A Gift of the All-mother
“It as early morning on the street of Caltrop and Pike, and around them people went about their business. Store began to open, doors creaking and inviting the morning sun in, their owners out beating rugs and cleaning the street with a push broom. City guard walked down, starting their morning route through the city. Some walked with their small clubs twirling, giving a rap to the head of any beggars who were still on the street. Some of them even raised their hands in thanks and when on their way, a whole day of beggar business in front of them.
Meredith came walking don the street , now in here work uniform of green colored denim, her hair in a large bun. She was still putting pins in it as she went, her eyes half shut. Rattling with every movement was her belt, filed with oddities and various pouches, small sacks, and compartments, with the one thing standing out was a long stick in a type shoulder holster. The long piece of Rosewood, curled into it shaped seemed to have hair, golden locks woven into it, and stopped at sharp arrow pint shaped red crystal. All this was mounted on Meredith’s young body and the belt rattled on her wide hips, her thick rubber boots clunking away on the cobblestone.
“Hey Merry, how are you?”
Meredith looked as she fastened the last pin into her hair
“Good Morning Borges! how are you?” she said and looked up into the yellow door way. Their stood smoking a pip a large Half-orc, who was wide as he was large, covered in flour, on his face and belly, wearing a worn apron with multiple spots of food on them, he waved to Meredith as she passed
“Wait a tic girl, where are you going in such hurrah?” he said, a deep guttural voice that seemed more animal than humanoid. A deep oaken smell mixed with bread and sugar came out of the doorway, Meredith’s head and nose rose up instantly to catch the delicious tastes.
“Ah, wish I could stay and just smell those sweet breads of yours, Borges, but I’m late for work as is”
“Don’t be silly, girl” Borges came out again, this time with a box twined together in huge hand “You can take it with you!”
“Borges, thank you! I can’t believe this, how much do I owe you?” Meredith received her box of goodies with child like enthusiasm
“Nothing, Merry! After you fixed my stove and got the elemental in line it’s the least I can do for you!”
“Thank you Borges! Your just the All-Mothers Gift are you!” Meredith said leaning in, giving the hulking baker a kiss on the cheek a she left in trot down the street
“It’s nothing girl, you have good day, heh”
And if you doubted it for a second, yes, Half-orcs can blush.
About
Borges is a Half-orc with a good heart. After the war of Falling Sword, Borges could no longer take the ways of war anymore, and soon resigned himself away form the the battlefield. He was a brilliant scout and hisskill had earned him a great name, but he could no longer take the screams of the battlefield. He lived off of the bottle for some years after, becoming homeless and destitute. One days, to escape a horrid winter in Borel, he broke into one of the many stores on Pike Street. He son awoke, and found himself in daylight listening to singing. he turned to find a halfling rolling dough and greeting him in the morning. This wasBalbad the baker, an Halfling General of Trookel, who had become a baker. Balbad greeted him, fed him and soon Borges was renewed, and never touched the a drink again.
Balbad is retired now living with a son in southern island city of Veins, but has left the bakery in Borges well trained hands. Since then Borges has helped his community and his neighbors to make the Pike Street shops some of the best that can be found in Borel, especially with the sweets Borges makes, that some say, have certain spell-like effects.
Notes:
Borges can be looked at as a very minor character for nay campaign, somebody the PCs may occasionally but into and hear about his exploits. I like making characters like this to help flesh out places. Nothing is cooler when your players say “Hey lets go to that city, it has so-and-so there…”
Borges
male half-orc Exp4/Rgr2;
CR 6;
HD 4d6+2d10-6; hp 20
Init +1; Spd 30 ft;
AC 21/18, touch 12, flat-footed 20/17 (+1 Dex,+1 nat,+4 armor,+1 armor enh.,+2 shield,+1 shield enh.,+1 defl.);
BAB +5; Melee light flail +7 (1d8+4) and light hammer +7 two-handed (1d4+2), or light flail +9 (1d8+4), or light hammer +9 light (1d4+4); Ranged throwing axe +7 (1d6+4);
SQ darkvision 60′, favored enemy (1);
AL CG
SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +6;
Str 16(+3), Dex 12(+1), Con 11(+0), Int 14(+2), Wis 11(+0), Cha 11(+0).
Skills and Feats: HIDE+4(3), SPOT+1(1), LISTEN+3(3), MOVE SILENTLY+1, bluff+2(2), climb+4(1), concentration+2(3), craft(Baking) +9*(7), escape artist+2(1), gather info+3(3), handle animal+1(1), heal+1(1), innuendo+2(2), intimidate+8(8), jump+4(1), Profession (Baking)+6*(4), pick pocket+3(2), swim+5(2), wilderness lore+2(2); ambidexterity, great fortitude, iron will, lightning reflexes, track, two-weapon fighting.
*Borges has Baking in craft because he can make any size cakes and types of cakes, while his Profession is in running the actual bakery.
Equipment: +1 throwing axe, Amulet of Natural Armor (+1), `Ring – Protection +1, Baker’s Uniform (White denim and canvas)
“Aver’s Wing” Bakery, with 13 employees and various baking equipment and tools to make almost anything (Valued at 27,000 GPCS)
Weapons: (These are not necessarily on him, but are just stowed away) +1 throwing axe, +1 light hammer, +1 light flail, +1 mithral chain shirt, +1 mithral large shield, `, Potion of Bull’s Strength, Potion of Protection From Arrows, Potion of Spider Climb, Potion of Vision, Scroll of Detect Good (CL1), Scroll of Summon Nature’s Ally III (CL5), Antitoxin (vial), 47gp.
Languages: common, orc, infernal, goblin.
