Description
Charcoal colored hair is held tight in a neat knot at the top of a
body covered by mis-matched but nonetheless proper looking armor and
weapons. Even darker skin covers a face with coal black eyes and a wide
mouth of pearly white teeth. Those eyes seem in near constant motion,
resting only briefly on anything. A glimpse of a hand shows toughened,
calloused covered skin, likely the result of grasping one of several
visible and possibly not visible weapons. Muscular without sacrificing
flexibility or stamina, a martial air exudes from the body, face, and garb.
Beyond that, all you really can be sure of is that
Role
Baena
Added Sun Dec 1 15:31:21 2019 at level 1:
Baena is all about Baena. But that manifests in perhaps uncommon ways.
Baena is orderly in that she lives scrupulously by her own code. She doesn't give
two shits about law, or honor, or other people's conception of order. If
someone speaks to her of honor, she will laugh and likely spit. Honor is nothing.
Rather, Order for her is a matter of self respect. She believes each person should be
self sufficient to the greatest extent possible. Some examples for her are that
she will never ask help to go get equipment or arms or things - except things such
as cabal items or similar group oriented items. But for the most part, if she
wants a new weapon, either she will go get it herself, or she will take it from
a corpse she made. Of course if she just finds things laying around, fair game.
As a result, she wants nice things, but will do without until she can do it herself.
The only gray area is gifts, which she might accept, but will be something to
develop.
One result of this philosphy is her utter hatred of mages. By definition their
entire existence is about taking and using something outside yourself and basing
your whole life upon it. Magic comes from outside, not from within. Baena
prides herself on her abilities, not just because of their existence, but
because of her effort to hone what she has - her blood, her flesh, her muscles,
her mind. Win or lose, she owns the result and knows she relied only on her
self.
One of the few areas outside her narrow vision is divinity. Gods are gods and do
as they will, which means, of course, imbuing individuals with power.
It still violates her personal code, and so she is always a bit uncomfortable
around them, but at the same time she recognizes that her code is for mortals.
Even so, it is unclear at this age, at the start of her adventures, how this
will play out over her life. Maybe she becomes more comfortable with them,
maybe less. Something to develop over her lifetime.
Baena's pride also extends to her social group. She is not shy, and will
speak out, but she's not one to overly lecture or explain. She leads by example.
She wants others to take pride in themselves, and shun the need or desire for outside
affirmation or needless support. As she will seek the battlerager village, this
hopefully will extend to those she shares huts with - assuming she is accepted.
And to clarify - she recognizes she is not an island, things she cannot do for herself,
such as healing, or finding paths in grass, or flying, she is happy to allow others
in her group (cabal, travel, etc.) to do. Part of learning warfare is learning
not all combat is single combat. But she finds the battlerager code to her liking.
Brief History
Added Sun Dec 1 15:44:41 2019 at level 1:
Why does Baena believe as she does? She was a slave. Not a brutal dig-ditch-until-
you-die type of slave, but more a house slave. Everyone around her was incompetent
to exist on their own. The needed to be fed, to be dressed, to be taken to the
shitter. Everything. It sickened her and she swore, if ever she gained
her freedom, she would be the opposite of those she had served. And sure enough,
that day came. A simple matter - the death of the patriarch and internal family
fighting eventually devolved into chaos and the slaves were released to fight
for one brother. The slaves turned on that brother and his small force, and
simply ran through Aran'Gird, and eventually into the underdark. Days later Baena
found her way to a hole where the (unpleasant) sun shone, eventually making her way to
Galadon. Seeking to become her ideal self, she found the warrior guild and
the first day of her new life began.
Finally her pride in herself should not in any way be seen as benign or
virtuous. She smiles when she kills, she is delighted to hurt or maim and can
derive pleasure from it. But it must be done right - done according to her view
of how to conduct yourself. Kill a baby? Fine. Use a wand to kill a baby? Damn not.
Likewise wealth. She wants to roll in gold and have all the best things. But
again, the manner of obtaining matters.
Addendum: exploration and challenges are fine. Motive matters. Asking someone to
come with you to help you kill a dragon for an item you know the dragon has? No.
Joining and being part of a group to go kill a dragon? Ok. She needs to explore the
world to know where she can test herself, over and over, as she grows. She is not
a fool. Judgment matters, and she understands the difference.
Mannerisms
Added Mon Dec 2 22:12:59 2019 at level 15:
It's been remarked that she does not speak like a duergar. That is false.
