I'm not sure if devalues the current magic system. A lot of it is based on beliefs and faith...))
.
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Race: Mira
Class: Ghost Shaman (+1 D, +1 V)
> Heartswood Guardian: Sorrel can lend her staff skills to a nearby ally or friendly, deflecting attacks, and shielding them from harm.
> Sparing Blow: Enemies receive a -2 to unconscious thresholds vs you. Can choose to knock unconscious, rather than kill.
> Balance of Oa: +1 to resist magical effects, +1 to Dodge
Back story: Some Mira believe nothing truly passes from this world-energy may change forms, but the essence of that energy stays the same. Good comes back as good-evil comes back as evil....and yet, nothing is so static and unchanging it cannot be altered...healed...and, this is where the ones called 'Ghost Shamans' come into the story. They are the Shepard's of souls of Mira-living and deceased. Often they help administer rites to the dead, and succor to the grieving. They believe through good works they purify the energy of the living world, so that it may flow clean and pure into it's next form, whatever it may be. Yet that is not nearly all they can do...being so close to the threshold between life and death-a place they merely called 'The Grey'-gives them the ability to touch living souls-either to aid them...or essay their release from this world into the next-sometimes the only healing is the merciful death. They can speak with the recently dead, sometimes even allowing a form of possession to occur, where they shelter another soul inside their own nimbus-though this is dangerous, for many reasons. Even the most benign Souls desire release from any confinement-or mastery over that which would restrain them. Few also know the Ghost Shamans are expert martial warriors, favoring the two handed bo-staff and light, flexible armor-they strike quickly and with a great deal of mercy, as their weapons can be used for as little or as much force as they wish to use-the most powerful of their order are even capable of momentarily stepping into the Grey, to make themselves intangible, travel distances quickly, or strike telling blows past the most stout of defenses. A blow from a Ghost Shamans staff can even be used to snip ones thread of fate...sending their soul spiraling into the Grey before it's appointed time. Such a measure is a dire one, however-only done in the most serious of circumstance. Many Ghost Shamans prefer defense over offense-wearing down their opponents until they can be reasoned with, or otherwise exhausted-and dealt with non-lethally. Broken bones can be healed-a life taken can never truly be returned.
They take great strides to maintain this perfect balance between spiritual purity and physical perfection, a term they call 'Oa'. Measuring and contemplating ones Oa can only be done by ones self, and is as much a test of honesty and humility as a labor of arm and soul. They spurn all other material things-valuing only the minimum of worldly goods. They hoard no money or treasures, preferring a life of gentle charity over selfish possession. That is not to say they do not enjoy living, or only think of death and dying-indeed, appreciation and celebration of life is a tenant of their beliefs.Time is...short, after all.
Sorrel D'Sama is one of these-a soldier, though not one of the physical world. She is one of many, those Shaman who are not called to tend to the people-following the urges of the Grey, which draw her wherever she is needed. If there is an injustice in need of righting, she will do so-if the souls do not rest easy, she helps them to sleep. She has traveled for most of her life-an orphan, like many of her Order, she was gathered at a young age, the only survivor of a family slain by bandits-she was very near to death. They sheltered her, as they do many, and in time she began to accept the ethos of the Ghost Shamans-by fate or chance, her encounter had marked her. Having placed one foot in the realm beyond, then being brought back had changed her...while all the Shaman can establish this connection through meditation and deed, Sorrel has a near intuitive connection to that far, cold place where the newly dead go-though not even she knows what lies beyond. It has driven her to great depths of depression and sadness-and great heights of empathy and kindness-and her journey has only yet begun.
To the artists eye, she has no less measure the beauty her race is defined by-tall and slender, with long, brown hair the color of rich earth-and her deep, grey eyes-like twin pools of quicksilver, deep and hot-a counterpoint to her usual placid demeanor. A spiral of light blue scales like azure cobblestone begins at her temple and extend down the entire length of her body on both sides in symmetry-both her wrists also bear these same spirals. She often wears only a light assembly of easily worn grey cloth and simple padded armor-her only noticeable possession is the length of the heavy heartswood bo-staff placed upon her back and a small leather satchel on her left hip.
Fate has drawn Sorrel onward to some destiny, so far-but what happens next, this story does not yet tell...
Offense: 3 = 3
Defense: 3+1 (Class Bonus) = 4
Support: 0+1 (Race bonus) = 1
Expert: 0 = 0
Vitality: 4+1 (Class bonus) = 5
HP: 35
HP Regen: 6/day
Cripple: 15
Unconscious: 20
Death: 25