CRB is a repository of all the creative things that float through my mind about the RPG Pathfinder. Two major features are random character generation and building characters based on the god they worship. Anything that seems like it adds to the creative aspects of the game will pop up from time to time, including location descriptions, adventure ideas and even short stories. CRB won't just be my own creativity, it will open the floor to anyone who has an idea sparked by what I present to you.

Friday, April 22, 2016

Character Exploration 34 - Uka'mbe

A smart and charismatic Undine born of elven parents. The stats alone left many class options to choose from. The background rolls—love of magic items, influenced by a wanderer, and loyal to a fault—didn't do much to help narrow my choices down. It was a line in the write up for Svarozic on the Pathfinder Wiki page that read, "To inspire great deeds with the younger generation." that eventually led me to picking Bard as this character’s class. In particular, I decided to go with the Undine specific Watersinger archetype.

On a mechanical note, I decided to use some alternate racial traits. Amphibious—which allows the character to breath under water—replaces the Undine's spell-like ability trait, and Terrain Chameleon—which gives a bonus to spell checks under water—replaces the Undine's energy resistance.

Uka'mbe

The Mwangi expanse is more than just the jungle which bears its name. Although colonists, pirates, and smugglers have divided it into a few different lands, Sargava, the Shackles, and the Sodden Lands were all once inhabited by the Mwangi peoples. The human Mwangi are not the only people to inhabit these lands. Savage demon worshiping halflings and aggressive tribal elves, as well as more exotic creatures, make their home among the many jungles and rivers here.

The colonialist Chelaxians of Sargava have displaced many of the native people of the lands they now inhabit. Included among those are a tribe of elves in the Laughing Jungle called the Abebi a distant offshoot of the Ekujae tribe of the Mwangi Jungle. This tribe is often at odds with the traitors in Sargava's second largest port, Port Freedom.

Uka'mbe was born in the tribal village of Abebi. His mother died while giving birth and his father never revealed to him the secret that he was conceived when a group of colonist warriors captured and assaulted his mother. Being born of full elven blood instead of a half-elf, hiding his mother's traumatic encounter, made this omission easier. It wouldn't be until later that his true father's ancestry would be made apparent.

All throughout his childhood Uka'mbe was enamored of his mother's brother. Unlike many of the other older Abebi members, Uncle Wakandi bucked many tribal traditions and traveled the world. Stories of the other lands of Garund, including the great Osirian cities, the strange devices of Alkenstar, and the godless folk of Rahadoum filled the child's mind with thoughts of adventure. His uncle had even piloted a ship on the inner sea and stopped at some of the strange lands of Avistan.

On one particular visit his uncle bequeathed him a small feather which had belonged to his mother when she was a child. Uncle Wakandi told him the feather had magical properties which his mother never used. Even his uncle was unsure what properties it had, but he warned Uka'mbe that whatever they were they could only be activated once.

Conflict with Port Freedom ebbed and flowed. Rarely was there ever a full out assault from either side, and never in young Uka'mbe's lifetime. Young members of the tribe, however, would tease and dare each other to make their own little raids on the port. This infrequently amounted to anything more than vandalism, mischief, or at the very most, petty theft.

Entangled in games that adolescents play, Uka'mbe found himself caught up in a twilight "raid" on Port Freedom. Using colored paste made from plants, he and a few of the other young Abebi invaded the outskirts of the town, painting obscene remarks and warnings in their native tongue on the sides of buildings. This attracted the attention of Port Freedom's guard, who chased the children out of town. A few of the guardsmen almost caught Uka'mbe and in desperation he used the feather that had belonged to his mother. An incredible gust of wind blew the guardsmen off their feet allowing him to escape, leaving the feather bereft of magical energy and ever after inert.

It wasn't until after puberty that Uka'mbe's true father’s racial heritage showed itself. While causing mischief he gained the ire of other colonialist explorers. Outnumbered, he headed for the river in an attempt to lose them. Diving in, he had not the time to swim away but when they peered into the water around where he had submerged they seemed to completely overlook him. It wasn't until after they left that he realized he had been underwater for a full five minutes without losing breath. And when he looked at his skin he saw that it had turned from its usual dark brown to a mix of greens, blues, and grays that matched the vegetative bottom of the riverbed. This soon faded but his flesh and even his hair retained tinges of watery green.

Upon return to the Abebi village his people were fascinated by the changes that overcame him. Elves being a bit more forgiving of the differences granted by having the blood of an Outsider saw Uka'mbe's unique abilities as a gift, but Uka'mbe was unsure how he felt about this newfound racial heritage. It wasn't until one of his uncle’s return trips that he decided how he would use his powers.

Uncle Wakandi told his nephew that change is an important part of life. One of the reasons he left the tribe to wander was that often the tribe refused to change. He spoke to him of leading the younger generation, inspiring them with great deeds and helping to redesign obsolete traditions. Uncle Wakandi left him to make his decision with many books, including those about singing, oration, and texts on the many Empyreal lords of the great beyond.

Uka'mbe took his uncle's words to heart. Finding his own inspiration in the stories of the Empyreal lord Svarozic, he decided to end his mischievous ways, mostly. To lead his people he needed to know more about the world he wished to bring them into. Taking after his uncle, Uka'mbe decided to spend a few years traveling before returning to his tribe.

Bard may not have been your first thought as it was mine. What class would you have chosen for this character? What background would you have written to match these random rolls? Why did you make these decisions?

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