Caramel

> "*It was not my intent to harm you. I apologize for using force out of a blind assumption, but I urge you to not push me into using it to defend myself.*"
> ― Caramel, after assuming someone was dangerous and them reacting accordingly
>
>

A bashful, young-looking woman with an unfortunate case of amnesia. While in Peregrine, she is looking for an ally of hers by the name of "Nywel." Unfortunately, she seems to have forgotten the appearance of him besides his skin tone and hair color, which has made her search all the more difficult. While she's older than she looks, she's not exactly more mature, and has some obsessive tendencies that hold her back.

## Statistics

* **Proficiency**: Athletics, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion

## Appearance

Caramel's hair is a leafy shade that darkens towards its tips usually kept in a low ponytail, but with bangs that fall over most of her forehead and cover up a rather grotesque mark gained from what she assumes to have been an incident in her past. Her eyes are a glimmering emerald color, usually only making eye contact in short bursts, lest they suddenly flick to the side as her face reddens with embarrassment. Around her eyes are autumn-yellow glasses, and the area around the bridge of her nose is dotted with freckles.

For clothes, Caramel wears a white turtleneck covered by a brown sleeveless vest. The turtleneck has faint lime-colored stripes going up its side stitches and is slightly large for her. The vest contains many pockets, though the usually remain empty. Caramel instead keeps most of her effects in a compactly organized bag slung around her shoulder--her packing is so good that she can even fit a sleeping bag into the space with room to spare.

On her legs, she wears sturdy brown cargo-esque pants and heavy mahogany boots with lightly metal-reinforced soles. The looseness of most of her clothes hides a rather bulky muscular physique. Finally, on her right wrist sits a large, metallic golden bracelet-like device with a sort of clock face dial present on it. This isn't an oversized watch as one might suspect, but a heavily modified magical weapon from her home made from a technology known as "Harnestech."

## Personality

Caramel is rather bashful towards the business of others and is easily embarrassed. However, she can become highly intelligent and confident when she's left in her preferred element. Otherwise, if she doesn't feel like she has an argument she believes in, her confidence flounders.

To keep herself focused at times, Caramel has built up a habit of mentally assigning herself tasks which she has to complete. Most often she just follows the orders assigned by her occupation, but since she's currently lost contact with them the aforementioned habit has only strengthened. When left without any such ground, she'll internally try to find some, or else fall into her bashful tendencies.

### Traits

 **Vices:** | Thinks her problems are hers and hers alone.
Weak to anyone with a pretty face--only on the inside, though.

## Relationships

"Nywel": Clearly an important person to her, even though she forgot what his face looks like.

The Magpie: Much to her own dismay, Caramel became responsible for breaking his weapon--which was apparently some kind of ancient relic. Helping him learn how to recover it is one of, if not her current top priorities. Currently doing research around it to try and help him.

Carden: Thought he was very nice, very calm, and very helpful in her initial search for Nywel. Is hesitant to check in with him again, though. On one hand because she doesn't want to trouble him with her issues, on the other because she also... forgot to get his contact information...

Zwei: Thought she was very helpful, and certainly more friendly than Carden. At least she knows where to find her if she wants more her help with the search--which she wouldn't. This is still her own thing.

Rubellus: An odd specimen of a prince. While perhaps not exactly lacking in princely qualities, such qualities seem masked under a meek exterior that Caramel has yet to see break when necessary. At least he's pleasant when he's happy.

Saze: A grumpy, quiet guy. Not the worst Caramel's met, but seems to attract trouble. She'll make sure to keep an eye out in case she hears more about him, though. Something about the big scepter he wields is no doubt the root of the trouble he attracts She didn't ask but, frankly, it's kind of obvious.

Fish Girl???: What's a "hawo?"

Cirnano: Caramel considers her a prime example of the degeneracy that one can devolve into should they be gifted power they don't deserve. She's baffled by how someone like this is given freedom with any sort of task and would like to speak to their higher-ups on why she believes the decision is such a bad one.

Sasha: Caramel hopes she never sees her again. That is all she'll say on the matter.

* Knows these Characters:
	+ Cath
	+ Fionn
	+ Lucy

## Skills and Abilities

### Acquired/Learned Abilities

* **Knowledgeable Artificer**: In a sense. It's more of a hobby, if anything, and uses a (technically) different technology called "Harnestech." It's is a form of "artificial casting" developed where she's from that takes the powers of elements stored in natural materials and components to fuel powerful and versatile machines. Basically component artificery. Caramel is a veritable expert with it, though, and most of her bracelet's modifications and other gadgets were made by herself. She knows a fair amount on how they work, how to make them work, and how to keep them working.
* **Brain Training**: You gotta be smart for the job. At least on paper. Caramel spends enough time thinking that this has worked out for her, at the very least.
	+ Increases Intelligence Score by +1.

### Harnestech Shield

Caramel's bracelet can be activated to deploy a durable magical shield made from panels of a sort of golden hard-light matter. The panels can take many different forms of varying thickness, weight, shape, size, and even mechanical use! Suffice to say, the tool bears remarkable versatility beyond its immediately perceivable functions. She also has other things, but the shield is her bread and butter.

