Half-Horned Kal
aka Kalliopi Archofovizo (though she doesn't make her family name publicly known.
| Strength | 13 | +1 | Dexterity | 14 | +2 | Constitution | 12 | +1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligence | 16 | +3 | Wisdom | 12 | +1 | Charisma | 8 | -1 |
Level 5 Savant (Detective)
Gender: Female
Age: 22
Heritage: Minotaur
Culture: Underbridge
Background: Criminal
Languages: Can read, write, speak, and sign Common, Giant, and Goblin
Destiny: Light
Combat
Hit Points: 33/33
Speed: 30 feet
Size: medium
Armor Class: 16 (Adroit Defense, +1 Magic Coat)
Attacks
- Righty (+1 Knuckleduster):+4(+3) | 1d4+4(1d4+3) Bludgeoning | Hand-Mounted, Dual Wielding
- Lefty (+1 Knuckleduster):+4(+3) | 1d4+4(1d4+3) Bludgeoning | Hand-Mounted, Dual Wielding
- Pistol: +6(+5) | 1d10+3(1d10+2) Piercing | Loading, Range (20/60)
- Dagger:+4 | 1d4+2 Piercing | Simple, Finesse, Dual-Wielding
- Sling: +4 | 1d4+2 Bludgeoning | Simple, Range (30/120)
- Garotte:+1 (disadvantage) | On a hit against a large or smaller target that requires air to breathe, the creature is grappled and begins to suffocate.
Lefty and Righty are paired weapons, courtesy of Curly Joe. When wielded together, she can add her strength modifier to damage with the offhand attack (or intelligence, if she uses Assess Vulnerability).
Skills
Proficiencies
- Weapons: Improvised Weapons, Simple Weapons, and Firearms
- Saving Throws: Dexterity and Intelligence
- Skills: Arcana, Deception, Engineering, Insight, Investigation, Medicine, Perception, Sleight of Hand, and after each long rest, one of (Culture, Nature, or Religion)
- Tools: Alchemists Supplies, Forgery Kit, Gaming Set, Thieves' Tools
Expertise
- Investigation can always use Intelligence (Academic Exemplar)
- Investigation counts as a lore skill (Academic Exemplar)
- expertise on Investigation can go up from d8 to d12 (Academic Exemplar)
- +3 expertise on Investigation (Academic Exemplar, Quick Scan, and Sense for Secrets)
- +1 expertise on Deception (Skill Focus)
- +1 expertise on Investigation to locate or gather info about black markets and so on (A Nose for Vice)
- +1 expertise on the Gossip journey activity (An Ear for Gossip)
- +1 expertise on checks to navigate underground, +2 if in the underbridge (Underroute Native)
- +1 expertise on Initiative checks (Guard Instinct)
Specialities
- Investigation (Deciphering, Forensics, Gathering Rumours)
- Engineering (Architecture)
- Medicine (Autopsy)
Abilities
Dominant Presence
Making use of her prominent size or deep voice, Kal can gain advantage on a Charisma check or saving throw once per long rest.
Labyrinthine Recall
As a Minotaur, Kal can perfectly recall any path she have traveled. Her memory is similarly reliable regarding knowledge, though it can take her a while to methodically retrace how she learned something. Whenever Kal completes a long rest, she can choose one of the following skills: Arcana, Culture, Engineering, Nature, Religion. She gains proficiency in that skill until she takes another long rest.
Guard Instinct
Kal can spend an action to stamp her hoof and sense vibrations and reverberations in the ground, granting her tremorsense with a range of 30 feet until the start of her next turn or until she moves, whichever comes first. She also gains an expertise die on Initiative checks.
Underoute Native
While Kal is in an urban environment (including, but not limited to, sewers, cemeteries, settlements, or ruins) or a bridge, her player can ask the Narrator if the Underbridge reaches to this area. If it does, she is always able to locate a safe, hidden location to use as a haven - though it may already have occupants. Furthermore, she gains an expertise die on checks to navigate underground, which increases to a d6 while in the Underbridge.
A Nose for Vice
Growing up underbridge has made Kal familiar with illicit activity. She gains an expertise die on Investigation checks to locate or gather information about black markets and similar locations.
An Ear for Gossip
Her childhood spent in the Underbridge’s markets has given Kal a knack for gathering and spreading rumors. She gains an expertise die to all checks to perform the Gossip journey activity.
