Welcome to the Other Side!

Game Master Yasss Queen

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Background
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Bage thought that he was a just another human. Average. Perhaps even boringly so. As a child, he loved to run about with his friends imagining fake battles based on all their favorite tv shows, Dragon Ball Z included. Like the others, he dreamed of becoming one of the heroes when he became older. And as all children, he had to grow up.

After finishing high school and heading out into the job world, Bage quickly lost his childish edge as he faced the reality and limits called 'life'. He became another member of society, another 'average joe'.

It was just another day when it all changed. Bage was simply walking across the street when a race fishtailed around the corner. As the car slammed into him, he just he at least wouldn't have an average death.

So he was surprised when he started to wake. Am I not dead yet?

A voice suddenly resounded, fading in and out. "Please...not too late...survive!...the Seal...destroy ...can't die!"

As the voice died out, Bage felt a warmth embrace him. Time seemed to melt away, as a strange, yet familiar, smell began to almost entice him to somehow far, far away. The smell of woods and games. Of sticks and swords. Of lightsabers and super saiyans.

It was the smell of youth, something Bage had almost completely forgotten about. Yet it came back to him like it was yesterday. The drive to play. To be. To create. The desire to be anything he wanted. Where had this passion gone to? What had driven his childhood from him before? The feeling that anything could be accomplished, that he could be the one to accomplish it. When had he stopped believing in that?

His questions went unanswered as his senses began to return to him. Sitting up, Bage looked around to see an old forest surrounding him. The kind of forest that begged for adventure. And-

Wait. What is this? What is THIS!? Bage was no longer Bage. Well, he was, his body was just...different. He had bulging muscles and...a saiyan suit? Yes, he was wearing a saiyan suit.

"If this is a prank... Ah, forget it. Best. Prank. Ever!"

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Personality
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While Bage would have described himself rather boring, with a rather 'normal' personality, his sudden change has affected more than just his body. All his childish, inner, wish-making dreams have burst forth, and Bage is ready to go forth and have some awesome adventures. And shoot a kamehameha or two.

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Description
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Picture Here

Unlike his perviously average human build, Bage is now a rather built looking saiyan. Somehow. Bage now has long, dark-blue, saiyan-like hair...so, permenent bedhead? A light-weight set of saiyan clothing, not too thick, but flexible. Has a TP etched into it for some reason. Huh. The getup even came with a scouter. Pretty cool.

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Secret Concept
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Bage now has the body of a half-saiyan with all the dreams and wishes of his childhood at the forefront of his mind. Adventure ahead. Unbeknowst to him, this body was originally the body of Time Patroller from Universe 7. Such accident within the time-space jump has now merged with Bage. No one knows what this might entail.

Added Extra plot hook for usage at DM's discretion.

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Defense
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AC 24*, touch 24, flat-footed 18 (+5 Monk AC, +1 Dodge, +3 Wis, +5 Dex)
HP 354 DR 10/chaotic
Fort +19, Ref +17, Will +9
+4 against death effects; +2 against energy drain, negative energy, necromantic spells and SLA's, and enchantment spells and effect
Resistances Negative Energy 5 Immunities diseases
*+4 if triggering AoO from movement.

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Offense
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Speed 90 ft.
Melee Flurry of Strikes +28/+28/+28/+23/+18/+13 (2d10+7/19-20)

Special Options
Jabbing Style - +2d6 for 2 hits, +4d6 for 3+; move 5ft.
Kinetic Blast - See Wild Talent Section.
Kinetic Fist - +3d6 to Flurry of blows.
Medusa's Wrath - 2 more strikes at highest bab if target is dazed, flat-footed, paralyzed, staggered, stunned, or unconscious.
Power Attack - -5 attack for +10 damage.
Spring Attack - Move 10ft to max and make single attack.
Stunning Fist - Fort DC 23, 25/day, fail (choose 1): stun 1 round, fatigued, sickened 1 min, staggered or paralyzed 1d6+1 rounds, or permenantly blind or deafen the target.

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Statistics
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Str 25 (+7), Dex 20 (+5), Con 24 (+7), Int 10 (+0), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 12 (+1)
Base Atk +20/+15/+10/+5; CMB +27; CMD 51

Traits
Enlightened Warrior - Gain Monk levels while Neutral.
Pride of Saiyan Race - If successful will save causes lesser effect, you are unaffected.

