Snaggle, who punches things until they're on fire.

[Varil]

Link to Pathbuilder sheet:

https://pathbuilder2e.com/launch.html?build=582328

Ancestry : Goblin(Charhide)

Background : Sponsored by a Stranger

Class : Monk

(Planned) Archetype : Druid(Flame Order)

Alignment : CG

Ancestry/Heritage traits : Small, 25' pace, Darkvision, 1/2 level Fire Resistance(min 1), DC 10 checks to remove persistent fire damage.

Background traits : Nature, Insect Lore, Dubious Knowledge

Class features : Powerful Fist(Unarmed strikes are 1d6 and take no penalty for lethal or nonlethal attacks), Flurry of Blows(Flourish, 1a, attack twice[MAP as normal])

Feats : Burn It!(+1 persistent fire damage dealt), Dubious Knowledge(On failed knowledge checks learn something true and something untrue), Stoked Flame Stance(+5' movement per 4 levels[min +5'], may perform Flashing Spark strikes)

Ability Scores : Str 18(+2) Dex 14(+4) Con 12(+1) Int 10(+0) Wis 12(+1) Cha 12(+1)

Skills : Acrobatics +5, Athletics +7, Intimidation +4, Lore(Insect) +3, Nature +4, Survival +4

Defenses : 17 HP, 17 AC, Fort +6, Refl +7, Will +6, Per +4, Resist Fire 1

Darkvision, Pace 25'(30' in stance)

Strikes : Unarmed Strike +7 1d6+4 bludgeoning[Agile, Finesse, Nonlethal, Unarmed] ; Flashing Spark +7 1d8+4[Forceful, Nonlethal, Sweep, Unarmed]

 

A Meeting With a Stranger

"I don't follow." Snaggle frowned in the dream, looking at the vague figure from his memories. The figure spoke, but the words were a haze. Meaning without language. The Charhide wasn't sure why he couldn't remember the figure very well, but despite that the conversation itself was stark in his mind.

"Well, fire is pretty! Wait, nobody ever likes that reason. It also keeps me warm, and my home safe. Nobody messes with fire!" dream-memory-Snaggle grinned at that, but he remembered that the figure responded seriously, as if the goblin had spoken profoundly.

"Yeah? Of course I like protecting my home. Everyone I like is there." The stranger seemed pleased at this response. "We build our homes out of wood." A probing question. "Ha, would you invade a home that might burn down around you? Of course not!" Another question. "That's why we build them out of wood! Nobody cares about wood." <...> "Sure, stone houses don't really burn down, but then we'd care about them if they do get destroyed."

<...>

"I guess so. Lots of stuff out there is hard to kill with fire, or is too dumb to care if you use fire to kill it. But we have like...swords and stuff too." <...> "Not me! I punch things!" <...> "What the heck is immune to fire, swords, AND punches?" <...> "Dragons are cheating." <...> "What's an 'elemental'?" The stranger spoke for longer this time, detailing the creature. "That sounds awesome! But alright, a 'fire elemental' would be pretty hard to deal with. But I'm not sure how stone houses would fix this." <...> "You're the one who brought up stone houses!"

He remembered being irritated a little, pretty sure the odd person was just messing with him, but the figure continued speaking. "...hmmm. Okay, I see your point. But what else can we even do?" <...> "All I can do is punch fire at stuff, not...any of that other stuff you mentioned." <...> "How did you know about that?! And that only works like...once, then I need a break." <...> "Haha! Nobody is going to teach a Charhide magic! That's crazy. Even I think it's crazy, because I know exactly what sort of mischief I'd get up to."

<...>

"Where is....Magaambya? Sounds familiar." <...> "Wait, THE magic academy? I'd be lucky if they didn't burn me if I showed up at their gates!"

The stranger spoke for longer this time, asking a series of questions that Snaggle remembered shaking and nodding his head at. He didn't remember the details of the questions, but he remembered the part that came after.

"You're...right, I guess? I don't want to burn down the whole Mwangi or anything. But that hardly makes me 'in tune with nature' or whatever." <...> "Really? They'd take me?" An affirmation, followed by a long silence.

"Okay." Even Snaggle wasn't sure why he'd agreed so quickly. It wasn't really like him to make big decisions to easily. Little decisions are easy, nobody cares about little decisions. But deciding to leave? To go to Nantambu? But he wanted to. Something about the stranger's words had resonated with him. The desire to learn how to better protect his home, the chance to learn things beyond the confines of his village, and...

Snaggle woke up, the trailing fragments of his dream scattered. He heard someone traveling down the nearby road, chatting with a companion. He was near the city now, only a few hours out, and had buried himself in a pile of leaves, twigs, and undergrowth to hide while he slept. He sat up, groggy but alert. His nerves were frayed, thoughts of showing up at the academy and being turned away bouncing around his head. Almost every time he closed his eyes, the conversation came back. The clarity never improved, but the last part always stuck with him. Even now it was what drove him to get up, dust off his clothes, and return to the road. He wanted, more than he had ever wanted anything, to learn everything Magaambya had to offer. Fire magic, ice magic, storm magic. Whatever it had to offer. And if that meant learning to be a Druid, of all things...well, he wanted that too.

 

Edited November 8, 2023 by Varil (see edit history)