“You have my word as the Third Son of House Sovven.”

Though of humble nobility, House Sovven can trace their ancient lineage to the First Army of Exploration. Rauder is the third son of the current Patriarch: too young to inherit a position of rule, yet too old to live without responsibility. He thus bears the unenviable family obligation to provide an able body to the royal military.

Rauder is a proven martial paragon possessive of valiant charm and clear judgement. After years of formal swordsmanship and the finest equipment his family can provide, he enters the Grand Princess’ service with the intention of earning high distinction.

In an unusual turn of events, Rauder was granted special compensation to patrol the kingdom and its amicable neighbors as an adventurer. In doing so he safeguards the land from nonobvious threats and establishes connections with persons of interest. The arrangement also keeps Rauder detached from court intrigue and machinations. He is thus overlooked by malcontents seeking to undermine the throne and provides Her Highness with a loyalist unfamiliar to them.

UNIQUE LG MEDIUM ELF HUMAN HUMANOID
   Male Taldan half-elf fighter 5 (noble background)
   Perception +11; low-light vision
   Languages Elvish, Taldane
   Skills Athletics +13 (expert), Diplomacy +14 (expert), Lore: Genealogy +7 (trained), Medicine +9 (trained), Society +7 (trained)
   Str +4, Dex +0, Con +2, Int +0, Wis +2, Cha +4
   Worn Items backpack, diplomat’s badge, fine clothing, full plate, healer’s tools, 1gp, 6sp; Stored Items bedroll, flint and steel, pup tent, rations (2 weeks), rope (50 feet), sack, soap, torch (5), waterskin; Current Bulk 6.1

   AC 23; Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +11; bravery
   HP 73
   Attack of Opportunity ⟳ (fighter) Trigger A creature within Rauder’s reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using. Effect Rauder makes a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If Rauder’s attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a manipulate action, Rauder disrupts that action. This Strike doesn’t count toward Rauder’s multiple attack penalty, and his multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to this Strike.
   Shield Block ⟳ (fighter) Trigger While Rauder has his shield raised and he would take damage from a physical attack. Effect Rauder’s shield prevents him from taking an amount of damage up to the shield’s Hardness. Rauder and the shield each take any remaining damage, possibly breaking or destroying the shield.

   Speed 30 feet
   Melee ◆ +1 striking bastard sword +16 (magical, two-hand d12), Damage 2d8+4 slashing, Critical Specialization Effect The target is made off-balance by Rauder’s attack, becoming flat-footed until the start of Rauder’s next turn.

   Ancestry Feats ₁ General Training, ₅ Nimble Elf
   Class Feats ₁ Sudden Charge, ₂ Dueling Parry, ₄ Dual-Handed Assault
   General Feats ₁ Fleet, ₁ Shield Block, ₃ Toughness
   Skill Feats ₁ Courtly Graces, ₂ Bon Mot, ₄ Group Impression
   Class Abilities ₁ Attack of Opportunity, ₃ Bravery, ₅ Fighter Weapon Mastery (Sword), ₅ Critical Specialization

   Bon Mot ^APG ◆ (auditory, concentrate emotion, linguistic, mental, skill) Choose a foe within 30 feet and roll a Diplomacy check against the target’s Will DC. Critical Success The target is distracted and takes a -3 status penalty to Perception and Will saves for 1 minute. The target can end the effect early with a retort to Rauder’s Bon Mot. This can either be a single action that has the concentrate trait or an appropriate skill action to frame their retort. Typically, the retort needs to use a linguistic Charisma-based skill action. Success As critical success, but the penalty is -2. Critical Failure Rauder’s quip is atrocious. Rauder takes the same penalty an enemy would take had Rauder succeeded. This ends after 1 minute or if Rauder issues another Bon Mot and succeed.
   Courtly Graces (skill) Rauder can use Society to Make an Impression on a noble.
   Diehard (general) Rauder dies from the dying condition at dying 5, rather than dying 4.
   Dual-Handed Assault ◆ (fighter, flourish) Requirements Rauder is wielding a one-handed melee weapon and has a free hand. Effect Rauder makes a Strike with the required weapon. Rauder quickly switches his grip during the Strike in order to make the attack with two hands. If the weapon doesn’t normally have the two-hand trait, increase its weapon damage die by one step for this attack. If the weapon has the two-hand trait, you gain the benefit of that trait and a circumstance bonus to damage equal to the weapon’s number of damage dice. When the Strike is complete, Rauder resumes gripping the weapon with only one hand. This action doesn’t end any stance or fighter feat effect that requires Rauder to have one hand free.
   Dueling Parry ◆ (fighter) Requirements Rauder is wielding only a single one-handed melee weapon and has his other hand or hands free. Effect Rauder gains a +2 circumstance bonus to AC until the start of his next turn as long as he continues to meet the requirements.
   Group Impression (skill) When Rauder uses Make an Impression, he can compare his Diplomacy check result to the Will DCs of four targets instead of one. It’s possible to get a different degree of success for each target.
   Sudden Charge ◆◆ (fighter, flourish, open) Stride twice. If Rauder ends his movement within melee reach of at least one enemy, Rauder can make a melee Strike against that enemy. Rauder can use Sudden Charge while Burrowing, Climbing, Flying, or Swimming instead of Striding if he has the corresponding movement type.
   Toughness (general) The DC of recovery checks is equal to 9 + Rauder’s dying condition value.

   Diplomat’s Badge ◆ (enchantment, item 5, magical) Activate Recall Knowledge. Frequency Once per day. Effect Attempt a DC 20 check to Recall Knowledge about people of a human ethnicity, a non-human ancestry, or some other type of creature. If Rauder succeeds, the badge’s bonus increases to +2 for Diplomacy checks with creatures of that group for the rest of the day.
   True Blade of the House of Sovven ◆ (evocation, item 4, magical, two-hand d12) The ancestral sword of House Sovven, this +1 striking bastard sword has a +1 weapon potency rune (+1 item bonus to attack rolls with the weapon) and a striking rune (one extra damage dice).

Tactics Rauder will rush to the frontline and intercede himself as an obstacle to protect weaker allies. Past battles have taught Rauder a good defense is the foundation for a great offense. He therefore prioritizes Dueling Parry whenever possible.
   Sudden Charge ◆◆ → Dueling Parry ◆
   Bon Mot ◆ → Dual-Handed Assault ◆ → Dueling Parry ◆
   Dual-Handed Assault ◆ → Dueling Parry ◆ → Strike ◆