Kop 'the Gloppy' Ti-kop Adventurer, by Charis Stewart. 'I say we feed the *click* slaving *pop* scum to the sharks' Kop is a member of the aquatic ti-kop species, and his adopted name simply means 'person' denoting his loss of identity through the torments of his past. Once Kop was a happy wanderer, born off the shores of Mopendor and spending many years with nomadic ti-kop. When he felt the urge to procreate and headed for one of the ti-kop sacred breeding beaches he was captured by human slavers. The slavers had no interest in selling him and so they kept him a plaything, regularly torturing him for their amusement. On board their ship he could not use Farsinging to call for help and so he endured many months of this mistreatment. There came a time when the slavers were fencing goods for Captain Ying Woo of the Shadow Lark, a notorious rogue and occasional pirate. Once the deal was concluded the slavers invited Ying to a celebratory feast. Ying was not fond of his hosts but it would have been potentially dangerous to refuse. Over the evening the slavers got roaring drunk and brought out Kop as the 'entertainment'. Ying may be ruthless in his own fashion but he is not a cruel man. Outraged by Kop's treatment, Ying and his first mate found themselves fighting their way back to the Shadow Lark with a rescued ti-kop in tow. Ying's crew nursed the wounded ti-kop back to health and he swore undying loyalty to his new comrades, intending to spend the rest of his life with them. He has decided not to rejoin his own people, ashamed of the physical scars that he bears. For his own part, Ying found the 'gloppy' extremely useful to have aboard. Kop is able to check and repair damage below the waterline, he is very good at fishing and he can tap into the Farsinging network to get news of storms, narhemoths and other dangers. He has led the Shadow Lark to several rich shipwrecks and a sunken city. Kop is about five feet tall with dark blue and green mottled skin and dark blue eyes. His crest and fins are mostly destroyed and he bears many other scars across his body. He wears few adornments; only a string of pearls strung through a piercing on his collarbone scales and two bandoliers from which hang several pouches and his two daggers. He fights with a harpoon that he wields as a short spear. He hates slavers with a passion and is wary of strange humans, although he does like children and fishermen. He is fiercely loyal to Ying and is good friends with the rest of the crew with whom he enjoys playing dragon scales and other games of skill. Kop Male ti-kop Rng2: CR 2; Medium Humanoid (Aquatic); AL CN Abilities Str 14 (+2), Dex 10 (+0), Con 17 (+3), Int 10 (+0), Wis 13 (+1), Cha 8 (-1). Initiative +0; Speed 30 ft., swim 30 ft. Armour Class 12 (+2 armour) touch 10, flat-footed 12. Saves Fortitude +6, Reflex +3, Will +1 Hit Dice 2d8+6; hit points 18 Base Attack Bonus/Grapple +2/+4 Melee Harpoon +4 (1d6+2) Melee Dagger +4 (1d4+2) Ranged Harpoon +2 (1d6+2) Full Attack Harpoon +2 melee (1d6+2) and dagger +2 melee (1d4+2) Special Attacks Fighting style (two-weapon), poison Special Qualities Amphibious, favoured environment (aquatic +2), low-light vision, wild empathy +1 Skills: Craft (shipbuilding) +5, Heal +4, Hide +3 (+5)*, Intimidate +1, Knowledge (geography) +2, Knowledge (nature) +2 (+4*), Listen +3 (+5)*, Move Silently +3 (+5)*, Perform (farsinging) +0, Spot +3 (+5)*, Survival +5 (+7)*, Swim +10, Use Rope +2 Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (harpoon), Track**, Two-Weapon Fighting** Languages: Low Imperial, Tik. Possessions: Leather armour, bandoliers, 2 daggers, harpoon, pearl necklace, spare change. Favoured Environment: Bonus applies to Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot and Survival checks when in environment and to Knowledge (nature) checks applying to environment. Poison (Ex): Wrist secretions, unarmed touch attack. Fortitude DC 14 or be sickened for one round. *Skill bonues when in an aquatic environment. **Bonus ranger feats. The harpoon functions as a half-spear but can also be attached to rope. If so, the user may make a free trip attack against anyone struck by the harpoon. They may let go of the rope to prevent a trip attack in retaliation. Using Kop Kop was created for a play-by-e-mail game set around the voyages of the Shadow Lark. The statistics here use the favoured environment variant ranger rules from the SRD, although for a more traditional ranger he could be altered to have favoured enemy: humans. Kop is the scout of the group rather than a front row fighter and would probably multiclass as rogue. His statistics would also serve as a generic ti-kop encounter. (c) 2007 The Creative Conclave. Contact us.

Links The City of Llaza Mopendor Tara-Ki, Moa-Ruaki Adventurer Ti-Kop Tzin ('Sandy'), Tlaxu adventurer