Brand & Caida

[LucianV]

Old Brand & Caida

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Status: 100%

Old Brand & Caida
Hunter, Trapper, Hermit

 

General Info Race Human Classes Unchained Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) | Hunter (Feykiller) Gender Male Age 56 Campaign Trait Exile (Restless Wayfarer) Quote "Buy me an ale, and we'll call it even!" Theme Song Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

 

General Info Race Wolf Class Wolf Gender Female Age 3 Campaign Trait She's a wolf... Quote "Howl!" Theme Song She's a wolf...

Description

 

A single fine braid decorates the left side of Old Brand's wild tangle of grey hair. The beating of the sun and snow and sea against his skin has made it weathered and leathery, giving him a rather worn and tired look. Perhaps the only part of him that hasn't seen the ravages of age are his stormy blue eyes, which still burn with a fiery intensity and hunger of a much younger man. Dozens of scars from decades of battle decorate his chest and arms, which still swell with youthful vigor. Coupled with his prodigious height and built frame, the old man cuts an impressively intimidating figure. He prefers the warmth of animal skin cloaks, particularly those that he has hunted or killed himself. His boar hide pants are a mottled brown and in dire need of replacement, but he just can't seem to replace them because of the story he claims go with them. An array of weapons hang from his back and belt, but they all look as though they have seen better days.


Backstory & Personality

 

It came to you in a dream. Sitting in a room, seated at a comfortable table with an almost over-cushioned chair with a sense of serene safety. A short and somewhat hefty bespectacled man easily mistaken for a tall Dwarf sits across from you, rustling through sheaves of paper while running the feather of an extravagant quill pen through his beard. He ignores any questions or protests you have but returns with many of his own. Something compels you to answer
honestly.

Who are you and where are you from? What do/did you do there?

Old Brand pulled a small whalebone pipe from a pouch and began to stuff it with dried leaves as he listened quietly to the man's question. With a snap of his leathery fingers, a small spark ignited the packed leaves, sending small motes of smoke into the air.

"You bring a man...somewhere...and you don't even offer him an ale or some hot broth?!" Old Brand shook his head as he clenched the pipe between his teeth and took a few long puffs. He buried himself a bit deeper into the chair, the soft padding felt nice on his weary back. This was a really nice chair, when their business was concluded, he'd have to see if the man was willing to trade for it.

The old man cleared his throat before he began to speak. "People call me Old Brand. I'm a trapper by trade. I live near the bottom of the Southern Range, have for decades. Didn't always live there though."

 

"I wasn't always Old Brand either... I was born Korut of the Bearpelt Following in the Realm of the Mammoth Lords far, far from here. It is a place of ice and snow, savage beasts, and heroic warriors. My twin brother Kuldor and I were sons of the Herder. We fought over everything..." Old Brand chuckled as he thought back to the days of his youth. "And when our father died, we fought to become the next Herder of the Following. I still remember the battle clear as I see you. Kuldor was strangely sluggish, the fight went on for sometime, but in the end I was victorious...Victory didn't last long though, turns out Kuldor had been drugged. What's more, whoever did left their cowardly tools in my tent! Kuldor knew I wouldn't do something so vile, he had to have known. But our laws were clear. He did the only thing he could to stop me from being stoned to death...He exiled me."

Brand's face visibly soured as he thought about the sudden turn of events. He hadn't spoken about them in...decades.

"I headed east. Figured I'd make my way to the Worldwound, clean up that whole affair. Before I got there was when I met Brand...

He was an adventurer, and a crazy one at that. It didn't take long for him to convince me to join up with his men. We traveled through Varisia, ran a Cheliaxian naval blockade, crossed the deserts of Osirion, saw the great city of Absalom..." Brand shook his head and wagged a finger at the man. "Now that is a city. Glows at night like the sun never set!"

His expression grew dark as he continued. "Sadly Brand never made it home. We landed in Oppara and there were assassins waiting. Only a few of us survived. It was my fault. If I'd been less concerned with taking all the glory and more concerned with watching my companion's backs...Things would have been different. Brand made me swear with his dying breath that I'd take his body to his family.

So I traveled to Ortalaca. Hard to imagine at first. A world traveling mercenary leader from that tiny little town like that? But the moment I saw his wife and daughter, I understood why he couldn't ever consider any place else his home.

It was the hardest thing I ever had to do...Tell his family...In the end I gave them my share of our treasure too. It wasn't like I wouldn't have just wasted it. Looking back it was guilt; I felt like I owed them so much more.

I couldn't bring myself to stray too far, but I felt too guilty to face them everyday. It was then that I took his name, seemed the only way to honor him really, and I certainly didn't need mine anymore.

In the end I settled in the mountains nearby, it made the most sense since I knew how to live off the land, even the mountains most people here consider barren are abundant with resources compared to my homeland. But anyway, I'm starting to ramble. What else did you want to know?"

What do you know of Heldren? What does Heldren know of you?

"I had better! I knew Theodora when she was the fairest woman in town!" Brand turned to look behind him before leaning toward the man and whispering. "That's a lie, she was ancient long before I started showing up, but don't tell her I said that."

