Tobin Samagwi, Who Can Choose For Himself

[The Foiler]

Whisper Elf Rogue (Thief) Vampire with the Mantis Scion background. In the mechanical sense, he's focused on covering ground and delivering attacks without getting bogged down in combat, you know, like an assassin. Plenty of utility as far as stealth and scouting, took the eye slash so I have 4x the sight distance and can discern blood in darkness (feels pretty vampiric), nice array of skills I think. Extended Seek range and bonuses to locating undetected creatures. Main weapons will be the spear and the bow, shortsword if he's somehow unable to get to his spear because reach weapons don't have the 5' disadvantage if PF2, and the dagger is his holdout blade.

Edited July 12, 2023 by The Foiler (see edit history)

[The Foiler]

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TOBIN SAMAGWI

A Tool Freed From Unclean Hands

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"In this mockery of life, I am pawn no longer." Elven Branched Spear +8, 1d6+4 P Shortsword +8, 1d6+4 S/P Shortbow 60', +8, 1d6 P Dagger +8, 1d4+4 P/S

Level: 2 Class: Rogue   Racket: Thief Background: Mantis Scion Deity: Achaekek Alignment: LN (formerly LE)   Height: 6' 1" Weight: 170lbs Eyes: red Skin: slate blue Hair: perfect   Race: Whisper Elf Gender: Male Age: largely irrelevant   Class DC 18

Abilities Ability | Modifier STR: 10 | +0 DEX: 18 | +4 CON: 12 | +1 INT: 12 | +1 WIS: 12 | +1 CHA: 14 | +2   Hit Points: 24/24 HP/Level: 6 + CON Armor Class: 19 Size: Medium Speed: 30 ft   Perception: +7 Fort Save: +5 Ref Save: +10 Will Save: +7

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Background:

The Samagwi family, like the rest of their clan, were devotees of Achaekek and had been for ages long lost, each member in turn serving as acolyte, with most graduating to assassin and a few serving as priests, until the centuries dulled their knives and they returned as teachers and elders. Tobin did not know what generation of his small but venerable clan he belonged to, but it was said they had followed the way of the Mantis God since the early years of Absalom in the Age of Enthronement, and that was enough for Tobin. He had a life of purpose and pride in himself, his skills, and his life - a true believer - and it looked to be a long life at that for the old-blooded Elf.

Perhaps the servants of another god might have received some kind of intervention in those eons, but the Mantis God is famously impartial and over time, the Samagwi came under the influence and patronage of well-monied but ill-meaning benefactors and slowly but surely the Samagwi family's services were contracted more and more for work outside their edicts. Trust and coin are more powerful than any illusion spell, and if any of Achaekek's faithful had worked out the truth of it, they did not survive to share that information.

So it went for Tobin, who spent the last few years of his mortal life on the payroll of one Ekul Ghossalm, a necromancer who provided plenty of work. What Tobin came to learn, and far too late, was that this work was impure, and his spirit's proverbial guts twisted when he finally saw the bird's-eye view of the truth, stuck in the Boneyard awaiting who-knew-what. The Mantis God himself was indifferent; Tobin Samagwi tried to avoid letting his mind dwell on who or what might take an interest in him if he remained in this cosmic holding pen too long.

The circumstances of his actual death are unspectacular; Ekul and the rest of the crew were ambushed by crusaders, sparking one of the very first doubts Tobin had ever experienced, but they scattered and he had no time - yet - to think it over as he blundered through unfamiliar streets in the old part of town, through crumbling brick doorways and over rusted gates before stumbling, with an arrow in his back and another in his leg, going ass-over-teakettle into a disused root cellar, right into the welcoming jaws of an incredibly lucky vampire. No lord, this was just some ragged bloodsucker no better than a revenant, probably not even half Tobin's own age in life and unlife combined. But Tobin was hurt and taken by surprise, and his eyes saw his drained body hit the ground as they bleared over, the clangety clomps of crusader boots echoing closer - if they saved him from being turned right there by unknowingly scaring off his attacker, Tobin did not know. His body was dragged into the street and presumably collected some time later.

And then there he was, or not really, his essence biding time and being forcibly shown the greater context of his life's deeds in the Boneyard. Tobin was sick and angry that he and so many had been duped, and the edicts of the Crimson Mantis broken, his mortal followers unknowingly corrupted. He had been content, truly, to have been the impartial tool of the Mantis, who demanded only that the kills be dispassionate and, for wont of a better word, fair. He had never killed in anger, but he had unwittingly killed for the greed and cruelty of those who held no respect for his ancient and pure vocation. A joke perhaps, that only in death did the assassin get the first real glimpse of his life, or so Tobin thought. And he might have dwelt on those thoughts forever had he not been pulled, abruptly and possibly screaming, back into his body some few mortal years later by - and wouldn't you guess who won the pony - Ekul Ghossalm himself, now a changed and more heavily-worn man than Tobin remembered.

