Post by The Stone Crow on Dec 6, 2015 9:31:36 GMT
Name: Mara Stonecrow
Age: 27
Status: 4D
Role: The Stone Crow, Lord of House Stonecrow, Chieftain of The Saltpans and Crossroads.
Attributes:
Agility: 6 ((1b Acrobatics, 4b Dodge, 3b Quickness))
Animal Handling: 2
Athletics: 5 ((1b Strength))
Awareness: 3
Cunning: 2
Deception: 3
Endurance: 4
Fighting: 5 ((2b Brawling, 4b Spear))
Healing: 2
Knowledge: 2
Persuasion: 3 ((2b Intimidate))
Status: 4
Stealth: 3
Survival: 4
Warfare: 3 ((3b Command))
Will: 5
((100 points for Admin))
((110 points for Unique Weapon))
Benefits and Drawbacks:
Acrobatic Defense: Add Acrobatics bonus dice to Combat Defense Requires Agility 4D (Acrobatics 1b)
Night Eyes: See in darkness
Fast: +3 to all Quickness test results
Lucky: Re-roll one test per day and keep best result
Head of House: +2 to all Status test results
Heirloom: You gain a Unique Weapon
Armor Mastery: +1 to Armor Rating; -1 to Armor Penalty^
Weapon Mastery: +1 to this Weapon's base Damage^
--Improved Weapon Mastery: +2 to this Weapon's base Damage^
Spear Fighter I: Spears gain a free attack against a different target if the attack against the first target misses
Spear Fighter II: Spears gain 1 yard of range further than their default range with no penalty
Spear Fighter III: Spears gain Piercing +2; Spears gain +1d with Action: Knockdown
Disturbing Habit: [Likes To Impale] +1d on tests involving Intimidate; -1d on all Persuasion tests not involving Intimidate
Insensitive: -1d on all Healing tests
Ignoble: -1d on all Persuasion and Status tests
Threatening: All intrigues must begin with Intimidate test; -2d on all tests involving Charm and Seduce
Marked: Reroll 6s on all Persuasion tests
Childhood Disease: -2 to Health
Derived Statistics:
Intrigue Defense: 9
Composure: 15
Combat Defense: 14
Health: 12
Background: Mara, current leader of the Stone Crows, known by her people as The Stone Crow, was the daughter of Lorn, who was the son of Orza, one of the oldest chiefs of the Storm Crows. When she was initially born, Mara had a patch of grey along her shoulder, which grew upon her slowly, creeping up her neck and near her shoulder. The healers proclaimed her a lost cause, but her father, who had lost 4 children to child birth previous, declared that if the gods would spare his daughter, and if she prove to be strong enough to survive, that he would devout himself to them. Miraculously, Mara managed to survive the Greyscale, though it left her scarred on her neck and along her back and part of her chest, and true to his word Lorn The Storm Crow vowed his people to the ways of the Old Gods, and as doing so gave up the old ways of raiding, only doing so to those who spurred their hospitality, or those of the vale who converted to the faith of the andal.
Life was harsh for the Mountain Clans, for they had no lands to cultivate nor coin to purchase goods, so many turned to banditry to survive. Even among them however, many saw Mara as something foul that her father should have killed, children often wanting to pick on her and adults having no qualm chasing her away with stones. Mara took to always wearing cloaks or scarves to cover her neck, never showing the greyscale scars and growing resentful towards the superstitious in her clan, her only comfort being that her father treated her equal no better or worse then the other children, and appreciated her efforts to do her part. Mara learned quickly that fear was the best deterrent from bullying, and would often not hesitate to attack those who bullied or name called her, furiously punching and kicking and even biting in order for her to win, and earning a reputation as one who shouldn't be mocked unless you were looking for a fight. Her condition had its benefits, allowing her to take a punch or two without feeling it, though it had another price for her to pay. She had a hard time catching her breath, and would get tired doing hard tasks for too long, her chest struggling to expand with its own skin constricting it. Lorn saw his daughters struggles, and so took to teaching her how to fight with a staff as he did, weapons of iron or steel not easily found for the Mountain Clans, nor replaced as easily should they break. Mara showed great aptitude for fighting, her speed making her a difficult target to hit, and her strength able to make any staff or spear in her hand a deadly tool.