"There is quite a bit you can't make yourself in the mountains, so I generally bring my pelts down, trade for supplies, and make my way back home a few times a year. I've been visiting Heldren now for...going on twenty years. I helped cut the lumber for some of the oldest buildings still standing!

Good people in Heldren. City folk will smile to your face while they steal the copper from your pouch, but good honest farming folk you can trust.

I always bring those black licorice candies Ionnia likes, been doing it since she was no higher than my knee. She pays me for them now of course, insists on having all her debts paid." The old warrior waves a hand dismissively, taking another few puffs from his pipe before continuing.

"I keep a pretty regular schedule, I make the trip through a few times a year. The Silver Stoat always makes sure I have a room. Aye, nice folk in Heldren."

I've heard and seen the early winter in Heldren. What do you think of it?

Brand scratched his chin hidden beneath his shaggy white beard as he stared at the ceiling and pondered the question.

"I remember one year seeing frost in Lamashan, but snow in summer? It's the sort of thing some people would call an ill omen."

"I haven't seen or heard any signs of it myself. Creatures seem just as noisy as usual for this time of year." Brand took the pipe from his mouth and pointed it at the man a few times as he continued to speak.

"If you want to know what's going on, always look to the animals. Birds are silent during an ambush, deer won't graze near anything unnatural. Perhaps I'll take a stroll through the Border Wood after I pass through Heldren, see if the animals really are settling in, or if this is just another rumor being churned out from the mill.

Not too worried about my own place. I keep enough firewood chopped to last three winters! The first few years I lived here, I didn't even need firewood to keep my house warm. This place certainly has made me softer..." The old man chuckles to himself and lets out a yawn. "Best pack a few extra supplies just in case though."

Would you consider yourself an adventurer? A mercenary? A treasure hunter? If none of those things, then what?

Brand nodded slowly "Used to be. Sailed all over the with a mercenary group after I...departed.

Don't get me wrong, I can still swing a sword better than any of those halfwits in Zimar. But I'm getting up there in years, as long as there are a few youngsters around to seek glory, no need for me to get involved anymore. Still a damn good guide though, and you won't find a better tracker for a hundred miles.

Who am I kidding? If folk need help, then I'll help them. We people of the land need to stick together."

The news of a noblewoman being kidnapped is a terrifying occurrence in such a small village. What terrifies you?

"Anything is big news in a small enough place. I hate snakes, but I don't think that's what you mean.

When you live long enough, so many things you feared in your youth seem so trivial. Brand's death shook me. I was never afraid to die, but when you see the faces of those you leave behind in tears...I'll be damned if that isn't worse than facing down a shadow dragon in the middle of the Darklands. Suppose that's why never found myself a woman.

When I was young I was afraid of not having glory. Being known as a coward and a liar...A dishonorable death...I suppose old age. Getting too old to take care of myself, everything starts going...Some even go mad in their old age." Brand's vacant stare said it all. "I suppose when it gets to be that time for me, I'll go find myself a hungry bear and wrestle him to the ground.

Kidnappings a new thing though." Brand spit on the ground, a look of disgust on his face. "I've killed more than my share of bandits over the years. People who involve themselves in that sort of thing...they ain't people. Maybe I'll get a few of the boys together and go take a walk around to make sure the area is safe."

What does it take for you to consider a stranger an ally? A friend? An enemy?

"A strong drink or a good fight!" Brand grinned as he stuffed a bit more tobacco into his pipe. "People come and go, so make friends where you can.

It's strange to think about, but death brings people together. Experiencing that rush of danger creates a bond. You have to trust the people watching your back. Facing down a dozen worgs on a moonless night with one torch between the three of you...if that doesn't bring you together, I don't know what will.

When I was young, I was a bit more impetuous. Anything could set me off. I once punched a man in a tavern for looking at me funny. Turned out his face was always that way, so afterward I spent almost all my coin buying the whole tavern rounds to make up for it. Age tempers that sort of thing. Now I'd ask if his face was always that funny looking before throwing a swing!" Brand slapped his knee as he let out a booming laugh.

"Caida is the troublemaker of the two of us." Brand bent down to pet the gray fur of the wolf that sat at his feet. "Found her as a pup about three years ago trying to tangle with a bear cub. She might have won too if the momma bear hadn't come along. Didn't seem the little runt had anyone to back her, but that didn't stop her. Felt bad for her, so I stepped in. Me and momma exchanged a few blows, then she decided it was just better to leave.

I reached down to pet the damned little runt and wouldn't you know she bit me! Ungrateful thing has been following me ever since." As if she understood, Caida began to playfully bite at Brand's hand. "I was even on good terms with the bear after that, we spent a whole summer fishing in the same river! Point is, you can find friends and allies the most unlikely of places."

"As for enemies...Can't say I have any of those. They are all dead. I might be too old to go looking for trouble, but I don't ever shy away from it when it comes looking for me. They say the fire only goes out in Kellid blood when they are dead and buried under the ice."

Time for some hypotheticals. As you're walking through town, you take a wrong turn into a small and quiet side street. You hear a rustle behind and suddenly someone is behind you. Before they can say or do anything, what do you do?

