Tashiro “Sunshine” Eastforest

Player: Noel
Campaign: Under the Bus
Race: Half-Elf
Classes: Fighter 12 / Ranger 3 — known snapshot; final progression unknown
Character Concept: Gunslinger
Alignment: Unknown
Level: At least 15 in the surviving character snapshot AC: 26
HP: 165
Affiliation: The Chosen

Overview

Tashiro “Sunshine” Eastforest was Noel's character in Under the Bus. Tashiro was a gunslinger, although no gunslinger class existed in the D&D 3.5 rules being used for the campaign. Instead, the character was mechanically constructed using levels in Fighter and Ranger.

The surviving character snapshot records Tashiro as Fighter 12 / Ranger 3, with AC 26 and 165 HP.

His name, Eastforest, was a deliberate pun on Clint Eastwood. Tashiro was envisioned with the classic grizzled, squinty-eyed look associated with Eastwood's Western characters.

His pair of distinctive revolvers were the defining feature of the character, and the campaign records consistently portray Tashiro as one of the party's principal ranged damage dealers.

Character Concept

Tashiro was essentially the campaign's fantasy equivalent of a classic Western gunslinger.

His defining characteristics included:

• Heavy ranged damage
• Exceptional use of firearms
• Scouting and tracking
• Rooftop surveillance
• Occasional stealth and Sleight of Hand
• A fondness for drinking and gambling
• A willingness to take command when necessary

Despite the gunslinger concept, Tashiro was not restricted to standing at extreme range. Several encounters show him willingly entering dangerous situations when necessary to protect the party.

Race

Half-Elf

Tashiro is established as half-elf in the campaign records.

His heritage became particularly relevant when the party traveled to Toreon, where half-elves were unwelcome.

Because of this, Tashiro sold his Dagger of Venom and used the proceeds to purchase a Hat of Disguise, allowing him to appear human while in the city.

His half-elven heritage also provided useful perception capabilities during several scouting encounters.

Class

Because no standard gunslinger class existed in the campaign's D&D 3.5 rules, Tashiro's gunslinger concept was constructed using existing classes.

Known Character Snapshot

• Fighter 12
• Ranger 3

This is a surviving character snapshot rather than necessarily Tashiro's final class progression.

His final level and subsequent class advancement are currently unknown.

Combat Abilities

Close Combat Shot

Tashiro's character notes list Close Combat Shot as an established ability.

The exact campaign mechanics of the ability have not yet been reconstructed.

Ranged Disarm

Ranged Disarm was Tashiro's 12th-level Chosen power.

Bullet of Death

Bullet of Death was Tashiro's 15th-level Chosen power.

It was modeled on Arrow of Death from the Arcane Archer.

Legacy Weapons

Tashiro's legacy items were a pair of ivory-handled revolvers.

Each gun was:

• +2
• Shock
• Thundering
• Seeking

The revolvers were the signature weapons of the character and were central to Tashiro's combat role.

Combat Role

Tashiro was one of the party's primary sources of ranged damage.

The campaign reports repeatedly describe him doing substantial damage with his guns.

During one battle with trolls, the recap specifically credits Noel with doing heavy amounts of damage with his guns.

Tashiro also regularly prepared ammunition for his weapons. Before the journey to Toreon, he crafted additional bullets for his guns.

Notable Combat Encounters

Aspect of Filtiarn

The confrontation with the Aspect of Filtiarn was one of Tashiro's most important combat moments.

After the Wolf Pyramid collapsed, the party was pursued across the water by the Aspect.

The creature possessed DR 10/Silver and Magic, leaving Tashiro with the party's most effective means of damaging it.

Tashiro realized that he had only three silver bullets remaining.

He fired all three, making each shot count.

When Malachi fell into the water and was in danger of drowning, Tashiro and Dew Gooder both entered the water to fight the Aspect and protect him.

Malachi ultimately drowned, but Tashiro's actions demonstrated that his gunslinger role did not prevent him from putting himself directly into danger when necessary.

The Red Dragon

Tashiro's most spectacular recorded combat moment occurred during the first major Red Dragon encounter aboard the Sunchaser.

When the dragon attacked, Tashiro helped organize the ship's response, ordering the sails dropped and the rigging secured while the crew was sent below decks.

He then opened fire.

Tashiro dealt approximately 70 points of damage in a single round.

The dragon responded by grabbing him with its Snatch ability, flying approximately 100 feet, and dropping him from roughly 400 feet.

Tashiro survived the fall.

The damage roll was exceptionally favorable to him: the fall damage capped at 20d6, and approximately half of the dice came up 1s. Tashiro survived with roughly 10 HP remaining and did not fall unconscious.

