Zêla

Zêla ma Ler, Wandering Bardess of Viríllis

Zêla is an attractive, pale-skinned, and fair-haired Illyri woman who is well-traveled. Having visited many ports, she is quite cosmopolitan and has a wide repertoire of stories and songs from many lands. Hailing from the distant coast of Viríllis, she traveled west along the Northern Arc with a band of Acentyri Knights before finding herself in the City of Taldàna. It was in that city that she met Jak of Cænden, and has accompanied him and his group since.

At the age of 15, young Zêla left her home in Viríllis and traveled by foot and wagon across the breadth of the Illyri Peninsula. Along the way she stopped, worked, and performed in numerous towns and cities. Over the course of two years’ travel the young woman visited cities in Dirimor, Lōépōnye Nōe, Tarantis, and crossed the Celécari Sea Sea where she was admitted into the College of Palda. She studied at the college for a year and a half before leaving to explore more of the continent and its many varied ports.

In the summer of 645 DR, Zêla founded herself in Eléssēa, Celésā. There she met a wealthy older merchant named Ahfar bir Vandaen. Ahfar introduced the young bardess to the finest foods, clothes, and wines she had ever seen and soon the two were married. Zêla had two children by Ahfar, but neither survived infancy. When Ahfar died in 649 DR, his will left most of his estate to children from previous marriages. Zêla gathered what she could carry and left Celésā, supporting her travels with music, storytelling, and selling a handful of Ahfar’s heirlooms. In 651 DR, her money was gone and so she sold her last remaining tie to Celésā, her marriage ring. With the money from this sale, she bought passage on a westbound ship for Taldàna to seek her fortunes in the Old Empire.

Her most prized possession is the Zither of Mōjàdjzahar, nicknamed Mōjh.

Basics

Attributes

  • ST (base 10, mod -1, cost -10) 9
  • DX (base 10, mod +2, cost 40) 12
  • IQ (base 10, mod +2, cost 53) 12
  • HT (base 10, mod +1, cost 10) 11

Characteristics

  • HP (base 9, mod +0, cost 0) 9
  • Will (base 12, mod +0, cost 0) 12
  • Per (base 12, mod +0, cost 0) 12
  • FP (base 11, mod +0, cost 0) 11
  • Basic SPD (base 5.75, mod +0, cost 0) 5.75
  • Basic MV (base 5.0, mod +0, cost 0) 5.0
  • Thrust (base –, mod –, cost –) 1d-2
  • Swing (base –, mod –, cost –) 1d-1

Subtotal: 80 points

Advantages

  • Appearance: Attractive (mod –, cost 4)
  • Charisma (mod +3, cost 15)
  • Empathy (mod –, cost 5)
  • Intuition (mod –, cost 15)
  • Language Talent (mod –, cost 10)
  • Talent: Musical Ability‡ (mod +2, cost 10)

† BASp291 Traits Gained in Play; no cost
‡ BASp91 Talent (Musical Ability): Includes the skills: Group Performance: Conducting (BASp1798), Musical Composition (BASp210), Musical Influence (BASp210), Musical Instrument (BASp211), and Singing (BASp220)

Subtotal: 59 points

Disadvantages

  • Charitable (mod –, cost -15)
  • Divine Curse / Destiny (The Unfinished Story) (mod –, cost -15)
  • Obsession (Divine Curse) (mod –, cost -10)
  • Quirk: Obsessions (Wanderlust)1 (mod –, cost -1)
  • Quirk (TBD) (mod –, cost -1)
  • Quirk (TBD) (mod –, cost -1)
  • Quirk (TBD) (mod –, cost -1)
  • Quirk (TBD) (mod –, cost -1)

† BASp291 Traits Gained in Play; no cost
1 BASp164 Quirk: Obsessions; Zêla enjoys travel and grows bored when in one port for too long

