Lantano Kharion

## Background

I was 9 years old when our parents died defending Lastwall, crusaders both of them sworn to service though victorious Vigil still crumbled under the onslaught of the risen dead and we were sent off on that damned cart, seen as a bad omen to many and a burden to the world we passed off from town to town as many of the other children too young or too frail to work, it wasn't until Korvosa we found someone to take us in though to this day I still wonder if death was a mercy in comparison. Gaedren Lamm's cronies picked us off the cart like vultures "taking care" of our worldly possessions and giving us shelter in the Shingles in return for our service, each of us were given a debt to pay by the bastard and it only grew with each week as we were charged for slop not worth the swine it was meant for. Many didn't survive the first year of work in the Shingles, a rainy day and the disfavor of Calistria could lead to the last fall anyone would make, and that is before dealing with the Nail-Knights, city guard, or rival thugs.

Zephyra, my elder sister was the first one to make it out, devoting herself to the church of Calistria and earning her way in her 'divine service' she bought her freedom much to the chagrin of Gaedren and if it weren't for her I would likely still be working for that son of a bitch too, the cleric of her sect was owed a favor by a man named Aurisii Kharion and I was to be that favor repaid as his late squire's replacement, Aurisii was a veteran of Lastwall who led a growing order of Lastwall's survivors in a crusade of reclamation through mercenary work along the borderland of the newly named 'Gravelands', dangerous as it was the Korvosan Peerage was always paying for patrols to save their own men and increase their influence. Though I had some experience with the blade from my father Aurisii shunned me at first as he was pained by the loss of his first and last student, he paid my debt in full and gave me some gold pieces shoving me off on my own but when I returned to him having given the gold to the others still in debt he softened a little, he gave me a chance to explain myself and why I was in Korvosa and upon learning of our shared plight he took me in, for 9 years I learned under his tutelage on expedition after expedition into the desolate wastes of the Gravelands, the name and infamy of the Kharion Blademasters grew along with me as I became a man and Aurisii became akin to a father to me.

Now I am called to return to Korvosa, a missive from Zephrya has informed me that in his return my adoptive father has vanished from the streets, I can think of no one else to blame then Gaedren Lamm who held a distaste for my master blaming him for losses of his 'property' and 'future benefits'.

- Lantano's first page in the Blademaster's registry tome.

## Description

Rugged for a young Aasimar Lantano bears marks of the land he travels with him, the edges of his black leathers frayed and soft carrying the smell of sweat and iron, a thick silver chain hangs around his neck with two halves of a sundered shield resting side by side and a torn white cloak adorns his shoulders. Typically seen with a great curved blade on his back and a small strung crossbow on his hip he holds himself in a guarded yet neutral stance.

## Feats

* Slaughtered his way through Gaedren Lamm's compound, killing his Mage, Crocodile, then fed him to Sharks.

## Information

*Level*: 9

Exp: 19,620

*HP*: 35/70

*BAB*: +9/+4

*Skill Points*: 40

*Speed*: 30

*Initiative*: +5

*Hero Points*: 3/3

*Racial Traits*:

* **Celestial Resistance**: Aasimars have acid resistance 5, cold resistance 5, and electricity resistance 5.

* **Darkvision**: Aasimar have Darkvision 60 ft. (they can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.)
* **Spell-Like Ability** **(Sp)**: Aasimars can use Alter Self once per day as a spell-like ability (caster level equal to the aasimar’s class level).

Traits:

Finding Your Kin: The chosen class is always a favored class to you, and your dedication to it is such that every time you take a level in the class, you gain +1 hit point and 1 additional skill point over and above what you would normally gain. If multiple PCs take this trait, they should be siblings who were both protected and raised by the chosen NPC.

Hunter's Blood: You earn a +1 trait bonus on Diplomacy when used to gather information, Knowledge (religion), and Survival when used for tracking when related to an undead quarry. Choose one as these as a class skill. Other NPCs have a +1 bonus on any roll to learn about you, as your family’s fame precedes you.