Feats
Blind-Fight - Can reroll miss chance percentile when you miss because of concealment; invisible opponents get no advantage against you; no acro check to move full speed while invisible.
Combat Reflexes - Make AoO's up to your Dex mod.
Dodge - +1 AC
Elemental Knowledge - Add class skills from all expanded elements, and gain +1 for all class skills associated with your chosen elements.
Improved Critical (Unarmed Strike) - Double threat range.
Improved Initiative - +4 to Init.
Improved Unarmed Strike - Do not provoke AoO from unarmed strikes, and they deal lethal or nonlethal at will.
Intimidating Prowess - Add Str to Initmidate on top of Cha.
Jabbing Style, Jabbing Dancer, Jabbing Master - +2d6 to final attack if two unarmed attacks hit, +4d6 if three or more hit; can move 5ft around target each time a blow hits.
Medusa's Wrath - When using full-attack against a dazed, flat-footed, paralyzed, staggered, stunned, or unconscious foe, make 2 extra unarmed strikes at highest bab.
Mobility - +4 AC if movement provokes AoO
Power Attack - -5 attack for +10 damage.
Spring Attack - As a full-round action, move 10ft up to max and make a single attack during the movement with no AoO triggered.
Step Up - Move with opponent if they make a five foot step.
Stunning Fist - Fort DC 23, 25/day, fail: stun 1 round.
Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike) - +1 attack.

Skills (80 ranks - 4/lv class)
Acrobatics +15 (7 ranks, 3 class, 5 Dex)
Climb +11 (1 rank, 3 class, 7 Str)
Diplomacy +4 (3 ranks, 1 Cha)
Fly +29 (20 ranks, 3 class, 1 Elemental Knowledge, 5 Dex)
Initimidate +31 (20 ranks, 3 class, 1 Cha, 7 Str)
Perception +26 (20 ranks, 3 class, 3 Wis)
Sense Motive +13 (7 ranks, 3 class, 3 Wis)
Stealth +9 (1 rank, 3 class, 5 Dex)
Swim +11 (1 rank, 3 class, 7 Str)

Favored Class Bonuses
Kineticist - Human (Scion of Humanity) - +1/6 Extra Wild Talent Feat - x6
Kineticist - Human (Scion of Humanity) - +1 hp - x14

Languages
Common

Alternate Racial Traits
Deathless Spirit - Negative energy resistance 5; +2 against death effects, energy drain, negative energy, and necromantic spells and SLA's; do not lose hp from negative levels.
Heritage: Angel Blooded - +2 Str and Cha.
Immortal Spark - +2 on Knowledge (History) checks; +2 against death effects.
Scion of Humanity - Counts as human for all feats, racial traits, etc.

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Possessions
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Inventory
Saiyan clothing, Scouter

Inventory Weight and Load

Wealth

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Special Abilities
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AC Bonus - Add Wis+5 to AC if not wearing armor and unencumbered.

Burn (Ex) - Accepting a burn deals 20 nonlethal damage that can't be reduced or redirected. Can accept up to 6 burn per round, to a max total burn of 10.

Elemental Overflow (Ex) - You glow a golden sheen whenever you accept burn. While shining, you gain a bonus on attack rolls with kinetic blasts equal to your burn up to +6 and twice that bonus on damage rolls with kinetic blasts.

At 3 points of burn, +2 to two physical ability scores of your choice. Chance to ignore the effects of a critcal hit or sneak attack equal to your burn times 5%.

At 5 points of burn, +4 to a physical ability score and +2 to the other two.

At 7 points of burn, +6 to a physical ability score, +4 to another, and +2 to the last one.

Can stop the visual effect by concentrating for a full round, but loses all benefits as well. Immediately resumes when more burn is accepted.

Fast Movement - +60 to base movement.

Flurry of Blows - Full-Round Action to make two extra attacks with highest bab.

Gather Power and Supercharge (Su) - Gather power as a move action to reduce the burn of a wild talent by 2 points, a full round action to reduce one on the next turn by 3 points, or a full round action and your move action on the next turn to reduce it by 5 points.

Doing so creates a loud, visble display in a 20ft radius of you. If you take damage before releasing, succeed a concentration check (using Con mod) of DC (10 + the damage + SL of wild talent) or lose the energy and accept burn points equal to amount it would have reduced.