Subtotal: -45 points

Skills

  • Area Knowledge (Acèntyra) IQ/E (base 12, mod +0, cost 1) 12
  • Area Knowledge (Illyri Peninsula) IQ/E (base 12, mod +0, cost 1) 12
  • Area Knowledge (North Coast) IQ/E (base 12, mod +0, cost 1) 12
  • Carousing HT/E (base 10, mod +1, cost 1) 11
  • Diplomacy IQ/H (base 12, mod +0, cost 4) 12
  • Enthrallment: Captivate Will/H (base 12, mod -1, cost 2) 11
  • Enthrallment: Persuade Will/H (base 12, mod +0, cost 4) 12
  • Enthrallment: Suggest Will/H (base 12, mod +0, cost 4) 12
  • Enthrallment: Sway Emotions Will/H (base 12, mod -2, cost 1) 10
  • Expert Skill: Bardic Lore1 IQ/H (base 12, mod +1, cost 8) 13
  • First Aid IQ/E (base 12, mod +2, cost 4) 14
  • Group Performance: Conducting IQ/A (base Zither, mod -2(+2), cost 0) 14
  • Melee/Swords: Knife DX/E (base 12, mod +0, cost 1) 12
  • Melee/Whip: Whip DX/A (base 12, mod -1, cost 1) 11
  • Merchant IQ/A (base 12, mod +1, cost 4) 13
  • Musical Composition IQ/H (base Zither, mod -2(+2), cost 0) 14
  • Musical Influence IQ/VH (base 12, mod +0(+2), cost 1) —2
  • Musical Instrument (Zither) IQ/H (base 12, mod +0(+2), cost 8) 14
  • Performance IQ/A (base 12, mod +0, cost 2) 12
  • Public Speaking IQ/A (base 12, mod +1, cost 4) 13
  • Riding DX/A (base 12, mod +0, cost 2) 12
  • Shield: Buckler DX/E (base 12, mod +2, cost 4) 12
  • Singing HT/E (base 10, mod +2(+2), cost 4) 14
  • Streetwise IQ/A (base 12, mod -1, cost 1) 11
  • Swimming HT/E (base 10, mod +0, cost 1) 10
  • Thrown Weapon: Knife DX/E (base 12, mod +0, cost 1) 12

† BASp291 Traits Gained in Play; no cost
1 FANp135 Expert Skill: Bardic Lore
2 BASp210 Musical Influence; requires training

Subtotal: 65 points

Languages

  • Æzàlaric / Æzávar (cost 1)1 2|0‡
  • Celedi / Old Acèntyran (cost 1)1 2|0‡
  • High Dekàlari / High Davar (cost 2)1 2|2‡
  • Oðic / Late Oðávar (cost 1)1 2|0‡
  • Paldàriic / Old Acèntyran (cost 1)1 2|0‡
  • ViríllicN / Mirégilean (cost 2)1 3|3‡
  • Talàdic / Taldàvar (cost 3)1 3|2‡

† BASp291 Traits Gained in Play; no cost
‡ BASp24 Language; Spoken/Written (0) None/Illiterate, (1) Broken/Semi-Literacy, (2) Accented/Literacy, (3) Native/Native
1 BASp65 Language Talent

Subtotal: 11 points

Magic

Combat

Mêlée

Mêlée

Ranged

Ranged

Defenses

Defenses

Awards

  1. NA (160)
  2. NA (160) Will 2
  3. 2 (162) Diplomacy 1; Language: Æzàlaric 1
  4. 1 (163) Diplomacy 1
  5. 2 (165)
  6. 2 (167)
  7. 1 (168)
  8. 1 (169)
  9. 2 (171) IQ 1
  10. 2 (173) IQ 2
  11. 0 (173)
  12. 1 (174) IQ 1
  13. 2 (176) IQ 2
  14. 1 (177) IQ 1
  15. 1 (178) IQ 1
  16. 2 (180) IQ 2
  17. 1 (181) IQ 1
  18. 1 (182) IQ 1
  19. 1 (183) IQ 1

Total Points: 182 earned / 182 spent