Thieves’ Cant
Kal know thieves’ cant: a set of slang, hand signals, and code terms used by professional criminals. A creature that knows thieves’ cant can hide a short message within a seemingly innocent statement. A listener who knows thieves’ cant understands the message.
Thieves’ cant also includes a set of secret written symbols which can convey simple concepts associated with crime such as danger, secret exits, sellers of stolen goods, and whether a location is the territory of a specific gang.
Adroit Defense
Kal constantly analyzes combat situations to improve her defensive posture, proactively interfering to guide attacks away from herself. While she isn't wearing armour, her AC equals 10 + her Dexterity modifier + her Intelligence modifier. She cannot use a shield and still gain this benefit.
Furthermore, when she is wearing armor she's proficient in, she can use her Intelligence in place of her Dexterity to determine her AC.
Covert Training
Kal has absorbed some of the lessons of the world of spies, criminals, and others who operate in the shadows.
She has gained proficiency in the poisoner's kit, and has learned two tricks from the rogue class: Quick Scan, and Sense for Secrets.
Combat Poise
Kal is able to use combat maneuvers. She is familiar with the Mirror's Glint and Mindful Body traditions. She has an exertion pool equal to her proficiency bonus (3) that refreshes on a short rest.
Analyzed Need
Kal can adapt her mind for whatever challenges she expects. When she completes a short or long rest she can choose a skill. Until she completes another rest, whenever she makes an ability check using that skill, she uses Intelligence instead of the ability score it normally uses.
Skill Focus
Kal gains an extra expertise die with Deception.
Academic Exemplar
Kal gets an extra expertise die in Investigation. Her expertise dice in Investigation can be upgraded up to a d12, and she can always use Intelligence on Investigation checks. Furthermore, Investigation counts as a lore skill for the purpose of gaining bonus knowledge on account of her Intelligence modifier, and she gets three extra Investigation specialties to boot. (Already included in skills above.)
Methods of Investigation
Kal is always equipped to follow a lead, whether through observation, intuition, or underhanded dealings. She knows the Deceptive Stance, Perceptive Stance, and Wary Stance combat maneuvers. She may activate any of these stances without spending exertion. While she is benefiting from an expertise die in a skill because of one of these stances, she can always choose to use Intelligence for that skill.
Leading Hunch
Kal has learned to trust her instincts when working a case. At the end of each short or long rest, choose one individual, creature, event, organization, or place of which you are aware. You gain one point of Key Knowledge about your selection, which lasts until the end of your next rest. At 11th and 17th level, the number of points of Key Knowledge you gain after each rest increases by 1. These points may each be about different subjects, but how specifically they are applied is at the discretion of the Narrator. For example, your suspicion about the thieves in the ally doesn’t necessarily apply to other members of the guild they belong to, especially if you’re not aware of the guild itself.
In addition, you require only half the usual gold and time to perform the Gather Information downtime activity.
Signature Move
Kal is considered to always have the Assess Vulnerability trick prepared, and it does not count against the limit of the number of tricks she can have prepared. When she uses that trick, it does not stop being prepared. Whenever she gains a level, she can change her signature move.
Knacks
Memory Palace
Kal can recall everything she's seen or heard within the past three weeks (Intelligence Bonus). In addition, she can retain expertise dice gained from the last two masterwork books she's read rather than one, and the size of the expertise die she gains from the most recent masterwork book she's read increases to d6 (but decreases to d4 once she reads another).
Reserved Seating
Kal has forethought of when and where she might need to be places. If she knew you would be in a given area, once per day she can call upon this forethought to have a vehicle or mount waiting for her and her companions, or to have a reservation available at a venue. She pays any appropriate costs. For exceptional requests, she may need to make a Persuasion check or owe someone a favor.
Motto of the Tropezaros
Kal makes sure she's always prepared. Once per short rest she can produce a non-magical item that she could have purchased or prepared at some point, small enough to fit in whatever storage she has available. This could range from a forged passport in her pocket to a glider stowed in the hold of a ship she's traveling on. Pay the appropriate price for it. Limits of causality apply.
Quick Scan
Kal gets an extra expertise die on Investigation checks. She can use a bonus action to take the Search action.
Sense for Secrets
Kal gets an expertise die on Investigation checks. She has a sense for finding hidden things. She can spend a minute observing an area. If there are tricks, traps, secret doors, or other unusual features of a nonmagical nature within 30 feet of her on an unobscured surface she can see, she knows something nearby is worth investigating, but not what or where it is. She can’t use Sense for Secrets twice on the same area.
