DM-Camris' WRATH of the RIGHTEOUS Part 2: SWORD OF VALOR

Game Master Camris

Buggles has been in the Harper house in rural Mendev for more than a century. He's a grumpy little "house elf" that stands only 35 cm tall and would look like a garden decoration if he stood still. Most Harper family members have never seen him in their life, but the more observant ones noticed his presence. Regularly he'd steal something to eat and in return do housework when nobody was looking. Be it at night when the family slept or during the day, when they were working the fields. He'd do the dishes, take care of the garden, or repair stuff. Especially shoes, he was really good with shoes. He had always liked the Harpers, and some of the matriarchs even left something for him intentionally.

All changed some 15 years ago. He was in-between darning socks and hasn't yet decided if he'd keep or return them, when he heard screams from the neighbors. Awful screams of panic and death. He looked outside and saw all kinds of people running around, running towards and past the Harper house. He didn't know what it was that panicked them, but he decided to wake the family. While he was busy running to the kitchen - he wanted to make noise with the dirty pans and dishes - they were already here. Demons, cultists and other kinds he couldn't make out. They went through the door and through the walls and rushed through the house.
Buggles wanted to help, but what could he do, the tiny fey creature? Instinctively he scaled the house wall and looked inside. He reached the bedroom and witnessed the father lose a fight to a skeleton with a sword. The mother screamed and protected her baby, turning her face away from the battle and out of the window - towards Buggles was standing on the window sill. They made eye contact and it gave him a feeling of familiarity. She seemed to recognize him or knew who he was at the least. With a mother's instinct she ran for the window and pressed the baby in Buggles' arms, who was barely taller than it. With the heavy half-elven baby in his arms he jumped into the grass and ran for their lives.

Today, Billy is 16 years old and doing well. He does not remember his family tragedy and is growing up properly and happily. Buggles found a new home for them. It was really the only place he knew: A nice little halfling community in the Kenabres suburbs, a place he had visited regularly and where he had always been welcomed openly. The halflings took the baby in and raised it like one of their own. Of course, Buggles never left. He felt it was his duty to protect the boy as long as necessary.
Times are getting difficult with the boy quickly outgrowing not only his friends, but also all the equipment in the settlement. In contrast, Buggles felt right at home. Everything was almost his size, not quite, but better than in the human town before. The halflings, being as helpful as one would imagine, found decently sized weapon and armor for him from the neighbouring district and trained him to be their big protector. And that's what he did, when the wardstone barrier fell and the demons transformed Kenabres into a post-apocalyptic devastation. Billy and Buggles fought of hundreds of enemies, never giving up their post, while the halflings evacuated.

Billy
Male Half-Elf (Taldan) investigator 7 Archetypes Bonded Investigator
NG Medium humanoid (elf, human)
Init +5, Senses low-light vision; Perception +12
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DEFENSE
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AC 28, touch 16, flat-footed 23 (+5 armor, +1 deflection, +5 Dex, +3 natural, +4 shield) [Shield and Barkskin spells]
hp 62 ((7d8)+18)
Fort +5, Ref +11, Will +6, +2 vs. enchantment spells and effects, +2 Reflex to avoid traps
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OFFENSE
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee +1 elven branched spear +9 (1d8+14/x3) [power attack]
Melee cold iron masterwork spiked gauntlet +11 (1d4+5)
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SPELLS
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Investigator Spells (CL 7th)
3rd -
2nd -
1st -