"Hypawhaticals? You casting a spell or choking on a chicken bone? I expect next I'll hear you say something stupid like: Osakabe-hime is the best kitsune." Brand shook his head and gave his pipe another puff. "No seriously, if you say that, we're done."

Once the man had explained what a hypothetical was, Brand nodded slowly. "Why didn't you just say so?"

The giant of a man pondered the question for a long moment. "I suppose there isn't too much to worry about. Some of my closest friends showed up out of nowhere in an alley. Once I even met a girl who fell from the sky! Well, technically it was the third story window, but I caught her and we had a great night on the town all the same.

"Experience'll teach you to temper action with insight. Even if you're caught off guard, you need to assess the situation." Brand began to count on his fingers as he went through each point.

"What are they wearing? Look at their stance, especially their hips and shoulders. In that split second between being stabbed and them asking for directions, their physical position can tell you a lot.

I'd probably have to tell Caida to heel as well, wouldn't want her ripping their leg off.

You gotta look them in the eye. When you've been a hunter as long as I have, you can tell the difference between a predator and prey without too much trouble."

Now let's twist that question. Instead of a small side street, you turn onto the market's main thoroughfare. Same person, but now this woman has an arm around your shoulder and is acting like your best friend.

Now it was Brand's turn to raise an eyebrow. "First thing I'd do is wonder what I've done to earn this woman's attention. The days of women throwing themselves at me is...mostly over. I learned never to offend a woman when I was young. In my homeland they have stories about witches who disguise themselves as normal women and put men through trials. Many a warrior has fallen to curses...if you believe the tales." The old warrior shrugged casually.

"As long as my coin pouch is still where it should be, I've no reason to turn down such company! Perhaps I'll even buy her a drink and regale her with a tale from my youth!

If I had a silver for every time I ever woke up naked in the street after just such an experience, I'd be richer than the king of Taldor!" Brand emptied his pipe on the table and took a deep breath as he stretched his arms. "This has been fun, but it is about time I woke up." Standing up, the barbarian towered over the man, gave a slight nod and looked around for the exit.

 

I know what you're going to ask: "This dude sounds like he was level 15! How can you explain all of this?
Simply put, Brand is old. I sort of imagine him as a past hero who has actually aged. Adventures at this point is him getting back to where he was, shaking off the rust, and remembering all the little things he's just forgotten because he hasn't used them in decades. I really like the idea of always having stories to share (even if they sound utterly ridiculous)

I know you put that warning about being from Irrisen, but I honestly feel like having someone who has investment in the area makes it more meaningful than just a bunch of randos from halfway around the world.

I actually really enjoyed the prompts. I think doing it in character is a fun way to start getting a feel for the characters voice. I'd be really interested in talking to you about the things you look for in some of the answers.

[LucianV]

Old Brand Mountain Man HP: 33/34 | AC: 16 Perception +8 Spell Slots   1st:

Caida Alpha Wolf HP: 21/27 | AC: 17 Perception +5 Current Command   ???

 

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Actions

Caida:
Move:
Standard:
Swift:

Brand:
Free:
Move:
Swift:
Standard:

Brand 

Old Brand
Male CG Human (Kellid) UC Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) | Hunter (Feykiller)
Level 3, Init 3, HP 34/34 [6 THP], Speed 30(40)ft, DR 1/-
AC 16 [14], Touch 11 [9], Flat-footed 15 [13], CMD 17, Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +3 [+5], CMB +6, BAB 3
Greatsword (Power Attack) +7 (2d6+6 [+3 power attack], 19-20x2)
Greatsword (Raging) (Power Attack) +9 (2d6+8 [+3 power attack], 19-20x2)
Greatsword (Fatigued) +6 (2d6+4 [+3 power attack], 19-20x2)
Ice Coat +1 (+5 Armor, +1 Dex, -1 ACP)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 13
Conditions
Track (+1/2 Level to Survival Checks to follow tracks)
Extreme Endurance [Cold] (Constant Endure Elements)
Current Aspect N/A
Animal Focus 2/3
Animal Focus:
Rage Remaining: 8/10 rounds

Caida

Caida
Female N Wolf, HD 3, Init +3, HP 27/27, Speed 50ft
AC 17, Touch 13, Flat-footed 14, CMD 18 (22 vs. trip), Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2, CMB +5, Base Attack Bonus 2
Bite +7 (1d6+3 plus trip)
Natural Armor (+4 Natural Armor, +3 Dex)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +5, Stealth +7, Survival +1 (+4 scent based tracking)
Feats Weapon Focus (Bite), Toughness
Tricks Attack [2], Down, Flank, Track, Sic 'Em, Vengeance Strike, Bolster Companion
Current Aspect Bull (+2 enhancement to Str)
Conditions
Low-light vision, Scent, Link, Share Spells, Evasion
Iron Talons (Bite) [bite treated as cold iron]
Magic Attacks [attacks treated as magical]
Skirmisher Tricks 2/2

 

[LucianV]

 

Level Advancement

 

Level 2

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Outflank 

Caida

 

 

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Level 3

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