Her prowess with a weapon was noticed by others in her village, who saw her capability in fighting as a sign that the gods valued her in some way. Through combat, she proved herself worthy of their respect, though she never forgot the scorn they showed her before. It was when she had come at age, and her fathers health began to decline, that the great doom happened, the earth near their mountain falling into the sea, and many people fleeing into their lands. Mara had wanted to simply attack them, not trusting these outsiders. But Lorn, being the man he was, offered them some aid in following with the custom of hospitality, and with the fleeing riverlanders accepting, The Stone Crows took charge of their safety in the mountains. Working with those not of the mountain or vale, having them give aid without needing to force it from them, changed something within the clan. It formed a bond, a simple one formed on a relationship of food for protection, but one that began to take hold. So when the riverlanders decided to head back to their villages and homes, the Stone Crows followed, protecting them all the ways back, wandering around the edges of town, and advising which foods were good and which were not to the traders and farmers of the flat lands below. They soon discovered these people had no lord, at least not one who survived. As such, there was no one to expel the Stone Crows, and no reason in their eyes to leave.
Mara herself was curious of the customs of these people, often spending time in Saltpans, their apparent home, and watching them go about their business. Slowly, the Stone Crows offered more and more power to the people, letting some of the larger land holders speak during their clans council meetings, and an agreement was struck, making the Storm Crows official protectors of the Saltpans. Mara was surprised, but accepted the offer for her father, who was increasingly becoming ill with old age. Mara decided she liked the idea of a land of their own, and led some of her fellow clansmen to claim more land to the West, snatching up what was left of the Crossroads, and seizing the roads that connected the Bloody Gate to the Green Fork, both bordering the Shimmering Sea. Mara brought the news to her father, excited to show him what she had managed to do, only to find him dead beneath one of the few Weirwood trees in the land, apparently having come there to finally rest in peace. Mara grew fearful in that moment, seeing the one person who she had trusted most, who had protected her throughout her life, dead. Already, there was talk of who would be the next Stone Crow, with some voting forth a strong Ultar or cunning Jura, and Mara remembered how much they had tormented her in her youth, and feared a return of that time. She challenged both to a duel, two on one, and after a bloody battle managed to strike both of her foes down, to show the others she was strong enough to hold her own against her competition. Mara then underwent one of the harshest rituals a Stone Crow could do, allowing their healers to scar her and not raising a finger to stop them, biting her tongue till it nearly bled to keep from screaming, and demonstrating her dedication to her people. The ritual, usually reserved for holy men or the dishonored looking to atone, was all her fellow clansmen needed to swear loyalty to her, Naming Mara the new leader of the clan. Mara took the last name Stonecrow, declaring that those who bared her name would henceforth rule the clan, before rallying her people to expand their lands.
The Stone Crows pushed first northwards, claiming some of the mountain lands and absorbing some smaller clans, the Painted Dogs and Milk Snakes, into their own numbers. The red smiths were defiant to the last, and so Mara ordered them all to be left alive on tree branches carved into stakes, for the crows to feed upon, all to continue to dominate through fear and intimidation. Soon, other clans joined her, or rallied against the growing Stone Crows, who turned their attention westward to claim more lands, seizing what was left of Lord Harroway's Town, before turning to conquer the land along the Kingsroad, ordering the land guarded so the survivors could go about their lives. Finally, as she marched up the Kingsroad, Mara was confronted by the forces of the newly appointed King Reed. Mara only launched a single skirmish, but it was enough for her marauding band to be smashed by the superior train and armed forces, and Mara herself forced to bend the knee to save her people. Upon arriving at her lands however, and finding people not subjugated but doing well to rebuild, she was allowed to continued to rule, but to never raise an army against the realm again. The humbling experience gave Mara pause in her actions, the young women of 16 contemplating what had transpired, and agreeing to the terms to serve as the Saltpans new "Lord".
Mara took the title of the Lord of House Stonecrow, following the traditions of the flat-lander and better aiding in them dealing with her. Mara however continued the practices of old, keeping a council of fellow clansmen, and now local business, farmers, fishermen, and a maester, to help run her lands, which officially are West of Wickenden and East of Harroway's town. Unofficially though, Mara and her people still view themselves as Clan Stone Crow, and view the mountains to the north as an extension of their territory. Mara herself has kept her word, not raising an army to stand against the king or kingdom, but has still launched raids to the north on her former clansmen from time to time, as a sport to keep her skills honed. All the while however, Mara waits and bides her time, buying better weapons and armor, taking any captives from their raids to press them into service, or taking them into the wild to give them a stone crow sendoff. Waiting for the time she can face against another proper lord again, and maybe this time, take their lands. All to show she's still powerful, all to show she deserves respect, and all to full-fill her fathers wish, to see the Stone Crows thrive, and for a world where their people don't need to languish in poverty from the nobles above. Whether that means raising themselves up, or bringing everyone down a peg, Mara still hasn't made up her mind. But the one thing she does know, is that it is fear that garners respect; Fear that makes the nobles as powerful as they are, and her people mocked. And it will be fear that makes them respected, one way or another.