Ghossalm's mission was different now, and so was Tobin. For one, the body he came back to was cold and thirsty. Whatever magic brought him back also completed his turning, and he worked out quite quickly that he was now, in fact, a vampire. Ekul was part of the reason he was in this predicament, the reason his divine calling had been perverted, and Tobin considered christening his fangs on his throat right then and there, but reason won out in his heart. Tobin had been fooled, but he would not allow himself to be a fool. Whatever Ekul's past had wrought, Tobin was sufficiently convinced that the man had the right of things now. And Tobin had to make right as well - the Mantis' work had to be done, and Tobin was the only one of his living weapons - or unliving weapons as the case may be - that was free to do so with confidence and purity of purpose, to the best of his knowledge at least. Ekul Ghossalm could now point him in the direction he knew he was divinely mandated to go - aim him, as it were - and so, for what would be the first of many times, Tobin made an informed choice. Now he just had to find his stuff...

 

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Description:

Tobin is a bit slender and a bit tall but not remarkably so in either direction, with long straight black hair and grey-blue skin, a throwback to ancestors forgotten that appeared unpredictably in certain generations of his line. To the observer he was probably just one more Elf or Half-Elf dandy in exceedingly flattering clothing if they bothered to look at all and, practiced at subterfuge as he is, Tobin easily passes as a mortal of some kind or other. He moves extremely comfortably in his new body, this parasitic change bringing with it heightened senses and preternatural reflexes that he plainly enjoys. Matte black leathers with a vermilion tunic were and are his uniform. Though well-versed in disguise, Tobin Samagwi is rarely seen wearing anything else these days. In open combat Tobin prefers the traditional bow and spear of his people, with a pair of smaller blades at his waist for restricted quarters and wetwork.

 

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Personality:

Tobin has an outwardly reserved appearance but in peaceful situations is witty and gracious, if just a bit quiet. He is not shy and perfectly capable of mingling with princes and paupers alike, essential skills for a Samagwi, with a wry and dry sense of humor. He was never much for dice or cards but loves snooker and darts, and enjoys studying other deities on the off chance that he might need to kill them. Tobin occasionally leans into the fact that he easily intimidates civilian-folk for his own amusement but is not cruel or malicious - it's just a little bit of fun to make someone who happens to glance the wrong way jump, especially when so much of what he did involved going unnoticed. He does not shake hands nor does he bow, offering only a curt but respectful and unblinking nod in habit of greeting.

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Edited July 15, 2023 by The Foiler (see edit history)

[The Foiler]

TOBIN SAMAGWI - Elf Vampire Assassin Application  Sheet

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AC: 19 | HP: 24/24 | Speed: 30ft | Fortitude: +6 | Reflex: +10 | Will: +7 | Perception: +7 | Class DC: 18

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Dead people talk in silver, apparently

 

 

 

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Mechanics/OOC OOC: Action 1: Action 2: Action 3: Gear: Elven Branched Spear +8, 1d6+4 P, Flyssa +8, 1d6+4 S/P, Shortbow 60', +8, 1d6 P, Main-gauche +8, 1d4+4 P/S

Edited July 12, 2023 by The Foiler (see edit history)

[The Foiler]

I think that's everything aside from minor gear

To address the redemption aspects of the story itself, I see Tobin as being at an early point in that journey. He recognizes that he was used as a tool of chaos and abject evil in the past, which conflicts with his sense of his purpose being to mete out impartial justice. He is still an assassin, so he has somewhat different ideas about the appropriate use of force and leveraging the threat or promise of violence, but he takes no joy in the actual killing, and gets that people don't like being stabbed. No weird amoral naivete stuff, Tobin does his order's work because it's a dirty job, but someone's got to do it. He isn't a stranger to "normal" society, or at least he wasn't before becoming a vampire.

Tobin is in the process of recognizing the power that he has over himself when he is able to make decisions on his own with all the information present - he had trusted too completely and followed orders without question for a long time, and now he's in something of a moral limbo, wishing to continue his divine calling but he is now seeing and comprehending the ripple effects and greater sociopolitical context of removing key targets, and while he isn't about to start his own philosophical movement just yet he is in the process of discovering his own moral compass and caring about the larger aims his missions serve. His move from LE in his previous life to LN at the start of the campaign should reflect that, as he is no longer engaging in 'evil' deliberately and is relying on the core tenets of Achaekek to reestablish his ethical center. If he makes it through the whole story I see him evolving along the way to TN or NG, depending on if the narrative leads him to make more conclusions about the value of order and seeing himself as an agent of law and balance, or if he goes on more the "ruthless, dispassionate good guy" route.

It may be more accurate to describe his character progression as exploring the limits of Lawful alignment more granularly, as he's inclined towards a methodology and worldview that has never given much thought to mercy or altruism, so transitioning to any kind of 'good' is going to take some kind of "one big event" while the path he's already set himself on is leads towards neutrality.

Edited July 13, 2023 by The Foiler (see edit history)