* **Versatile Tool**: The shield can change shape to be nearly any tool as long as its panels are able to form the general shape.
	+ The only hard(ish) rule is that the tool has to be touching the face of the tool and can't be roughly larger than Caramel herself.
* **Shield Attack**: Caramel is proficient at using her shield for offense.
	+ Doesn't always use just bonk with the shield itself, oftentimes mixes in a kick if she sees an opening or jabs like a feint with the weapon
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Attack
		- STR to hit
		- 2d4+3 bludgeoning on hit
		- Can attack twice per turn

* **Shield Defense**: Caramel is proficient at using her shield for defense. Other things, too.
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Shield grants +2 AC
		- Also literally "Shield Master" feat
		- Adds shield AC bonus to DEX saves
		- Can use reaction to nullify damage entirely on a successful save
		- Can push 5 feet as a bonus action ~~after attacking~~

* **Spinning Shield**: Caramel can cause her shield to layer up and spin, empowering the impact of its hits but decreasing the defensive properties by making it slightly unwieldy.
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Bonus Action to initiate
		- For the duration, the shield deals an additional 1d6 slashing damage on hit
		- For the duration the shield’s bonus to AC suffers a -1 penalty
		- The spinning lasts 30 seconds or until Caramel cancels it via a bonus action

* **Fortress**: Caramel enlarges her shield and bunkers down, taking a more defensive position.
	+ The shield becomes rather ornate as well
	+ She can still try to attack people, though
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Action to initiate
		- Her shield AC bonus becomes +3
		- She can use her reaction to impose disadvantage on attacks towards targets within 5 feet of her
		- Attacks made with her shield have -2 to hit
		- She loses her multiattack ability
		- She cannot use or receive benefits from “Spinning Shield” for the duration
		- Can be ended via an action

* **Clamp**: The larger shield has ornamentations on its edges--but these aren’t just for show. They can be directed to fold in like talons and grab an opponent’s weapon and inhibit their offensive capabilities.
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- When an attack from a melee weapon fails to hit Caramel while she’s using Fortress, she can use her reaction to attempt to trap the weapon with her shield.
		- The attacker needs to make a DC 15 STR save or lose the weapon to the shield
		- Only one weapon can be grabbed at a time
			* The weapon can be dropped via a bonus action
			* Otherwise the weapon isn’t dropped until the shield switches back to its default mode or is dismissed
		- The weapon can be removed with a DC 15 STR (Athletics) check
			* Unless Caramel is incapacitated, the attempt is made at disadvantage since she'll try to oppose it by moving the shield out of their reach

* **Shield Grapple**: See above, but for people. What better way to stop an opponent from attacking than snatching them up in your big magic shield?
	+ It's a very big shield
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Clamp can also be used as an attack, prompting the same save in place of a damage roll
			* This can't be attempted if the shield is already holding a weapon
		- On a failure, the opponent is restrained and attached to the shield
		- Escapable via a DC 15 STR (Athletics) or DEX (Acrobatics) check

* **Bastion Buster**: Caramel’s shield rivets out and positions itself as an automatic gear-boosted battering ram, thwacking an unlucky victim into next week on a hit.
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Only usable during Fortress
		- Only usable once per short or long rest, as the strain it puts on the shield requires some cooling off
		- Bonus Action, lasts until the start of her next turn
		- Ends and releases Clamp/Shield Grapple when used
		- Attacks made with the shield deal an additional 2d12 bludgeoning damage
		- On hit, the target needs to make a CON save (DC 15)
			* On a failure, they are knocked back 30 feet and stunned until the end of Caramel’s next turn
			* On a success, they are only punched back 15 and are not stunned

* **Shield Shimmer**: Caramel’s shield shines up then “wrings” itself out, sending searing magic energy out ahead of it as an attack.
	+ The form the shield is in partially affects how the technique works (or lack thereof)
	+ The shield becomes rather useless afterwards, though.
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Counts as a spell for purposes of nullification, etc
		- Shield Shimmer cannot be used for the duration of Spinning Shield
		- During Normal Shield
			* Action
			* Creatures within a 30 foot cone from Caramel need to make a DEX save (DC 15)
			* Deals 6d6 radiant damage, half on a successful save
			* The shield then becomes useless for 1 round
				+ No AC bonus
				+ No shield attack
			* This technique cannot be used again for 3 turns after the shield regenerates
		- During Fortress
			* Action
			* Creatures within a 15-foot cube need to make a DEX save (DC 15)
			* Deals 8d10 radiant damage, half on a successful save
			* The shield then becomes useless for 3 rounds
				+ No AC bonus
				+ No shield attack
			* When the shield regenerates, it's placed in normal shield mode
			* This technique is usable this way only once per short rest or long rest

* **Vortex Bomb**: A magical device that causes a sudden influx of energy that explodes at a desired point.
	+ Non-lethal, but very uncomfortable to get blasted by.
	+ D20 mechanics:
		- Action
		- Can be thrown up to 45 feet, where it explodes
		- Those within 10 feet of the explosion need to make a CON save
			* DC 15
		- On a failed save they take 2d8 force damage and are stunned until the end of Caramel's next turn
		- On a success, the damage is halved, and they are not stunned
		- Caramel can only hold onto 2 of these at a time (safety regulations)
		- It takes her 1 short rest to make 1 bomb.