Equipment:
Special Short-Spear
Knife
Age: 27
Status: 4D
Role: The Stone Crow, Lord of House Stonecrow, Chieftain of The Saltpans and Crossroads.
Attributes:
Agility: 6 ((1b Acrobatics, 4b Dodge, 3b Quickness))
Animal Handling: 2
Athletics: 5 ((1b Strength))
Awareness: 3
Cunning: 2
Deception: 3
Endurance: 4
Fighting: 5 ((2b Brawling, 4b Spear))
Healing: 2
Knowledge: 2
Persuasion: 3 ((2b Intimidate))
Status: 4
Stealth: 3
Survival: 4
Warfare: 3 ((3b Command))
Will: 5
((100 points for Admin))
((110 points for Unique Weapon))
Benefits and Drawbacks:
Acrobatic Defense: Add Acrobatics bonus dice to Combat Defense Requires Agility 4D (Acrobatics 1b)
Night Eyes: See in darkness
Fast: +3 to all Quickness test results
Lucky: Re-roll one test per day and keep best result
Head of House: +2 to all Status test results
Heirloom: You gain a Unique Weapon
Armor Mastery: +1 to Armor Rating; -1 to Armor Penalty^
Weapon Mastery: +1 to this Weapon's base Damage^
--Improved Weapon Mastery: +2 to this Weapon's base Damage^
Spear Fighter I: Spears gain a free attack against a different target if the attack against the first target misses
Spear Fighter II: Spears gain 1 yard of range further than their default range with no penalty
Spear Fighter III: Spears gain Piercing +2; Spears gain +1d with Action: Knockdown
Disturbing Habit: [Likes To Impale] +1d on tests involving Intimidate; -1d on all Persuasion tests not involving Intimidate
Insensitive: -1d on all Healing tests
Ignoble: -1d on all Persuasion and Status tests
Threatening: All intrigues must begin with Intimidate test; -2d on all tests involving Charm and Seduce
Marked: Reroll 6s on all Persuasion tests
Childhood Disease: -2 to Health
Derived Statistics:
Intrigue Defense: 9
Composure: 15
Combat Defense: 14
Health: 12
Background: Mara, current leader of the Stone Crows, known by her people as The Stone Crow, was the daughter of Lorn, who was the son of Orza, one of the oldest chiefs of the Storm Crows. When she was initially born, Mara had a patch of grey along her shoulder, which grew upon her slowly, creeping up her neck and near her shoulder. The healers proclaimed her a lost cause, but her father, who had lost 4 children to child birth previous, declared that if the gods would spare his daughter, and if she prove to be strong enough to survive, that he would devout himself to them. Miraculously, Mara managed to survive the Greyscale, though it left her scarred on her neck and along her back and part of her chest, and true to his word Lorn The Storm Crow vowed his people to the ways of the Old Gods, and as doing so gave up the old ways of raiding, only doing so to those who spurred their hospitality, or those of the vale who converted to the faith of the andal.
Life was harsh for the Mountain Clans, for they had no lands to cultivate nor coin to purchase goods, so many turned to banditry to survive. Even among them however, many saw Mara as something foul that her father should have killed, children often wanting to pick on her and adults having no qualm chasing her away with stones. Mara took to always wearing cloaks or scarves to cover her neck, never showing the greyscale scars and growing resentful towards the superstitious in her clan, her only comfort being that her father treated her equal no better or worse then the other children, and appreciated her efforts to do her part. Mara learned quickly that fear was the best deterrent from bullying, and would often not hesitate to attack those who bullied or name called her, furiously punching and kicking and even biting in order for her to win, and earning a reputation as one who shouldn't be mocked unless you were looking for a fight. Her condition had its benefits, allowing her to take a punch or two without feeling it, though it had another price for her to pay. She had a hard time catching her breath, and would get tired doing hard tasks for too long, her chest struggling to expand with its own skin constricting it. Lorn saw his daughters struggles, and so took to teaching her how to fight with a staff as he did, weapons of iron or steel not easily found for the Mountain Clans, nor replaced as easily should they break. Mara showed great aptitude for fighting, her speed making her a difficult target to hit, and her strength able to make any staff or spear in her hand a deadly tool.