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STATISTICS
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Str 13, Dex 21, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 7
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 22
Feats Bodyguard, Combat Reflexes, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Elven Branched Spear), Improved Familiar, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse, Mythic Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +5, Bluff +2, Climb +5, Disable Device +20, Knowledge (Arcana) +6, Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6, Knowledge (Local) +12, Knowledge (Nature) +6, Knowledge (Planes) +12, Knowledge (Religion) +6, Perception +12 (+3 Trapfinding), Sense Motive +4, Spellcraft +12, Stealth +15, Use Magic Device +8,
Background Skills Appraise +6, Craft (Shoes) +12, Knowledge (Engineering) +6, Knowledge (Geography) +6, Knowledge (History) +6, Knowledge (Nobility) +6, Perform (Sing) +2, Sleight of Hand +9
Traits Adopted (Halfling): Helpful, Chance Encounter
Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven, Halfling, Sylvan
SQ Mythic Power (5/day, surge +1d6), Inspiration 7/day, Studied Combat (+3/+3 for 2 rounds), Mutagen (+4 Dex, -2 Wis, +2 NA)
Combat Gear Wand of Ray of Enfeeblement (50 charges), potion of protection from evil (cl 4th), potion of shield of faith (cl 6th), 2x potion of hide from undead, potion of heroism, potion of darkvision, potion of delay poison
Other Gear +1 elven branched spear, ring of protection +1, cold iron masterwork spiked gauntlet, mithral +1 chain shirt, belt of incredible dexterity +2, cloak of resistance +1, bandolier, masterwork thieves' tools, formula book, masterwork backpack, 194.5 gp
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Racial
Ancestral Arms Some half-elves receive training in an unusual weapon. Half-elves with this racial trait receive Exotic Weapon Proficiency or Martial Weapon Proficiency with one weapon as a bonus feat at 1st level. This racial trait replaces the adaptability racial trait.
Elven Immunities (Ex) Half-elves are immune to magic sleep effects and get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects.
Keen Senses (Ex) Half-elves receive a +2 bonus on Perception skill checks.
Favored Class Bonus[b] 7x +1/3 Inspiration Pool

Traits
[b]Adopted You were adopted and raised by someone not of your actual race, and raised in a society not your own. You may immediately select a race trait from your adoptive parent's race.
Helpful You see nothing wrong with letting others achieve greatness so long as the job gets done. Whenever you successfully perform an aid another action, you grant your ally a +4 bonus instead of the normal +2.
Chance Encounter (Trickster) You tended to get in over your head as a child, but your biggest youthful misadventure was the time you "accidentally " found yourself behind enemy lines in the Worldwound. You probably never would have made it back home to Kenabres if not for the aid of a mysterious woman who helped you trick your way through a group of cultists. Ever since, you've just been lucky when it comes to trickery. Once per day, if you fail an Acrobatics, Bluff, Disguise, Sleight of Hand, or Stealth check, you may immediately re-roll that check as a free action. You must take the second result, even if it is worse.