*Languages*: Common, Celestial,

## **Class Features and Feats**

***Swallowtail Blademaster:***

**Swallowtail Finesse (Ex):** At 1st level, a Swallowtail Blademaster gains an unparalleled expertise with his chosen weapons. At 1st level, the Swallowtail Blademaster selects either the katana, naginata, or nodachi. The Swallowtail Blademaster treats the selected weapon as a light or one-handed melee weapon for the purpose of any class feature, ability, or feat that has light or one-handed melee weapon as a requirement.

A Swallowtail Blademaster also gains the benefits of the Weapon Finesse feat with light or one-handed piercing melee weapons (including her selected weapon), and she can use her Charisma score in place of Intelligence as a prerequisite for combat feats. This ability counts as having the Weapon Finesse feat for purposes of meeting feat prerequisites. This ability otherwise functions as and replaces swashbuckler finesse.

**Feinting Mastery Feats (Ex):** At 2nd level, a Swallowtail Blademaster is skilled at making feints and adds her Dexterity modifier to all Bluff skill checks for the purpose of making feint combat maneuvers. In addition, the Swallowtail Blademaster 's expertise manifests in the form of bonus feats at 2nd, 6th, 10th, 14th, and 18th level. She can choose feats from the list of combat feats below, even if she does not have the normal prerequisites. The benefits of the Swallowtail Blademaster 's feinting mastery feats apply only when he wears light or no armor, and wields a light or one-handed melee weapon. She loses all benefits of her feint mastery feats when wearing medium armor, heavy armor, or wielding any other weapon. Once a Swallowtail Blademaster selects a bonus feat, it cannot be changed.

A Swallowtail Blademaster can choose from the following list whenever she gains a feinting mastery combat feat: Improved Feint, Reverse Feint, Wave Strike, Witty Feint. At 6th level, she adds Disengaging Feint and Greater Feint to the list of feats she can select. At 10th level she adds Disengaging Flourish and Disengaging Shot to the list of feats she can select. This ability replaces charmed life.

**Swallowtail Training (Ex):** At 5th level, a swallowtail blademaster gains a +1 bonus on attack and damage rolls with her selected weapon chosen with her swallowtail finesse ability. While wielding the selected weapon, she gains the benefit of the Improved Critical feat. The attack and damage bonuses increase by 1 for every four levels beyond 5th level (to a maximum of +4 at 17th level). Finally, her swallowtail blademaster levels stack with any fighter levels she possesses for the purposes of meeting the prerequisites for feats that specifically focus on her selected weapon, such as Weapon Specialization. This ability replaces swashbuckler training.

Deeds: A Swallowtail Blademaster has the following Deeds.

*Deceptive Slash (Ex)*: At 1st level, a Swallowtail Blademaster can spend 1 panache point when she makes an attempt at a feint combat maneuver to roll 1d6 and add the result to the check. She can do this after she makes the roll, but before the result is revealed. If the result of the d6 roll is a natural 6, she rolls another 1d6 and adds it to the check. She can continue to do this as long as she rolls natural 6s, up to a number of times equal to her Dexterity modifier. This deed replaces the derring-do deed.

*Returning Blade (Ex)*: At 1st level, as long as she has at least 1 panache point, the Swallowtail Blademaster can make an attack of opportunity at her highest attack bonus against any opponent she performs a successful feint against. If the attack is successful, she adds her Swallowtail Blademaster level to the damage roll of the attack. This deed replaces the opportune parry and riposte deeds.

*Dodging Panache (Ex)*: At 1st level, when an opponent attempts a melee attack against the Swallowtail Blademaster, the Swallowtail Blademaster can as an immediate action spend 1 panache point to move 5 feet; doing so grants the swashbuckler a dodge bonus to AC equal to her Charisma modifier (minimum 0) against the triggering attack. This movement doesn’t negate the attack, which is still resolved as if the swashbuckler had not moved from the original square. This movement is not a 5-foot step; it provokes attacks of opportunity from creatures other than the one who triggered this deed. The swashbuckler can only perform this deed while wearing light or no armor, and while carrying no heavier than a light load.

*Swift Blade (Ex)*: At 3rd level, as long as the Swallowtail Blademaster has at least 1 panache point, she is treated as having the Quick Draw feat with her selected weapon chosen with her swallowtail finesse ability. This deed replaces the kip-up deed.