Improved Evasion - No damage on a successful Ref save, half on a fail.

Internal Buffer (Su) - As a full-round action, accept 1 burn to add 1 point to your Internal Buffer, up to a max of 3 points. Once the kineticist adds points to her buffer, they remain indefinitely until she spends them.

When she would otherwise accept burn, a kineticist can spend 1 point from her buffer to avoid accepting 1 point of burn. She cannot spend more than 1 point from her buffer in this way for a single wild talent. Points spent from the internal buffer don’t activate elemental overflow or add to its effects. Similarly, this buffer can be used to exceed the limit on the number of points of burn the kineticist can accept in a single turn.

Metakinesis (Su) - Add power to kinetic blasts:
Empower - 1 Burn - All variable numbers are increased by half. (ie. 2d6+1 becomes 3d6+1)
Maximize - 1 Burn - All variable numbers are maxed.
Quicken - 3 Burn - Swift Action, instead of standard.
Copy - 4 Burn - Creates a second, identical kinetic blast.

Metakinetic Master (Su) - Maximize -1 burn.

Omnikinesis (Su) - 1 burn to use any blast wild talent; 1 burn as a standard to change a wild talent to another of the same category for 24 hours; elemental requirements are ignored with this ability.

Perfect Self - Treated as an outsider for spells and magical effects; DR 10/chaotic; can still be revived; perfect calm state to restore 1 ki point per 10 minutes.

Purity of Body - Immune to diseases.

Still Mind - +2 on saves against enchantment spells

Stunning Fist - Gain Stunning Fist as a bonus feat, and choose any one condition to inflict instead of the usual: stun 1 round, fatigued, sickened 1 min, staggered or paralyzed 1d6+1 rounds, or permenantly blind or deafen the target.

Timeless Body (Ex) - No penalities to ability scores for aging, and no magically aging; still dies of old age.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon (Ex) - Can understand and speak with any living creature.

Unarmed Strike - Unarmed strikes deal 2d10 damage.

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Ki
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Ki Pool - 13/day

If pool has 1 remaining, unarmed strikes are treated as magic weapons, cold iron, silver, lawful, and adamantine.

Ki Powers
Diamond Mind - 1 point - Remove Fear at 20th CL as swift; spend 2 to use when frightened or panicked.

Diamond Soul - 2 points - Gain SR 30 for 20 rounds as a swift.

Flurry - 1 point - Extra attack on flurry of blows as swift.

Insightful Wisdom - 2 points - Allow ally to reroll an attack or saving throw.

Ki Guardian - Varies - Spend as many points as chosen allies to roll a saving throw for them; failing any causes your character to autofail theirs as well.

Ki Volley - 2 points - When spell or SLA fails to penetrate SR from diamond soul, send the spell back to its caster.

One Touch - At least 1 remaining - Standard to make an unarmed strike as a touch attack; add 10 to damage; spend 1 point to double bonus damage.

Quivering Palm - 4 points - Standard action to make an attack; if attack deals damage, it is successful. As a free action, will the target to die once within 20 days to force a Fort DC 23 or it dies.

Sudden Speed - 1 point - +30 base speed for 1 min as a swift.

Wholeness of Body - 2 points - Heal 1d8+20 as a standard action.

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Style Strikes
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When using Flurry of Blows, designate up to two attacks as any style strike you know before rolling attack.

Flying Kick - Move up to 60ft, using blows during the movement freely, and ending the movement with a kick against an adjacent foe.

Knockback Kick - Kick, making a free combat maneuver with current bab if it hits. If maneuver is successful, foe is knocked back 10 ft + 10 ft per every 5 extra it succeeds, up to 60 ft total.

Shattering Punch - Punch, bypassing any DR or hardness possessed by target.

Spin Kick - Kick at flat-footed AC; unusable against creatures that cannot be caught flat-footed.