Bonded Investigator
Alchemy (Su) Investigators are highly trained in the creation of mundane alchemical substances and magical potionlike extracts. When using Craft (alchemy) to create an alchemical item, you gain a competence bonus equal to 7 on the skill check. In addition, you can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic. You must hold the potion for 1 round to attempt such a check. Like an alchemist, an investigator prepares his spells by mixing ingredients and a tiny fraction of his own magical power into a number of extracts, and then effectively casts the spell by drinking the extract. These extracts have powerful effects, but they are also bound to their creator. Extracts behave like spells in potion form, and as such their effects can be dispelled by dispel magic and similar effects, using the investigator's level as the caster level. An investigator can create only a certain number of extracts of each level per day he receives bonus extracts per day if he has a high Intelligence score, in the same way a wizard receives bonus spells per day. When an investigator mixes an extract, he infuses the chemicals and reagents in the extract with magic siphoned from his own magical aura. An extract immediately become inert if it leaves the investigator's possession, reactivating as soon as it returns to his keeping-an investigator cannot normally pass out his extracts for allies to use. An extract, once created, remains potent for 1 day before losing its magic, so an investigator must reprepare his extracts every day. Mixing an extract takes 1 minute of work. Creating extracts consumes raw material, but the cost of those materials is insignificant-comparable to the valueless material components of most spells. If a spell normally has a costly material component, that component is expended during the consumption of that particular extract. Extracts cannot be made from spells that have focus requirements; extracts that duplicate divine spells never have a divine focus requirement. An investigator uses the alchemist formula list (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 32) to determine the extracts he can know. An investigator can prepare an extract of any formula he knows. To learn or use an extract, an investigator must have at least an Intelligence score equal to 10 + the extract's level. The saving throw DC for an investigator's extract is equal to 10 + the extract's level + the investigator's Intelligence modifier. An investigator may know any number of formulae. He stores his formulae in a special tome called a formula book. He must refer to this book whenever he prepares an extract. At 1st level, an investigator starts with two 1st level formulae of his choice, plus a number of additional formulae equal to his Intelligence modifier. At each new investigator level, he gains one new formula for any level that he can create. An investigator can also add formulae to his book just like a wizard adds spells to his spellbook, using the same costs, pages, and time requirements. A formula book costs as much as a spellbook. An investigator can study a wizard's spellbook to learn any formula that is equivalent to a spell the spellbook contains. A wizard, however, cannot learn spells from a formula book. An investigator can also learn formulae from another investigator's or an alchemist's formula book (and vice versa). An investigator does not need to decipher arcane writing before copying that formulae.
Familiar (Ex) A bonded investigator gains a familiar to aid him. This familiar functions as the wizard arcane bond class feature, using the bonded investigator's class level to determine the familiar's special abilities. The bonded investigator's extracts are considered spells for the purposes of familiar abilities like share spell and deliver touch spells.
Improved Familiar (Ex) A bonded investigator gains the Improved Familiar feat as a bonus feat, treating his investigator level as his arcane caster level for the purposes of determining what familiars are available to him.
Inspired Familiar (Ex) A bonded investigator's familiar becomes a cunning assistant to the investigator. The familiar can access the investigator's inspiration pool to augment its own actions; the use of inspiration is deducted from the investigator's number of daily uses as normal. The familiar can use the inspiration ability (and gains the increased benefits of investigator talents that affect the bonus dice used in this ability) but cannot expend uses of inspiration for other purposes.
Keen Recollection You can attempt all knowledge checks untrained
Inspiration (Ex) An investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled-he also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these of flashes of inspiration in other situations. An investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 7. An investigator's inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful night's sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including any on which he takes 10 or 20. This choice is made after the check is rolled and before the results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics, or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he's trained in the skill. Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator's pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.
Investigator Talents Quick Study, Mutagen
Quick Study (Ex) An investigator can use his studied combat ability as swift action instead of a move action.
Studied Combat (Ex) With a keen eye and calculating mind, you can assess the mettle of your opponent to take advantage of gaps in talent and training. You can use a move action to study a single enemy that you can see. Upon doing so, you add 3 as an insight bonus on melee attack rolls and as a bonus on damage rolls against the creature. This effect lasts for 2 rounds or until you deal damage with a studied strike, whichever comes first. The bonus on damage rolls is precision damage, and is not multiplied on a critical hit. An Investigator can only have one target of studied combat at a time, and once a creature has become the target of an investigator's studied combat, he cannot become the target of the same investigator's studied combat again for 24 hours unless the investigator expends one use of inspiration when taking the move action to use this ability.
Studied Strike (Ex) You can choose to make a studied strike against the target of your studied combat as a free action, upon successfully hitting your studied target with a melee attack, to deal additional damage. The damage of studied strike is 1d6 precision damage and is not multiplied on a critical hit; creatures that are immune to sneak attacks are also immune to studied strike. If you used a weapon that deals nonlethal damage (like a sap, whip, or an unarmed strike), you may choose to have the additional damage from studied strike be nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage. If you chose to make an attack with a lethal weapon instead deal nonlethal damage (with the usual -4 penalty), the studied strike damage may also deal nonlethal damage. You must be able to see the target well enough to pick out a vital spot and must be able to reach such a spot. An investigator cannot use studied strike against a creature with concealment. A bonded investigator gains studied strike +1d6. At 10th level and every 4 investigator levels thereafter, this damage increases by +1d6. This ability alters studied strike.
Swift Alchemy (Ex) You can create alchemical items with astounding speed. It takes you half the normal amount of time to create alchemical items. You can also apply poison to a weapon as a move action instead of a standard action.
Trapfinding An investigator adds 3 to Perception skill checks made to locate traps and to Disable Device checks. An investigator can use Disable Device to disarm magical traps.
Trap Sense (Ex) You gain a +2 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps, and a +2 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.
Underworld Inspiration (Ex) An investigator can use his inspiration on Bluff, Disable Device, Disguise, Intimidate, or Sleight of Hand checks without expending uses of inspiration, provided he's trained in the skill.