*Menacing Swordplay (Ex)*: At 3rd level, while she has at least 1 panache point, when a swallowtail blademaster hits an opponent with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon, she can choose to use Intimidate to demoralize that opponent as a swift action instead of a standard action.

*Precise Strike (Ex)*: At 3rd level, while she has at least 1 panache point, a Swallowtail Blademaster gains the ability to strike precisely with a light or one-handed piercing melee weapon (though not natural weapon attacks), adding her Swallowtail Blademaster level to the damage dealt. To use this deed, a Swallowtail Blademaster cannot attack with a weapon in her other hand or use a shield other than a buckler. She can even use this ability with thrown light or one-handed piercing melee weapons, so long as the target is within 30 feet of her. Any creature that is immune to sneak attacks is immune to the additional damage granted by precise strike, and any item or ability that protects a creature from critical hits also protects a creature from the additional damage of a precise strike. This additional damage is precision damage, and isn’t multiplied on a critical hit. As a swift action, a Swallowtail Blademaster can spend 1 panache point to double her precise strike’s damage bonus on the next attack. This benefit must be used before the end of her turn, or it is lost. This deed’s cost cannot be reduced by any ability or effect that reduces the amount of panache points a deed costs (such as the Signature Deed feat).

*Swashbuckler Initiative (Ex)*: At 3rd level, while the Swallowtail Blademaster has at least 1 panache point, she gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. In addition, if she has the Quick Draw feat, her hands are free and unrestrained, and she has any single light or one-handed piercing melee weapon that isn’t hidden, she can draw that weapon as part of the initiative check.

*Guarding Edge (Ex)*: At 7th level, as long as the swallowtail blademaster has his selected weapon chosen with his swallowtail finesse ability drawn and in hand, started and ended his turn in the same space, and has at least 1 panache point, he gains a +2 shield bonus to AC and CMD until the start of her next turn. This deed replaces the swashbuckler's grace deed.

*Targeted Strike (Ex)*: At 7th level, as a full-round action the swallowtail blademaster can spend 1 panache point to make an attack with a single light or one-handed piercing melee weapon that cripples part of a foe’s body. The swallowtail blademaster chooses a part of the body to target. If the attack succeeds, in addition to the attack’s normal damage, the target suffers one of the following effects based on the part of the body targeted. If a creature doesn’t have one of the listed body locations, that body part cannot be targeted. Creatures that are immune to sneak attacks are also immune to targeted strikes. Items or abilities that protect a creature from critical hits also protect a creature from targeted strikes.

* *Arms*: The target takes no damage from the attack, but it drops one carried item of the swashbuckler’s choice, even if the item is wielded with two hands. Items held in a locked gauntlet cannot be chosen.
* *Head*: The target is confused for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting effect.
* *Legs*: The target is knocked prone. Creatures with four or more legs or that are immune to trip attacks are immune to this effect.
* *Torso or Wings*: The target is staggered for 1 round.

**Feats**: Twinned Feint, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Nodaichi), Cut from the Air, Smash from the Air.

**Feinting Mastery:** Deft Maneuvers, Disengaging Feint

**Bonus Feats:** Wave Strike, Dodge,

## **Equipment**

### *Weapons*

*General Goods*\*: Explorer's Outfit, Furs, Neck Guard, Skeleton Key, Whetstone, Hanging Tent, Masterwork Survival Kit, Climber's Kit, 90ft. Silk Rope, The Uprising Harrow card, 1 Adamantine Arrowhead, Aristocrat's gold ring, Salvage Rights for Kovosan Bay, Key to Carowyn Estate front gate.

*Magic Items*: Belt of Giant Strength +2, Cloak of Resistance +2, Ring of Chameleon Power. 4 Cure Moderate Potions

*Containers*: Masterwork Backpack, Bandolier, 2 Belt Pouches, 3 empty vials.

*Consumables:* 1 Antitoxin, 1 Holy Water, 1 Oil of Keen Edge.

Ammunition: 4 Grappling Bolts, 10 Crossbow Bolts

*Currency*: 9334gp 208s

*Bank:* 100gp (Owe 4200gp)

*Carried Weight*: 81lbs

*\*If quantity is unspecified, assume a quantity of 1*

## **Skills**

\*Armor Check Penalty applies

! Cannot use skill untrained