### Skills

* **Shrug it Off**: Caramel's training has taught her to shrug off lighter blows as if they were nothing. Her clothes get pretty scuffed and/or torn in the process, but that's more on her for wanting to look presentable while on assignments. Also because she usually doesn't plan to get in fights, it just happens sometimes.
	+ D20: adds CON to AC when unarmored

* **Mind of an Agent**: Or at least she thinks such of herself. Which is really where it counts, honestly, despite the vagueness of the title. Still, the idea that she should take her own suspicions into consideration and act on them is a boon to getting herself to perform at her best when otherwise she'd feel all kinds of hesitance.

### Weaknesses

* **Harnestech Nature**: Harnestech is kinda like artifice but worse overall--fortunately you'd have almost no way to tell that with Caramel and how she makes such expert use of her own devices. Less fortunately, it's hard for her to create truly effective devices with the resources and methods she's used to, and nearly everything in her arsenal can be shut down by antimagic with no way for her to counter.
* **She a** **Tomato**: Caramel is very easily flustered. *Very* easily flustered--not to mention easily infatuated. You have no idea. She sometimes wonders how she even works up the courage to talk at all, ever. At least small talk is okay for her, but any deviation from benign chatter will have her words stuttering and her face reddening in an instant. Crowds and big groups are also pretty bad.
* **She a Tomato II**: To try and avoid feeling flustered and come off as more confident, Caramel often suspends herself from seeing the truth of a scenario or pressing matters she knows are important. It shouldn't need to be explained how this can be a detrimental habit.
* **Amnesia**: The narrative definition, mind. Seems to be a hindrance that occurred upon her arrival, and only affects her own purposes. Still, it makes it hard for her to complete her self-assigned directives when all she has is a name...

## Equipment

### Key Items

* **WTF Notebook**: A notebook in which Caramel keeps track of basically everything that she feels concerns her. Not a diary. The WTF stands for Wynresti Task Force you immature little-

### Weapons

* **Shield Matrix**: The formal title for her bracelet, at least not considering her modifications.
	+ Stats and capabilities noted above.
	+ It's really all she needs.

### Other Equipment

* **Glasses**:
	+ Runically inscribed to be scratch-resistant and block blinding lights.
	+ D20: +2 to resist any blinding effects from sudden and/or particularly bright flashes of light

* **Turtleneck**:
	+ It looks good! And formal kinda?

* **Vest**:
	+ Looks... uh... it looks.

* **Pants**:
	+ With pockets.
	+ These also just kinda "look."

* **Shoes**:
	+ Really super duper sturdy. Kinda heavy too, but not too heavy.

* **Bag**:
	+ Packed like a champ!

### Inventory

* **Bedroll**: Also packed like a champ.
* **Travel** **Rations**: Packed like a champ as well.
* **Water**: Actually a bottle that sticks on the side, so not packed.
* **Spare Clothes**: Generally the same outfit, honestly. It looks good at least 1/5 of the way, in defense of her choice...
* **Harnestech Tinker Kit**: It's a hobby. Packed like a champ, naturally.
* **Hairties**: Because she doesn't want her hair getting in things or vice versa.
* **Charcoal Crow Talon**: A donation from Zwei. Supposedly could fetch a pretty penny, but she kind of wants to see if she can use it as a component for her own gadgets instead.
* **Coin of Absolute Luck**: A magic coin, one of absolute luck, gifted to her when she (somehow) beat the Magpie at a gambling game.
	+ Mechanics: When flipped, turns any roll into either a natural 20 or natural 1. Once per day, recharging every dawn.

* **Smartphone**: A useful communication device for her while she's in the city.
* **Holy Water**: She gave most of it to Fionn, but keeps a flask on her just in case she runs into Sasha or other demons in places they don't belong.

## History

Caramel isn't from the same world--or even the same continuity as Peregrine, and thusly much of her past needn't be mentioned, save for the events that shaped her to be who she is today.

Caramel awoke in a crater of what could only be assumed to have once been her home with no recollection of what happened or anyone who seemed to know her. It was as if she had been wiped from history--or crash-landed from space on what was once a house. Still, she personally believes the former.

She was taken in by a special unit of Wynresti operatives known as the Wynresti Task Force. It's not as formal as it sounds, but Caramel saw it as VERY important, and devoted herself fully to it. She still sees it as more important than it likely is, despite realizing such for herself and her job.

She's been working at it for over a decade, last she checked. It's a fairly well-encompassing occupation.

Last she recalls she was sent on an assignment, during such she met Nywel. Then she completed it, and that's really the extent of what she knows. Everything else is foggy beyond recognition.

Now she's somewhere else. What's she supposed to do??