Schemes, Tricks, and Maneuvers
Savant Tricks
In order to prepare a trick, Kal must spend a bonus action. She can only prepare a savant trick during an encounter, and can only have one prepared at a time. The exception to this is her "Assess Vulnerability" trick, which is her signature move and is therefore always prepared, does not become un-prepared after use, and doesn't count against her limit of prepared tricks.
- Assess Vulnerability: When Kal attacks a creature, she can use her Intelligence bonus in place of another ability score bonus for the attack roll and damage roll. This applies to all attacks she makes against it before the start of her next turn, but not to attacks she makes against other creatures.
This is Kal's Signature Move. - Rallying Word: Kal knows just what to say to inspire an ally’s flagging stamina. She can spend a bonus action to let an ally within 30 feet who can understand her spend a Hit Die. If it does, it rolls that Hit Die (adding its Constitution bonus) plus 2d8 and heals hit points equal to the total. The bonus dice increase to 3d8 at 11th level, and 4d8 at 17th level. After she uses this ability, the same ally cannot benefit from it again until you complete a short rest .
- Sweeping Stride: When Kal moves at least 10 feet and enters a space adjacent to a creature no more than one size larger than her, she can try to trip it. If the creature fails a Dexterity saving throw , it falls prone . If it succeeds, instead Kal's movement ends in the space she entered to use this ability.
Maneuvers
Martial Traditions: Mirror's Glint, Razor's Edge.
- Deceptive Stance (0 point)
1st degree Mist and Shade Bonus Action (Stance)
With practice and training you learn how to shut off your facial reactions amidst battle, taking on a passive countenance from which nothing can be easily gleaned.
You gain an expertise die on Deception and Sleight of Hand checks made in combat
-
Perceptive Stance (0 point)
1st degree Razor’s Edge Bonus Action (Stance)
Nothing within your sight is of minor significance and you take in your surroundings with great care even as arrows fly and blades clash upon shields.
Your passive Perception score increases by 3. In addition, you gain an expertise die on Perception checks.
- Wary Stance (0 points)
1st degree Mirror’s Glint Bonus Action (Stance)
With a keen eye you constantly assess everything within sight, paying close attention to subtle visual cues and tells to better anticipate an opponent.
You gain an expertise die on Insight checks and increase your passive Insight score by 3.
-
Blind Stance (1 Point)
1st degree Mindful Body Bonus Action (Stance)
Even when you can’t see, you are able to sense your environment.
While in this stance you have blindsight to a range of 30 feet, and you are immune to the blinded condition.
-
Leading Throw (1 point)
1st degree Mirror’s Glint Reaction
An opponent that strikes at you invites peril as they find the momentum from their attack turned against them.
When a creature within your reach misses you with a melee weapon attack, you can use your reaction to try to throw it. The creature makes a Dexterity saving throw or moves 15 feet in a straight line in a direction of your choice.
-
Anticipated Intercept (1 point)
1st degree Mindful Body Reaction
You intuit your enemy’s movements and hamper them.
When you see a creature start to use its movement, you can use your reaction to move up to your Speed to a square 5 feet from where it started its movement. The creature makes a Wisdom saving throw or its Speed is reduced to 0 for the remainder of its turn.
Equipment
Total Weight: 34.5 lbs
Petty cash on hand: 309 gold, 1 silver.
Worn
- Common Clothes 5s, 3lbs
- Signet Ring 5s, 0lbs
- signal whistle 5c, 0lbs
- dagger 2g, 1lbs
- hooded lantern 5g, 2lbs
- Raven Gang Scimitar 3lbs
- Pistol 3lbs
Map Case
- Memento: A newspaper clipping announcing the apprehension of a hobgoblin pimp, the target of her first case after escaping her family.
Pouch #1
- Forgery Kit 15g 5w
- 10 pieces of Chalk 1s, 0w
- tinderbox 5s, 1w
Pouch #2
- Flask of Ether 20g, 1lb
- 5 flasks of Oil 5s, 5lbs
Pouch #3
- Thieves' Tools 25g, 1lb
- Silk Rope (50 feet) 10g, 5lbs
Pouch #4
- Sack 1c, 0.5lbs
- 4 Vials (can hold 4 oz each) 4g, 0lbs
- Ball Bearings (1000) 1g, 2lbs
- String (100 feet) 1g, 0lbs
- Bell 1g, 0lbs
- Magnifying Glass 25g, 0lbs
- Steel Mirror 5g, 0.5lbs
- Dice Set 1s, 0lbs
Pouch #5
- Garotte 3s, 0lbs
- Sling 2s, 0lbs
- 20 sling bullets 4c, 1.5lbs
Destiny: Light
Kal is primarily motivated by a desire for truth and understanding. She works as a detective, not only because she is very good at it, nor because she wants to get back at her criminal family, but because of her deep and abiding love of the truth. She abhors secrets, and has an insatiable curiosity to get to the bottom of things.