Mythic
Assured Drinker (Ex) No one can stop you from imbibing, even in combat. You don't provoke attacks of opportunity when drinking an elixir, extract, or potion. As a swift action, you can expend one use of mythic power to retrieve and drink an elixir, extract, or potion.
Fleet Charge As a swift action, you can expend one use of mythic power to move up to your speed. At any point during this movement, you can make a single melee or ranged attack at your highest attack bonus, adding +1 to the attack roll. This is in addition to any other attacks you make this round. Damage from this attack bypasses all damage reduction.
Hard to Kill (Ex) Whenever you're below 0 hit points, you automatically stabilize without needing to attempt a Constitution check. If you have an ability that allows you to act while below 0 hit points, you still lose hit points for taking actions, as specified by that ability. Bleed damage still causes you to lose hit points when below 0 hit points. In addition, you don't die until your total number of negative hit points is equal to or greater than double your Constitution score.
Mythic Power (Su) Mythic characters can draw upon a wellspring of power to accomplish amazing deeds and cheat fate. This power is used by a number of different abilities. Each day, you can expend 5 mythic power. This amount is your maximum amount of mythic power. If an ability allows you to regain uses of your mythic power, you can never have more than this amount.
Surge (Su) You can call upon your mythic power to overcome difficult challenges. You can expend one use of mythic power to increase any d20 roll you just made by rolling 1d6 and adding it to the result. Using this ability is an immediate action taken after the result of the original roll is revealed. This can change the outcome of the roll.

Taedric's father was a celestial sort (plane-touched) who fought beside Terendelev, his mother was a cleric. His father was lost and presumed dead in the last battle against the Storm King. His mother, being a bit Lawful Stupid doubled down on Taedric needing to take up the sword and follow in his footsteps -- Taedric rebelled and ran off to the south, basically backtracking the Crusader's Path into the River Kingdoms - where he drank, gambled, and got swindled into working as a bodyguard for a would-be Brigand Lord -- one he thought was trying to build a better world - one less ugly -- until he had that illusion ripped away. Taedric fled (saving one of the villagers), ending up in Restov, feeling sorry for himself -- until he finally saw the light (well, heard the music, he's a Shelynite) and met a wolf (he was broke enough he couldn't sleep in town) -- and everything finally came together and he headed back north - in fact, he was just arriving and ready to see his mother when this new attack came..

He's a bluffer, and a gambler.

In terms of combat, Taedric's a skirmisher -- able to move fast and strike via charge. Despite his small size, he can hit hard and be rather nasty, especially when there are lines allowing him to charge and ride-by -- and when he's raging. When the terrain doesn't allow that, well, he's got a giant wolf that trips things so that Taedric and his allies can try to flatten them.

Taedric will probably head into the Mammoth Rider PrC - but since you need 9 ranks in Ride, that's still a ways off.

He's a Marshall - though he may dual path Champion as well.

His bloodrager abilities are his father's bloodline manifesting in him - something he only really saw for the first time when he saved the girl from the brigands he'd been working with.

In terms of personality, Taedric's looking to redeem himself, to atone for his past misdeeds ... and, more importantly, inaction. However, like many converts, he's more zealous that one born into the faith -- as such, he strives to find the beauty and wonder in all things.... possibly even when he shouldn't. He may, also, be willing to put himself at risk in ways that he shouldn't -- partially out of zeal, and partially from his belief that he, like his goddess, is now Incorruptible.

And, based on his past, he's embraced the ideal of the Crusades, but does so as a Shelynite -- thinking it his duty to protect the wonder and beauty of the world from those who would ruin it with their ugliness... ... while still feeling that there is beauty and good in all things which could be nurtured and brought out -- as it was in him. As such, he would rather redeem his opponents, to bring those small few notes of the beautiful song into a loud harmony with everything than he would silence the voice and lose the unique things they could offer. That said, he's not dumb enough to think there's any way to redeem a demon.