Jessa Windwhisper

Jessa Windwhisper possesses a quick and flexible physical frame, her thief’s dexterity and expressive grace blending seamlessly to reflect her family roots, honed by years of dancing, crafting, and evading danger across Lavonia’s streets. Her lithe frame, a testament to constant movement, is supported by calloused fingers from strumming her lute and navigating rooftops, her olive skin weathered with faint laugh lines that mirror the joyous spirit of her people, while a small nick on her left ear from a blade. At 27, her agile build, shaped by the rhythmic agility of dances and the stealth of her thieving trade, allows her to perform with flair and slip through shadows.

THIEF ABILITIES  

• Open Locks - 35 + 5
• Remove Traps - 20 + 5
• Pick Pockets - 50 + 5
• Move Silently - 30 + 5
• Climb Walls - 85
• Hide - 17 + 5
• Listen - 40

BARD ABILITIES

• Decipher - 20
• Listen +10 to base
• Lore - 10
• Tumble - 20

  BARD SONGS  

• Charms Song (lullaby) – By playing lullaby, a Bard lulls those listening into a drowsy day-dreamy state. Allies are unaffected, but others have a -1 penalty on saves versus sleep, charms, illusions, suggestions and similar effects.
• Healing Rest Song (nocturne) – By playing periodically during the periods of rest, each allied character including the Bard, receives the benefit of an additional point of healing (see p.51 of core rules). A major disruption of the rest period will spoil the effect.
• Morale Boost Song (polonaise) – While the Bard plays, allies within 60 feet have the benefit of +1 on morale or saves against fear effects.
• Travel Song (barcarolle) – By playing a rhythmic tune during the majority of a day's traveling time, the allied group receives the benefit of +10% additional distance after all other factors are figured. Each additional level of proficiency increases this bonus by an additional +10% (up to +50% maximum).

Jessa Windwhisper’s apparel and accessories embody artistry and rogue flair, featuring colorful, flowing garments of silk and wool adorned with vineyard patterns that sway with her movement, layered with a lightweight cloak for stealth during her Harbor District escapades. Her outfit includes long tunics over loose leggings, accented with grapevine-carved jewelry that jingles softly, while sturdy yet flexible heeled sandals support her nimble movements. Her arsenal comprises a two daggers tucked at her hip, lockpicks hidden in a wrist sheath, and a lute with intricate grapevine carvings slung across her back, its music a tool of charm alongside a silver ring with a cracked ruby from her first heist; a ribbon-tied satchel, weathered from travel, carries her waterskin and rations.   GENERAL EQUIPMENT

• Thief Pack: Candles (12), crowbar, grappling hook, mallet, iron spikes (12), 1 wk rations, large sack, small lens, Thieves' tools, tinderbox, waterskin, whetstone (Weight 31.2 lb)
• Bag Option 2: Oilskin Satchel, Baldric, Weapon Belt, Large Pouch, Belt Pouch(2) (Capacity: 24 lb/Weight: 3.4 lb)

Jessa Windwhisper’s tale began on Palesun 22, 2460, in a Telnan enclave nestled near Lavonia, where she was born into a family of artisans renowned for their music, dance, and vintner craft. Surrounded by the rhythmic clatter of pottery wheels and the sweet aroma of fermenting grapes, her early years were filled with learning the arts from her parents, her olive skin soon calloused from crafting and dancing, her scarlet hair adorned with colorful ribbons as she mastered the lute and vineyard blessings. The girl ideal of nimble fingers and movement shaped her spirited youth, though a restless curiosity about the world beyond the enclave began to stir, drawing her toward the bustling chaos of Lavonia’s streets as she approached her teenage years.   At 15, in 2475, Jessa’s adventurous spirit led her from the enclave’s safety to the shadowy underbelly of Lavonia’s Harbor District, where she apprenticed with a band of thieves, exchanging her artisan skills for lessons in lockpicking and stealth over the next five years until 2480. Her first heist in 2478, a daring raid that netted her a ruby ring, marked her rise as a rogue. Her joy was short-lived when the guild betrayed her, abandoning her to face the consequences alone after a failed job. This betrayal deepened her distrust, pushing her to teach herself the bardic arts—blending Telnan melodies with stolen tales—using world lore as a clever disguise to navigate her new life, her nimble frame slipping through the city’s shadows as she sought freedom from her past.   Now 27 in 2487, Jessa roams Lavonia as a thief and bard, her performances a vibrant mask for her secretive exploits, her crooked smirk hiding the scars of guild treachery. The tales shared by adventurers fuel her curiosity, driving her to seek to uncover secrets while evading the thieves’ guild. Though estranged from her artisan parents, she honors them through her craft, her lithe form dancing between danger and delight, wrestling with the fear of capture while chasing the freedom to explore Lavonia’s hidden depths, a journey shaped by both her joyful roots and the shadows of betrayal.

Jessa carries a deep mental trauma from the betrayal she endured when her thieves’ guild turned on her after a botched heist, leaving her abandoned and hunted, a wound that festers beneath her crooked smirk. The sting of that treachery, where former allies sold her out for profit, has etched a lingering distrust into her spirit, manifesting as a constant wariness. This betrayal fuels her fear of capture, driving her to rely on her agility and bardic charm, though the memory occasionally haunts her performances, where a stray note or sudden silence betrays the vulnerability she masks with her joyous dance, shaping her resolve to outsmart rather than trust.

Jessa’s social aptitude is a deft blend of caution and charm, honed by her Telnan artistry and rogue experience, allowing her to navigate social enviornments with a cautious approach toward others, where she uses her lively performances and witty banter to gather intel from smugglers and dancers. Her eyes sparkle with trust when engaging those who appreciate her culture to whom she offers loyalty and shared Telnan tunes, building bonds that endure her distrustful past. However, her guild betrayal has left her wary of nobles, whom she approaches with a guarded wit to mediate disputes or extract secrets, though her intense focus on outsmarting others can strain relations with those who value diplomacy over her cunning, particularly when dealing with others of her craft.