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Elements
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-Take a standard action unless otherwise noted.
-DC's are 17 + talent's spell level

Elemental Focus
Fire
Class Skills - Escape Artist, Knowledge (Nature)
Basic Manipulation - Basic Pyrokinesis - Use flare, light, or spark at will, all producing normal heat; can use only one at a time.
Simple Blast - Fire Blast
Defense - Searing Flesh

Air - Expanded at 7th
Class Skills - Fly, Knowledge (Nature)
Basic Manipulation - Basic Aerokinesis - +2 on saves against heat, breat weapons, cloud vapors, and gases
Simple Blast - Electirc Blast

Aether - Expanded at 15th
Class Skills - Knowledge (Engineering), Sleight of Hand
Basic Manipulation - Basic Telekinesis - Mage Hand with weight limit of 40 pounds at 30 ft per round speed, hold liquids with an aether made cup, and move magical objects; can replicate the open/close cantrip.
Simple Blast - Telekinetic Blast

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Kinetic Blasts
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Simple Blast Talents
Standard action to shoot one up to 30 ft. All considered magic for DR. Full damage to swarms. Readied blasts can counterspell any spell of equal or lower level.

Physical - ranged - 10d6+17 - No SR applied to attack
Energy - ranged touch - 10d6+3

Electric Blast - Element: air; SL -; Blast Type: energy; Damage: electricity

Fire Blast - Element: fire; SL -; Blast Type: energy; Damage: fire

Telekinetic Blast - Element: aether; SL -; Blast Type: physical; Damage: bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing

Throw an item of up to 80 lbs at target; hit deals damage to both target and item.

Composite Blast Talents
Deal more damage than simple, but use burn. Composite burn costs are reduced by 1 (already figured in shown costs).

Physical - ranged - 20d6+17 - No SR applied to attack
Energy - ranged touch - 20d6+3

Aetheric Boost - Element: aether; SL -; Burn 1; Blast Type: same as simple energy blast

Infuse a simple energy blast with aether for additional +1 dam/die to the blast.

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Defense Wild Talents
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Searing Flesh - Element(s) fire; Burn 0

Natural and unarmed attacks against you cause 5 fire damage to attacker. Grappled creatures take 10 fire damage at the end of each turn.

Increase damage by 5 for 1 burn up to 7 times until your burn is removed. Accepting burn for fire wild talents causes damage from this talent to double for 1 round.

Dismiss or restore as an immediate action.

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Utility Wild Talents
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Aerial Adaptation - Element: air; Type: utility (Sp); SL 1; Burn 0

You are immune to altitude sickness, and gain an amount of electricity resistance equal to twice your current amount of burn.

Elemental Grip - Element: universal; Type: utility (Sp); SL 3; Burn 0
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes

You use your element to halt a creature associated with your element, as hold monster except it requires concentration to maintain, and it works only on creatures with a subtype matching one of your elements (for example, a pyrokineticist could use it on creatures of the fire subtype). At any time, you can accept 1 point of burn to remove the need to concentrate.

Expanded Defense
Element(s) universal; Type utility (Su); Level 4; Burn ?

Choose an element you selected with expanded element. You gain that element’s defense wild talent. You can take this wild talent multiple times, choosing a different element each time.

Fire’s Fury
Element(s) fire; Type utility (Su); Level 1; Burn ?

When using fire blasts or composite blasts that include fire, add your elemental overflow bonus to the damage dealt. If the kinetic blast normally adds double your elemental overflow bonus to damage, these effects stack.

From the Ashes
Element(s) fire; Type utility (Sp); Level 9; Burn 2

When you are about to fall unconscious or die from hit point damage, as an immediate action you can burst into flames that leave behind only ash, which cannot be appreciably affected by most attacks or effects, though a disintegrate spell or similar magic can annihilate it. At the start of your next turn, unless the ash has been completely destroyed, you arise in the square where the most ash is located, having taken the damage from the triggering effect but having also healed 5 points of damage per kineticist level you possess.

Foxfire
Element(s) fire or wood; Type utility (Sp); Level 2; Burn 0
Prerequisites fire blast or positive blast
Saving Throw none; Spell Resistance yes

You surround a creature with glowing flames that outline it, as per faerie fire. If you use foxfire with positive energy, the flames don’t give off heat. If you use it with fire, the flames still aren’t hot enough to deal damage immediately, but the illuminated creature counts as being under the effects of severe heat and must succeed at a Fortitude save against nonlethal damage after 10 minutes. A creature can extinguish the foxfire automatically as a full-round action.

Heat Wave
Element(s) fire; Type utility (Sp); Level 3; Burn 1
Prerequisite(s) heat adaptation, searing flesh

You create an aura of shimmering heat that distorts the area around you. Until the next time your burn is removed, you can begin or end the heat aura as a swift action. The temperature in the area 30 feet around you rises by 5° F per kineticist level you possess, to a maximum modified temperature of 120° F. If this brings the temperature to at least 90° F, all attacks made by creatures within 5 feet of you suffer a 20% miss chance due to concealment. You are immune to these effects, as are those immune to fire or benefiting from endure elements.