It all depends on which duergar. Her owners were high lords and demanded "civil"
tongues, mostly the result of insecurity. This was driven home when one of the
cooks commented on the 'fargin' soup being too cold.
His tongue was served at the next meal.
Likewise Baena reminds that she has no issue lying, deceiving, or any of the
usual "evil" behaviors. So long as the result is of her own doing, in particular
any combat, she is fine bringing sadness, pain, and destruction to others.
She has now spent more than a little time in the surface world and it has
already taught a lesson or two. The surface world is big. Very, very big.
Her legs are strong, and never did she tire in the underdark or the city. But here
she needs to rest her legs more often. It is not trivial as exhaustion in the wrong
place leaves her vulnerable to attack she cannot avoid.
Also she has learned quite a bit about coins and the economy of life. A slave has no
money, and she has taken a liking to being rich. It is not nearly so important
as making herself the best she can be and using that to kill every mage in sight.
Consider it a serious hobby to relax from daily life. Some like to read. Some like
to eat. She likes to make money.
PK Wins
Dec 5, 2019 |Lv 17|The Kobold Warrens|Walther vs 1: [17] Baena (100%, stab)
Dec 8, 2019 |Lv 21|The Eastern Road|Konku vs 2: [21] Baena (99%, pound), [15] Rokk (0%)
Dec 10, 2019|Lv 25|BattleRager Village|Amzrath vs 1: [25] Baena (100%, punch)
Dec 15, 2019|Lv 30|The Eastern Road|Walther vs 2: [42] Angaph (11%), [30] Baena (88%, punch)
Dec 16, 2019|Lv 31|Seantryn Modan|Faymiina vs 1: [31] Baena (100%, punch)
Dec 19, 2019|Lv 32|Grinning Skull Village|Clodok vs 1: [32] Baena (100%, punch)
Dec 20, 2019|Lv 33|The Battlefield|Malismaure vs 1: [33] Baena (100%, punch)
Dec 20, 2019|Lv 33|The Battlefield|Vaerus vs 1: [33] Baena (100%, punch)
Dec 21, 2019|Lv 33|The Basilica|Rhentin vs 2: [33] Faymiina (5%), [33] Baena (94%, punch)
Dec 23, 2019|Lv 33|The Eastern Road|Rhentin vs 1: [33] Baena (100%, punch)
Dec 24, 2019|Lv 34|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Narlock vs 1: [34] Baena (100%, pummeling blow)
Dec 26, 2019|Lv 36|Lower Cragstone|Sarma vs 1: [36] Baena (100%, parting blow)
Jan 1, 2020 |Lv 40|The Northern Mountains|Hendais vs 1: [40] Baena (100%, punch)
Jan 1, 2020 |Lv 40|Galadon|Karathen vs 1: [40] Baena (100%, punch)
Jan 3, 2020 |Lv 41|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Tyreek vs 1: [41] Baena (100%, punch)
Jan 3, 2020 |Lv 41|Grinning Skull Village|Pipi vs 1: [41] Baena (100%, parting blow)
Jan 4, 2020 |Lv 41|The Eastern Road|Dhrak vs 1: [41] Baena (100%, punch)
Jan 4, 2020 |Lv 41|Galadon|Ekos vs 1: [41] Baena (100%, caustic smash)
Jan 5, 2020 |Lv 42|Organia, the Veil of Shadow|Siphani vs 1: [42] Baena (100%, punch)
Jan 5, 2020 |Lv 42|The Citadel of Ostalagiah|Viggkhun vs 1: [42] Baena (100%, blast of poison)
Jan 10, 2020|Lv 48|Hamsah Mu'tazz|Angaph vs 1: [48] Baena (100%, pummeling blow)
Jan 10, 2020|Lv 48|Galadon|Illyria vs 1: [48] Baena (100%, torrent of lightning)
Jan 11, 2020|Lv 50|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Mohapar vs 1: [50] Baena (100%, parting blow)
Jan 11, 2020|Lv 50|BattleRager Village|Talevar vs 1: [50] Baena (100%, punch)
Jan 12, 2020|Lv 50|The Imperial Palace|Noma vs 1: [50] Baena (100%, wrath)
Jan 13, 2020|Lv 50|The Eastern Road|Lewabo vs 1: [50] Baena (100%, pummeling blow)
Jan 18, 2020|Lv 51|The Redhorn Mountains|Vindelph vs 1: [51] Baena (100%, pummeling blow)
Jan 18, 2020|Lv 51|The Ruins of Ostalagiah|Vindelph vs 1: [51] Baena (100%, punch)