Realms Personalities : Valas Hunr of the Bregan D'Aerthe

Dragon #312

Like Ryld Argith, Valas Hune rose from humble origins. He is a commoner from a so-called "merchant House" - a small clan or extended family that practices a particular trade. Some of Menzoberranzan's merchant Houses are actually guilds of craftsmen or skilled professionals, but House Orlzz'Hune was a true mercantile enterprise. Its members organized trade caravans to various nearby cities in the Underdark, trading drow craftwork for the goods produced by Menzoberranzan's neighbors.

Valas spent many decades engaged in the family business, escorting caravans throughout the Underdark. This occupation gave him plenty of opportunity to hone his fighting skills, learn the ways of other races, and become intimately familiar with the Underdark for hundreds of miles around.

About one hundred years ago, House Orlzz'Hune encountered disaster in the Underdark. Valas and a dozen of his kinfolk were leading a caravan through the region known as the Labyrinth when a great band of minotaur marauders set upon them. Although the Hunes fought desperately, they were swept away, and Valas escaped only by fleeing alone into the darkness after all his companions had fallen. Although he was without food or supplies, Valas Hune survived the Labyrinth, deciphering the riddle of its mazelike passages and evading one hungry monster after another. He eventually found his way to the hidden refuge of House Jaelre, a male-dominated House of Vhaeraun worshipers who had been exiled from Menzoberranzan long ago.

Valas remained among the Jaelre for several months, repaying them for their assistance by contributing his sword and his skills to their defense. While there, he befriended the cleric Tzirik. Eventually, however, Valas decided to return to his kinfolk, so he struck out on the path toward home, joining first one caravan and then another to work his way back to Menzoberranzan. But when he finally reached the city, he discovered that the loss of the caravan had left Orlzz'Hune impoverished and defenseless, and its rivals had lost no time in wiping it out.

Fearing for his life, Valas decided to become a sellsword and joined the Bregan D'Aerthe mercenary company, hoping to disappear among other Houseless males. His skill at stealth and handiness with a blade impressed the mercenaries, and he flourished in their company. The organizational and leadership skills that he had learned in his former House served him well, and he rose quickly among the Bregan D'Aerthe.

Valas is a small, quiet drow who is ever cautious and alert. He feels more at home roaming the subterranean wilderness of the Underdark than he does navigating the treacherous intrigues of Menzoberranzan. Valas wears a number of charms and trinkets produced by non-drow Underdark races. These ornaments appear uncouth and ugly to most of his fellow dark elves, but several have useful magic powers. He fights with a pair of kukris but prefers to kill from a distance with a composite shortbow.

Valas Hune: Male drow Rogue 10/Ranger 2/Fighter 4; CR 17; Medium humanoid (elf); HD 10d6+20 plus 2d8+4 plus 4d10+8; hp 98; Init +12; Spd 30 ft.; AC 32, touch 21, flat-footed 32; Base Atk +13; Grp +17; Atk +25 melee (1d4+9 plus 1d6 electricity/15-20 plus 1d10 electricity, +3 keen shocking burst kukri) or +24 ranged (1d6+5/x3, +2 composite shortbow [+2 Str bonus] with +3 arrows); Full Atk +23/+18/+13 melee (1d4+9 plus 1d6 electricity/15-20 plus 1d10 electricity, +3 keen shocking burst kukri) and +23 melee (1d4+7/18-20, +3 defending kukri); or +24/+19/+14 ranged (1d6+5/x3, +2 composite shortbow [+2 Str bonus] with +3 arrows); SA sneak attack +5d6, spell-like abilities; SQ combat style (two-weapon combat), darkvision 120 ft., drow traits, evasion, favored enemy (aberrations +2), improved uncanny dodge, opportunist, spell resistance 27, trap sense +3, trapfinding, uncanny dodge, wild empathy +1; AL N; SV Fort +19, Ref +26, Will +15; Str 19, Dex 27, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 14, Cha 9.

Skills and Feats. Balance +16, Climb +21, Decipher Script +10, Disable Device +16, Escape Artist +21, Hide +38, Jump +15, Knowledge (local - the Underdark) +8, Listen +17, Move Silently +28, Search +11, Speak Language (Aquan, Draconic, Orc), Spot +21, Survival +16, Swim +7, Tumble +19, Use Rope +10; Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Spring Attack, Track, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (kukri), Weapon Specialization (kukri).

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day - dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire. Caster level 16th.

Combat Style: Valas has chosen two-weapon combat as his combat style.

Drow Traits: Valas is immune to magic sleep spells and effects. He gains a +2 racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells or effects, a +2 racial bonus on Will saves against spells or spell-like abilities, and a +2 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks (already figured into the statistics given above). He is entitled to a Search check when within 5 feet of a secret or concealed door as though actively looking for it. As a drow, Valas also has light blindness (blinded for 1 round by abrupt exposure to bright light; dazzled on each subsequent round that he remains in bright light).

Evasion (Ex): If exposed to any effect that normally allows a character to attempt a Reflex saving throw for half damage, Valas takes no damage with a successful saving throw.

Favored Enemy: Valas has selected aberrations as a favored enemy. He gains a +2 bonus on his Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against this type of creature. He gets the same bonus on weapon damage rolls against creatures of this type.

Opportunist: Once per round, Valas can make an attack of opportunity against an opponent that has just been struck for damage in melee by another character. This attack counts as his attack of opportunity for that round.

Trap Sense (Ex): Valas has a +3 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +3 bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.

Wild Empathy (Ex): This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person, except that it works against animals. Valas and the animal must be within 30 feet of one another and able to see each other. This ability can also be used to influence a magical beast with an Intelligence score of 1 or 2 at a -4 penalty on the check.

Languages Known: Aquan, Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Orc, Undercommon.

Possessions: +3 keen shocking burst kukri +3 defending kukri, +2 composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus), 50 +3 arrows, +5 mithral chain shirt of silent moves and nimbleness, belt of strength +4, bracers of health +2, vest of dexterity +6, ring of protection +3, Valas Hune's piwafwi, the nine-pointed star, ring of natural armor +2, hand of glory, stone of alarm, ring of speed, Heward's handy haversack.

Valas Hune's Unique Items

Valas is nothing if not pragmatic, and he possesses several charms and trinkets that few other drow would wear.

Valas Hune's Piwafwi: Crafted especially for the most skillful scouts among the dark elves, this cloak grants the wearer a +4 resistance bonus on all saving throws and a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Strong abjuration and illusion; CL 12th; Craft Wondrous Item, invisibility, resistance; Price 25,000 gp; Weight 2 lbs.

The Nine-Pointed Star: This unique brooch looks like a star with nine points, and it is made from common tin. It confers a +3 luck bonus on the wearer's saving throws. In addition, the wearer may use dimension door to move a total of 760 feet per day. This distance need not be expended in a single use, but each activation of the power requires a standard action.

Moderate conjuration and enchantment; CL 9th; Craft Wondrous Item, dimension door, prayer; Price 63,000 gp.

Ring of Speed: On command, this ring enables the wearer to act as though affected by a haste spell for up to 10 rounds each day. The duration of the haste effect need not be consecutive rounds.

Moderate transmutation; CL 10th; Forge Ring, haste; Price 12,000 gp.


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