She gains inspiration whenever she uncovers a secret that someone went to great lengths to hide.
Whenever she fails an Insight or Perception check, she may use her reaction and spend her Inspiration to get any information that would've been revealed had she succeeded.
Fulfilling her Destiny
She will fulfill her destiny when she reveals a truth that alters the public's perception of the world.
When she does, she will gain the "Illuminating Figure" ability, which grants +1 Expertise on Insight checks and all checks to find hidden enemies or see through illusions.
Character Notes
Backstory
She was raised the daughter of the godfather of the minotaur crime family, an old and powerful syndicate in the big city. At a young age, her tutors recognized her brilliant deductive mind, and her father put her on the task of finding ways to cause legal troubles for their criminal competetion.
Around the age of 15, she found out that her father had betrothed her in an arranged marriage to a rival syndicate to cement their alliance. She objected and refused to go through with it. A couple of her fathers goons beat the daylights out of her, breaking both of her horns, in order to try and 'beat some sense into her'. Naturally, she fled, and made her home in the Underbridge, a complex maze of tunnels beneath the city.
While in the Underbridge, she honed her deductive skills by leveraging her criminal background towards the solving of crimes, funneling evidence to the authorities to cause trouble for the various syndicates above the city streets.
- Connection: Her father, the Minotaur Don, who had her cast out and her horns broken.
- Memento: A newspaper clipping announcing the apprehension of a hobgoblin pimp, the target of her first case after escaping her family.
Home
Kal and Ali rent the second floor of a crumbling brick apartment building in a rough neiborhood. Four rooms clustered around a narrow stairwell. Two of the rooms are devoted to Ali's tinkering, while one is a sitting room where Kal likes to interview potential clients, and the last is Kal's cramped bedroom/library/office/laboratory. They try to keep the sitting room in decent order, but the other rooms are a perpetual mess of projects, cases, and so on, piled up on one another. The detritus of an interesting life.
Interests, Hobbies, & Friends
Kal is a woman of single-minded focus. She lives for the case, the mystery solved, for justice served. When she doesn't have a case to focus on, she loafs about aimlessly, reads any book or newspaper she can get her hands on, and experiments with assorted drugs with a crew of trollkin under the Pastry Avenue bridge. Her dealer in the Underbridge is an easy-going Gnoll lady, who goes by "The Walrus", with whom she has a friendly personal and professional relationship with. She also likes to occasionally gamble on games of chance down at her favored local pub. The owner there, Hera, an old woman with a crystal eye, has been fond of Kal ever since she turned up in the neighborhood as a young teenager, years ago, and will readily feed rumors and discount drinks her way. She has kind of been like a surrogate aunt to the wayward minotaur. Once a case is on her table, all of her friends quickly turn into contacts, from whom she tries to get any information or rumors that can help her solve the mystery.
Family & Foes
Kal has not had any contact with her family, the dreaded Archofovizo crime family, since the age of 13. When she refused to go through with an arranged marriage, her father, the Nonoi Orfeas "Platon" Archofovizo, had a few of his goons break her horns and beat her to within an inch of death, in an attempt to sway her, but instead, she ran away with the mechanical servant Ali, whom her father had recieved as a slave in payment of a debt. Ever since, she has had a particular focus on causing trouble for organized crime, and if given the opportunity, her family would probably love to rub her out.
In addition to her father and his gang, her profession as a detective and private investigator has certainly gained her no shortage of enemies. Anyone with a dangerous secret to keep has reason to be wary of her. One specific example, would be "Bats" Grindle, the hobgoblin pimp who is currently serving time in the city dungeons after her investigation exposed his "business". She also bears a significant grudge against Archibald, the bastard tinker who treated her companion Ali so poorly, and has a tense working relationship with the bumbling Inspective Detector Borscht of the official police force (she easily tires of his incompetence, while he resents having to ride her coat-tails to close cases).