Smah Tepants then used Dimension Door to reach him and teleport them back to the ship.

Scouting and Perception

Tashiro was also an effective scout.

Mountain Watcher

During the party's mountain expedition, the party became suspicious that they were being watched.

Tashiro heard something and, after Dew Gooder illuminated the area, threw a rock toward the suspected location.

His half-elven sight allowed him to catch a glimpse of a pair of eyes.

Rather than immediately attack, Tashiro winked and nodded at the watcher, communicating that he knew he had been spotted.

The watcher disappeared.

This is one of the better examples of Tashiro's gunslinger persona outside of combat.

Frost Giant Patrol

After the party encountered and defeated a group of frost giants, Tashiro tracked the surviving patrol and determined where they had gone.

This information helped the party avoid the larger giant settlement.

Toreon Surveillance

While in Toreon, Tashiro served as a rooftop lookout when the party suspected that someone was following or observing Tim.

Moving along the rooftops, he spotted someone hiding in an alley.

This discovery ultimately led into the party's encounter with vampires.

Drinking and Gambling

Tashiro had a notable fondness for drinking.

While living in Toreon, he regularly visited bars, entered darts tournaments and drinking games, and earned enough money from them to pay for his drinking.

When the party's circumstances became more dangerous, Tashiro reduced his drinking activities so that he could assist Malachi with guard duty.

This gives the character an additional dimension beyond the straightforward gunslinger archetype.

Social and Utility Skills

Although Tashiro was primarily a combatant and scout, he possessed several useful non-combat capabilities.

Sleight of Hand

During the party's captivity among the Kuo-Toa, Smah Tepants needed to secretly obtain some of the suspicious food being served during the Ceremony of Preparation.

Tashiro was the only party member with Sleight of Hand, so Smah asked him to conceal some of his food for later examination.

He reluctantly complied.

Diplomacy and Languages

Tashiro used Diplomacy and his knowledge of the Halfling language during an encounter with hostile halflings.

He helped establish that the party did not intend them harm.

While the clerics treated the wounded, Tashiro participated in the effort to calm the situation.

Other Equipment

Known equipment includes:

• Pair of ivory-handled legacy revolvers
• Dagger of Venom — later sold
• Hat of Disguise — purchased to appear human in Toreon
• Gloves of Dexterity +2
• Cloak of the Manta Ray

Tashiro loaned his Gloves of Dexterity +2 to Clowe during the dragon-hoard expedition when Clowe needed the Dexterity increase.

He later took the Cloak of the Manta Ray for the underwater expedition.

Captain of the Sunchaser

Tashiro eventually took on a significant leadership role within The Chosen.

After the party's return, Quentin promoted Tim and Marcus to Senior Chosen and made Tashiro the new captain of the Sunchaser.

This represented a significant expansion of his role from gunslinger and scout into shipboard command.

Relationships

• Noel — player.
• Bo Duke — fellow Chosen.
• Tim — fellow Chosen.
• Smah Tepants — fellow Chosen.
• Dew Gooder — fellow Chosen.
• Dugan Lifebrew — fellow Chosen.
• Malachi — fellow Chosen.
• Kamal — later paladin and Battle Chess opponent.
• Clowe — loaned Clowe his Gloves of Dexterity +2.
• Sunchaser — eventually became its captain.
• Filtiarn / Aspect of Filtiarn — significant enemy encounter.

Characterization

Tashiro was the campaign's classic gunslinger translated into a D&D 3.5 rules environment.

The Clint Eastwood inspiration is visible both in the name "Eastforest" and in the character's presentation: a grizzled, squinting Western gunslinger carrying a pair of distinctive revolvers.

The campaign records, however, show a character who was somewhat more versatile than that basic archetype suggests.

Tashiro could:

• Deliver enormous amounts of ranged damage
• Track enemies
• Scout
• Watch rooftops
• Use Sleight of Hand
• Speak Halfling
• Participate in diplomacy
• Drink and gamble
• Take command of the party's ship

He was also willing to take significant personal risks. His actions against the Aspect of Filtiarn and the red dragon demonstrate that the gunslinger was not simply a character who stayed safely behind the rest of the party.

Known Statistics

Historical character snapshot:

These figures should be treated as a character snapshot, not necessarily his final statistics.

Open Questions

• What was Tashiro's final level?
• Did he take additional Fighter or Ranger levels?
• Did he take any other classes?
• What was his alignment?
• What were his complete ability scores?
• What was the exact campaign mechanic for Close Combat Shot?
• What was the exact campaign mechanic for Ranged Disarm?
• What were the exact mechanics of Bullet of Death?
• Did he acquire additional Chosen powers after 15th level?
• What other equipment did he possess?
• What was his final fate?