The next player character (his name an appalling pun on the appalling Prime Minister we had at the time!):
II. Bob the Vrok Hawk
Bob is a Vrok Hawk, one of the sacred birds of the Yelmalio cult.
He was "awakened" (brought to full intelligence) by the sun god to serve
one of his favoured disciples; in Bob's case, the acolyte Yelanda
Goldenlocks. Despite this, Yelanda and Bob don't get on all that
well. Why? For a start, Yelanda is a *bloody woman*, and, even worse,
she doesn't even like hunting (it's been ages since Bob got to stretch
his wings). Bob has to grudgingly admit that sharing the mindlink bond
between them is perhaps made bearable by the fact Yelanda is a "feisty
broad who don't take no guff from nobody" and despite their mutual
antagonism, the vrok hawk is fanatically devoted to his mistress's well
being, if only to "keep her pretty head outa trouble". However, he
couldn't do much when the silly girl challenged Invictus the Light
Captain for his golden armour, and got quite literally pounded into
the dirt for her trouble.
Bob sometimes gets cackles of derision from the other awakened birds, sitting on their bearded masters' brawny arms. This sometimes leads Bob into fights with the other birds, or performing reckless deeds to prove his bravado.
Roleplaying Notes
Despite the image of the noble hawk, you've got a broad, streetwise
accent and your tongue is as sharp as your beak. You're always quick
with a wisecrack or insult, and like calling people "Mack" or "Bub".
It annoys the heck out of Yelanda when you call her "Goldie", so that's
what you usually call her. You're cocky and irascible, and your geas
"Speak only Truth to everyone" means you say exactly what's on your
mind. Although Goldi likes you to sit pretty on her arm most of the
time, you'd prefer to be winging it around somewhere, and you'll use any
excuse to get away (awakened vrok hawks are never tethered or forced to
wear the demeaning leather hoods of their unenlightened brethren).
Although vrok hawks can't really talk, the GM will let you get away with the occasional terse comment or quip in a high pitched squawk. However, for more complex conversation with anyone other than your mistress, you'll have to cast Mindspeech.
Bob is in a permanent, unlimited Mind Link with Yelanda. This means they can telepathically communicate with each other, and use each other's spells and magic points. They can even see through each other's senses with a Concentration roll (INT x3). INT- or morale-affecting spells cast against one of them passes through the Mind Link to the other, but each character gets a chance to resist with their own magic points.
What's Happening Now?
With your mistress out of action for a while, you got to spend the
night in the Hawk Mews with the other cult birds, and there was the
prospect of joining Invictus's hunting party tomorrow! This was all
thrown out of whack by the sounding of the temple alarm at midnight.
Between then and dawn, the rune lords and other cult nobs came to
collect their familiars and birds, all kitted out in battle gear.
Annoyed that you weren't part of the action, you slipped out of the
Mews for a fly around. It seems that a large force were assembling and
heading west towards the river. None of the birds you spoke to could tell
you why, and Goldi wasn't much help, shut up in the Hospital. When dawn
came you got a summons from Goldie to meet here in the Count's presence
chamber and so (stopping only to swoop down and breakfast on a rat
skulking near the granaries), you winged it to your mistresses side...
Bob the Vrok Hawk - Allied Spirit of Yelanda.
STR 02 CON 05 SIZ 01 INT 14 POW 16 DEX 34
Move: 1/12 flying
Fatigue: 7
Hit Points: 3
Magic Points: 16 + 18 mistress
DEX sr 1 + SIZ sr 3 = 4
Dodge: 115%
weapon sr attk/par% damage Enc/AP Claw 7 55/-- 1d2 --/-- Peck 10 38/-- 1d3 --/--
Note: Bob attacks with both claws simultaneously, and pecks 3 strike ranks later.
Spirit Magic (80%): Dispel Magic 2, Endurance 1, Heal 5, Mindspeech 2, Glamour 3, (known by Yelanda) Light (1), Repair 2, Farsee 1, Fanaticism (1), Shimmer 3, Countermagic 2, Bladesharp 4, Mobility 2.
Divine Magic (all one use): Heal Body x1, Dismiss Magic x1.
Skills: Dodge 115%, Scan 104%, Search 100%.
Gifts and Geases: Recover magic points at twice normal rate; Never eat the meat of horses, Speak only the Truth to everyone.
Special Items: Gold clasp around Bob's right leg is a matrix for Seek Sun Dome (3).
Next: Melo Yelo!
Powered by hypermail