Germain
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| Level | Level 8 |
| Race | Human |
| Class | Professional 5, Ranger 1, Dragoman 1, Bard 1 |
| Armor | Masterwork Studded Leather, Barbarian King's Buckler |
| Weapon(s) | Coldheart Bow, Sap, or Longsword |
| Hometown | Unknown (Flannary or Fresia) |
Germain is a recent citizen of Wydmoor who quickly rose to prominence during his tenure in Edrell's City Guard. In the guard, he established himself has an attentive, discerning, and politically cunning agent, and was given significant authority in a short time. The Odessan Invasion, recent political assassinations, and Edrell's promotion to City Magus have provided him with ample opportunities to build his reputation and power. Today he commands a small group of guardsmen and investigators, has close ties with the Halflings of Onrarch Landing, and holds a seat at the Bog Wraiths' war room.
Germain's most significant strength is his masterful understanding of society, politics, and culture. His political skills, in particular, are par excellence: he demonstrates a commanding demeanor, and has shown himself to capable of controlling social situations through charm, subterfuge, and intimidation alike. Supporting this are his sharp senses; few facts, no matter how small, slip past his discerning eyes and ears, and fewer still can hide from his insights into the human mind. Germain is no specialist, however, and his passable skills as a naturalist, tracker, animal handler, historian, religious scholar, and cartographer contribute to many of the party's endeavours.
While not particularly adept in combat, Germain is helpful and well-trained, and often finds ways to assist more capable allies. Despite his lack of martial talent, he has demonstrated training with a wide range of weapons and armors, a mastery of defensive fighting techniques, and a cunning tactical mind befitting a soldier. Although he clearly lacks the physical prowess and combat experience of a veteran warrior, he is a brave man who is not afraid of creating diversions and aiding his allies on the front-lines, even at the cost of exposing himself to considerable risk. As a result, he aids his companions through tactical positioning (flank!) and combat maneuvers (aid another!) in melee, and in the back protecting the casters from archers with his shield.
Despite his persuasive and charming public face, Germain's friends are exposed to a number of personal idiosyncrasies and hypocrisies. Perhaps most glaring is the discrepancy between his public and private morals--while he represents himself publicly as an honest lawman, civil protector, and hero to the people, he has no personal qualms against propaganda, collateral damage to innocents, torture, and assassination (although he does not seem to revel in it). Also, he displays a tiresome obsession with public appearance and the nuanced meanings of conversations, often forcing others to follow along as he reads the tea leaves for even minor interactions. Perhaps not surprisingly, the obsession sometimes cripples his decision making abilities, as he is occasionally so preoccupied with suspicions that he can have difficulty acting decisively. Regardless, he has shown himself to be brave and loyal when action is necessary, although how one goes about earning such loyalty is widely variable. Despite his personal lax morals, he has consistently chosen to advance noble endeavorer over blatantly self-serving ones.
Upbringing and History
Germain has traditionally been tight-lipped about his history before Wydmoor, but he has recently become less cagey about his past. Those that know him well are not surprised to learn that, before he moved to Wydmoor, he was unsure whether he would engage unsavory or noble pursuits. To protect his family name, which carries some prestige back home, he has kept his background quiet, and has even gone so far as to operate under an assumed name in Wydmoor. Given that recent events have put him in the role of a lawman and hero, he has become less secretive, especially with his friends.
Those that know him understand that his personal strengths and ambitions are inherited from his parents--both strong personalities that have achieved considerable success. His father is an accomplished military governor in a lightly-contested Fresian border town, and effectiveness maintaining peace locally and managing border skirmishes has made him popular both with the people and the Fresian government. His mother is a deposed Flannarian noble, and she has proved an effective social climber that has increased the social status of the family, as well as provided a noble bloodline and cultured upbringing to their many children.
More to come...
SPOILER: Germain's Character Sheet
Investigations
Stories About Germain
Trivia
- He wears a +kitten leather cloak+ of dwarven make, which helped save him during a harsh winter trek
- He wears an absolutely fabulous earring that gives him +1 on all intelligence skill checks, and clicky that casts eagle's splendor once per day but removes the skill bonus
- He can turn an indifferent NPC into a helpful one 90% of the time, and an unfriendly one can by turned completely 40% of the time
- He is guaranteed to have something useful to say in any conversation on the following subjects: history, nobility, royalty, Ubrekt City, and Wydmoor
- (As of next level) The only 1st level NPCs (with NPC classes) that can lie to Germain are:
- bluff +14 -- human; charisma: 18; bluff: 4 ranks; feats: skill focus (bluff) and improved skill focus (bluff)
- bluff +12 -- assimar/drow; charisma: 20; bluff: 4 ranks; feats: skill focus (bluff)
- Both can only lie on a natural 20 (Germain has +2 to sense motive against humans)