Her prowess with a weapon was noticed by others in her village, who saw her capability in fighting as a sign that the gods valued her in some way. Through combat, she proved herself worthy of their respect, though she never forgot the scorn they showed her before. It was when she had come at age, and her fathers health began to decline, that the great doom happened, the earth near their mountain falling into the sea, and many people fleeing into their lands. Mara had wanted to simply attack them, not trusting these outsiders. But Lorn, being the man he was, offered them some aid in following with the custom of hospitality, and with the fleeing riverlanders accepting, The Stone Crows took charge of their safety in the mountains. Working with those not of the mountain or vale, having them give aid without needing to force it from them, changed something within the clan. It formed a bond, a simple one formed on a relationship of food for protection, but one that began to take hold. So when the riverlanders decided to head back to their villages and homes, the Stone Crows followed, protecting them all the ways back, wandering around the edges of town, and advising which foods were good and which were not to the traders and farmers of the flat lands below. They soon discovered these people had no lord, at least not one who survived. As such, there was no one to expel the Stone Crows, and no reason in their eyes to leave.
Mara herself was curious of the customs of these people, often spending time in Saltpans, their apparent home, and watching them go about their business. Slowly, the Stone Crows offered more and more power to the people, letting some of the larger land holders speak during their clans council meetings, and an agreement was struck, making the Storm Crows official protectors of the Saltpans. Mara was surprised, but accepted the offer for her father, who was increasingly becoming ill with old age. Mara decided she liked the idea of a land of their own, and led some of her fellow clansmen to claim more land to the West, snatching up what was left of the Crossroads, and seizing the roads that connected the Bloody Gate to the Green Fork, both bordering the Shimmering Sea. Mara brought the news to her father, excited to show him what she had managed to do, only to find him dead beneath one of the few Weirwood trees in the land, apparently having come there to finally rest in peace. Mara grew fearful in that moment, seeing the one person who she had trusted most, who had protected her throughout her life, dead. Already, there was talk of who would be the next Stone Crow, with some voting forth a strong Ultar or cunning Jura, and Mara remembered how much they had tormented her in her youth, and feared a return of that time. She challenged both to a duel, two on one, and after a bloody battle managed to strike both of her foes down, to show the others she was strong enough to hold her own against her competition. Mara then underwent one of the harshest rituals a Stone Crow could do, allowing their healers to scar her and not raising a finger to stop them, biting her tongue till it nearly bled to keep from screaming, and demonstrating her dedication to her people. The ritual, usually reserved for holy men or the dishonored looking to atone, was all her fellow clansmen needed to swear loyalty to her, Naming Mara the new leader of the clan. Mara took the last name Stonecrow, declaring that those who bared her name would henceforth rule the clan, before rallying her people to expand their lands.
The Stone Crows pushed first northwards, claiming some of the mountain lands and absorbing some smaller clans, the Painted Dogs and Milk Snakes, into their own numbers. The red smiths were defiant to the last, and so Mara ordered them all to be left alive on tree branches carved into stakes, for the crows to feed upon, all to continue to dominate through fear and intimidation. Soon, other clans joined her, or rallied against the growing Stone Crows, who turned their attention westward to claim more lands, seizing what was left of Lord Harroway's Town, before turning to conquer the land along the Kingsroad, ordering the land guarded so the survivors could go about their lives. Finally, as she marched up the Kingsroad, Mara was confronted by the forces of the newly appointed King Reed. Mara only launched a single skirmish, but it was enough for her marauding band to be smashed by the superior train and armed forces, and Mara herself forced to bend the knee to save her people. Upon arriving at her lands however, and finding people not subjugated but doing well to rebuild, she was allowed to continued to rule, but to never raise an army against the realm again. The humbling experience gave Mara pause in her actions, the young women of 16 contemplating what had transpired, and agreeing to the terms to serve as the Saltpans new "Lord".
Mara took the title of the Lord of House Stonecrow, following the traditions of the flat-lander and better aiding in them dealing with her. Mara however continued the practices of old, keeping a council of fellow clansmen, and now local business, farmers, fishermen, and a maester, to help run her lands, which officially are West of Wickenden and East of Harroway's town. Unofficially though, Mara and her people still view themselves as Clan Stone Crow, and view the mountains to the north as an extension of their territory. Mara herself has kept her word, not raising an army to stand against the king or kingdom, but has still launched raids to the north on her former clansmen from time to time, as a sport to keep her skills honed. All the while however, Mara waits and bides her time, buying better weapons and armor, taking any captives from their raids to press them into service, or taking them into the wild to give them a stone crow sendoff. Waiting for the time she can face against another proper lord again, and maybe this time, take their lands. All to show she's still powerful, all to show she deserves respect, and all to full-fill her fathers wish, to see the Stone Crows thrive, and for a world where their people don't need to languish in poverty from the nobles above. Whether that means raising themselves up, or bringing everyone down a peg, Mara still hasn't made up her mind. But the one thing she does know, is that it is fear that garners respect; Fear that makes the nobles as powerful as they are, and her people mocked. And it will be fear that makes them respected, one way or another.
Equipment:
Special Short-Spear
Knife
