetary, sentimental or some combination of these?

An old pack of playing cards in an Ivory Box. He won the box from a strange twisted creature in Avalon recently, and inside he placed the cards he'd used from childhood along with his tattered old 'Black Jack'.

He also has his Handcrossbows, gifted to him by his ex-masters/lovers, he values them and they have a lot of history and meaning behind them.

• 3) Please describe your characters general background, this may be any length you wish, but at least one paragraph. You may use any or all of the information above, or new information not covered.

Faro Blackjack is neither a lawman or an assassin, although he made attempts to begin training as an honest man in his youth necessity has made him a gambler. His upbringing was that of a gentleman; a bizarre mix of the aristocracy in his blood and that of his former masters. After earning his freedom, fate has left him playing the role of adventuring vagabond. Faro's view can be philosophical, and his wit caustic. While he may look like any other human, he is part 'Lightlost' and carries the significance of that birthright and many emotional scars within himself.