[Hourglass of Zihaja] Chapter 10: Adventuring

[Zeta Kai]

Amir the White

Quotes

• “You hear me, & you hear me well. It’s not for the coin. It’s for the point of the thing.”
• “Ah, the emperor himself will feel this for sure.”
• “Steer towards the sea, & I’ll spare your vessel. Steer towards the shore, & I’ll pick your bones clean.”
• “Nothing personal, mate. It’s for the cause. I hope that that brings some cold comfort to your heart, but I’ll understand if it doesn’t.”

Background
Years ago, when Amir the White was young, he & his family were captured & enslaved by Ostazai Empire. They were forced to work from dawn until dusk, & subjected to brutal working conditions. Amir himself was tortured several times, & he witnessed the violent deaths of his sister & father. He made a vow to avenge his family, & was eventually able to escape.

Much later, he joined a guerilla force fighting the Ostazai named the Broken Shackle, & he quickly rose through the ranks. He is now the commodore of the Broken Shackle, & he commands a small strike force of four ships: the Moon-Crossed Lover, the Twilight Warrior, the Lady of the Pearl, & his flagship, the Black Phantom. They mostly raid settlements on & around the Nizal Peninsula, & will do almost anything to undermine the empire & its foul influence.

Personality
Amir is extremely driven & focused, almost to a fault. He is obsessed with bringing down the Ostazai Empire, & is willing to take risks & make sacrifices to accomplish that. He is kind to the people under his command, who are mostly serving him as a means of committing piracy, & they respect him & his leadership. He is much more reserved than his raucous allies, & only rarely joins in any post-raid revelry. He tends to be fairly introspective & bookish during his rare downtime, & he often studies ancient texts, looking for valuable pieces of forgotten lore.

Appearance
Amir’s fur is blindingly white, like freshly-fallen snow, & his pink-tinted eyes are wild, like those of a madman. He bears many scars, most of which are hidden beneath his fur, & only peak out occasionally. His ears have several cuts taken out of them, & his tail is entirely missing.

Goals
Amir has a vendetta against the Ostazai Empire, & is zealously working to bring it down. He has vowed to not rest until the empire has fallen, its leaders have been slain, & its slaves have been liberated. To that end, he actively prevents any sailing vessels or barges from approaching the Ostazai, & he periodically pillages cargo vessels along the southeast coast, but does so mainly to keep up his forces supplies & to disguise his true goals. While most governments disregard him as a simple pirate & a nuisance, he has become something of a folk hero to the oppressed slave population in Ostaz, Mamluk, & other imperial settlements.

Combat Tactics
Amir is cool & methodical in battle, an unflappable combatant who will wait for a choice opportunity & then strike with deadly force. He uses his rapier to great effect, dispatching opponents with an air of efficient grace. A favorite tactic of his is to throw out his net & then slaying his foes while they are tangled up in it. He also can take to the air with his Carpet of Flying & Latching Rod, surprising his enemies & keeping them off-guard with his many & varied magic items. This measured use of unpredictability has served him well over the years, & he is always looking for new ways to keep opponents on their toes.

3E Stats

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RACE: Gnoll (Nahr) male
CLASS: Rogue 17
ALIGNMENT: True Neutral
DEITY: Adimas
SIZE: Medium
AGE: 24 (born 331 AF)
HEIGHT: 7’3”
WEIGHT: 287 lbs.
EYES: Pink (Albino)
HAIR: White (Albino)
LANGUAGES: Common & Gnoolun
HIT DICE: 6+16d6+17 (79HP)
INITIATIVE: +13
SPEED: 30’
ARMOR CLASS: 20 (+4 Dex, +1 natural, +5 armor); touch 14; flat-footed 16
BASE ATTACK BONUS: +12
GRAPPLE BONUS: +12
ATTACK: +16 Lethal** Rapier (1d6+1, 18-20/×2, piercing)
FULL ATTACK: +16/+11/+6/+1 Lethal** Rapier (1d6+1, 18-20/×2, piercing) or +16 MW Net (entanglement, 10’ range increment) & +11/+6/+1 Lethal** Rapier (1d6+1, 18-20/×2, piercing)
SPACE/REACH: 5’/5’
SAVING THROWS: Fortitude +6, Reflex +14, Will +5
ABILITIES:

• Strength 10 (+0)
• Dexterity 18 (+4)
• Constitution 12 (+1)
• Intelligence 14 (+2)
• Wisdom 10 (+0)
• Charisma 11 (+1)

SKILLS: 160 points

• Balance +12
• Bluff +11
• Diplomacy +11
• Hide +18
• Knowledge (Geography) +7
• Listen +20
• Move Silently +18
• Sleight of Hand +10
• Spot +20
• Survival +8
• Swim +10
• Tumble +20
• Use Magic Device +21
• Use Rope +10

FEATS: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Fighting Dirty (all techniques)**, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Parry**, Weapon Finesse
WEAPON:

• +1 Lethal** Rapier (72,320gp, 1d6+1, 18-20/×2, 2 lbs., piercing)
• MW Net (320gp, entanglement, 10’ range increment, 6 lbs.)

ARMOR: Greater Shadow Scale Mail (34,950gp, +5, maximum dexterity bonus +3, check penalty -3, 25% AFC, speed 20’, 30lbs.)
EQUIPMENT:

• 1,210gp
• Carpet of Flying 5’×5’ (20,000gp)
• Compass Ring (2,100gp)
• Dishdasha of Insight (9,400gp)**
• 2 Jewels of Light (5,500gp)**
• Juxtaposition Staff (48,600gp)**
• Latching Rod (22,850gp)**
• 2 Oils of magic vestment +5 (3,000gp)
• 5 Potions of cure serious wounds (3,750gp)
• Ring of Improved Jumping (10,000gp)
• Rod of Thunder & Lightning (33,000gp)
• Scabbard of Swiftness (18,000gp)**
• Staff of Charming (16,500gp)
• Wind Medallion (38,500gp)**

RACIAL FEATURES:

• Darkvision 60’
• Social Acumen (Ex): +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy & Sense Motive checks made when dealing with members of another culture. Gnolls are canny & adaptable in social situations.

CLASS FEATURES:

• Sneak Attack: +10d6.
• Trapfinding.
• Evasion.
• Trap Sense +5.
• Uncanny Dodge.
• Improved Uncanny Dodge.
• Special Ability: Improved Evasion.
• Special Ability: Skill Mastery (Move Silently, Sleight of Hand, Swim, Tumble, Use Magic Device).
• Special Ability: Bonus Feat (Improved Disarm).