#farad

A commission piece of Farad from [DSS] ! 

It’s still kind of in playtesting, but I made this monk archetype as a pseudo Jedi class. I figured I’d post this now, as I’m in the process of making a mini adventure module thing that includes NPCs with this class.

Burial “Samarah” Music Reference ----------------------------------------------- The day had begun to wane over the Krytan University, many of the studious ones were at their desks working, others out and about through the rising excitement and highs and lows of young life. The sham and drudgery mixed with true youthful exuberance was an innocent chaos that had become so heavily part of Farads world now, yet often as the weeks had gone on the elonian had seemed despondent even when present. the eighth bell rang as curfew was creeping closer and closer, Farad strode through the gardens, the soft footpad trots of a graying Basenji hound at his side. He hadn’t brought the aged girl around yet, though well behaved, the dog keeping right at the heel of his left food as they moved through the campus, towards the Field House, and slowly making their way up the stairs to it’s seldom used roof.  Taking a seat along the raised lip of the roofing, dried and old bricks beneath his body. Tossing a small ball of leather towards the hound while working through his night. A clear bottle of Choya Tequila was at his side, already half gone since he sat down. It wouldn’t be long, glass for glass, and swig for swig before the Coach had slipped into a deep spirit filled sleep, one haunted, as they usually were. ~The sand bit against any exposed skin. Farad pulling his turban over the long and start black locks of hair, not yet turned grey. A freshly assigned robe of deep black and red, the insignia of a newly minted Keeper of the Order of Shadows. It had taken two decades to achieve the rank, but beyond the recognition, he relished the chance to take on his own apprentice. He had been personally selected to take on an orphan from Kourna, just like he had been twenty years prior.~ ~She hadn’t taken to the training well at first, falling at sword blows a novice could dodge, and she had a habit of falling asleep during her drill exercises. Yet to the glare of his peers, Farad rarely scolded her. Something about the sandy eyes, and shark like nose...that seemed to familiar to him...~ ~Three years of the desolation was much for anyone to bare, and it could strain even the closest relationship. Farad often found he chose the company of his apprentice over that of equal levels. He hadn’t ever mentioned towards the girl in all the long months turned to cycles of the sun, the earring the girl wore alone on one side, A gift given by her doting moth before her passing. That Farad had the other, kept safely tucked away among his affects from a long dead flame of his youth.~ ~The ring of bullets, and the cheering of the gathered apprentices. The controlled arena of Shadows was showcase to prove the young would be agents were ready. Fighting not alone, but in tandem with their Keepers. Every shot was pinpoint. With each sweeping blow leaving wide openings, and every deftly dodged swipe of the colossal abominations claws, came a ricocheting ring of metal to metal. The dead eyed apprentice tearing hunks of flesh alongside Farad.  They were the first of the class to not simply debilitate, but to end the second life of the Awakened monstrosity. Through the roar of the crowd, Farads voice could be heard. A fresh beard pulled wide in a smile as he hollered over the chanting shouts. “Samarah!” The girl was already in a full sprint, leaping into the mans arm as he clutched her, whispered proud affirmations lost to the wind in as the past five years had finally closed upon her apprenticeship.~ ~The raids of Joko’s forces had gotten worse throughout the months. Some successful resistance managing to push squads of the Awakened out of the towns dotting the Riverlands. It was a temporary reprieve, he knew this. But if he and the sniper had anything to say about it, this peace would last as long as either of them drew breath. Their last prey was being closed in upon. One more lieutenant and they both knew the raids would cease for months until the Kingdom could mount another controlling force. Farad had traced all of his skills to a ruined market, abandoned by the banks of the Elon River.  “We’ve beaten him here, but it won’t be long before he is upon us. I left the bait, go ahead and take your overwatch, we’ve got him right where we want.” Farad called back, the surety of his voice was crystal clear. They hadn’t found a foe the pair couldn’t defeat yet, and he wasn’t going to stop now. Pulling his mask higher the man shielded his face from stinging sands, the winds howled just like their first meeting, biting at his eyes. A hand moved to clear the granules along his lashes, a subtle shift, and sudden sway. Something under the sands... not a man...the intel was wrong...Farad was wrong... His voice rising to the girl as she stepped across the open floored market space. “He’s a Canid!” The words were short, The rush of movement bursting from the sands as the creature hurtled through the dirt crossed air. Her robe tore wide, a hail of viscera and red filled the singular focus of Farads vision as one became pieces in his eyes. He could barely react, stunned as the monstrous anubian lieutenant was upon him. Slashes landing to the mans thighs as he tried to roll away. The lowly chortling sound behind it’s mask as it approached for a second barrage.  The window...the window..... The rush of the Elon’s waters, and the sudden fall did all it could to keep Farad conscious as he drifted down the beachheads and marshes.Making a small inlet cove where he could recover... A small pile of rocks was all he could muster in his state, a long earring well kept over the years beneath... The pain in his body driving him once more to sleep.~ “SAMARAH!” The aged man snapped awake in the early mornings, the Basenji hopping onto his stomach as the sun began to rise. It was time for her walk. She barked a few times into his slowly opening lids. “No....not you girl...” He brushed the memory from his face as he gave a pat to his leg. The Hound following suit right beside him as she always did. “Come on Samarah..lets get breakfast.”

Atop the package a single unsigned note, 'Thanks for the coffee.'

------

Thankfully Agatha hadnt raided Farads mail as she usually did, cracking the tin first the elonian hung a single cookie from his lips while unwrapping the framed piece.

It was one thing to see a painting, but the simplistic use of negative space and the nail coarse charcoal lines that had ended up covering the artists arms... it all gave him pause, leaning it to the wall as he looked it over.

"Damn that woman is good..." he muttered, his assistant calling back ~What's that Mr. M?~

"Nothing Agatha, I need to head out for a gift, I'll be back in the morning."