Ride the Blast
Element(s) universal; Type utility (Sp); Level 6; Burn 0

You can use this wild talent as part of activating a kinetic blast other than telekinetic blast. You transform yourself into your element or energy and send yourself along with your kinetic blast. You appear at the end of the blast’s path, adjacent to the blast’s target (or final target, for form infusions like chain) or at the center of the burst or spread for form infusions like explosion. This ability doesn’t work with form infusions that involve melee attacks (such as kinetic blade) or that use a cone shape (such as spray).

Spell Deflection
Element(s) aether; Type utility (Sp); Level 7; Burn 0

You weave strands of aether around yourself in order to deflect targeted magic back at the caster. Until the beginning of your next turn, every time you are targeted by a spell that could be affected by spell turning, roll 1d10?1 and determine the effects of the spell as if you had spell turning with that many spell levels remaining. You can accept 1 point of burn to increase the duration to 10 minutes per kineticist level you possess, but in that case, it deflects only 10 spell levels in total (still rolled 1d10?1 at a time) before ending early.

Telekinetic Deflection
Element(s) aether; Type utility (Sp); Level 8; Burn 0

You can deflect your foes’ attacks, as the spell deflection with a duration of 1 round. You can accept 1 point of burn to increase the duration to 1 round per kineticist level you possess.

Wings of Air
Element(s) air; Type utility (Sp); Level 3; Burn 0
Prerequisite(s) air cushion or air’s leap the air bends to your will, allowing you to soar to great heights.

You are constantly under the effects of fly. If this effect is dispelled, you can call it forth again as a standard action.

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Infusion Wild Talents
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Can add one substance infusion and one form infusion to a blast talent, simple or composite. Each can only affect Associated Blasts.

Reduce the total burn cost that infusions add to a single blast by 5.

Chain - Element: air; Type: form; SL 5; Burn 3
Associated Blasts - Electric Blast

If it hits, attempt another ranged touch attack against a target within 30 ft of first target dealing 1d6 less. Continue until you run out of dice, fail to deal damage, or miss. Cannot hit the same target twice.

Dazzling Infusion - Element: fire or wood; Type: substance; SL 1; Burn 1; Saving Throw: Will - Negates
Associated Blasts - Fire Blast

If it hits, foe makes a Will save or is dazzled for 1 minute. Reduce damage by half to increase DC by 2.

Detonation - Element: fire; Type: form; SL 4; Burn 3; Saving Throw: Reflex - Half Damage
Associated Blasts - Fire Blast

Flames explode outward from your body, dealing your blast damage to all creatures and objects within a 20foot radius.

Explosion - Element: fire; Type: form; SL 7; Burn 4; Saving Throw: Reflex - Half Damage
Associated Blasts - Fire Blast

Create an explosion of fire within 120 feet of you with a radius of 5, 10, 15, or 20 ft. All creatures and objects within the explosion take your blast’s damage.

Extended Range - Element: universal; Type: form; SL 1; Burn 1
Associated Blasts - any

Increase range of attack to 120 ft.

Flurry of Blasts - Element: universal; Type: form; SL 3; Burn 2
Associated Blasts - any

Shoot five blasts as if at first level at targets within a 15 ft radius circle up to 120 ft away from you. Any blast that hits a target that has already been hit adds 1d6 damage.

Physical - 1d6+8 or 2d6+8
Energy - 1d6+3 or 2d6+3
+1d6 if hit already by this talent this turn.

Focused Blast - Element: universal; Type: form; SL 2; Burn 2
Associated Blasts - any

+1 to attack and CL to overcome SR. Increase burn by 2 to increase bonus to attack by 1, up to +5 to attack for 10 burn. Reduce damage by half to reduce burn by half.

Kinetic Fist - Element: universal; Type: form; SL 1; Burn 1
Associated Blasts - any

Use as part of an attack action, charge action, or full-attack action to add damage to all natural and unarmed attacks until the beginning of your next turn.
+3d6 for a simple blast (fire or electric damage)
+6d6 for a composite blast (using extra burn)

Feat and Skill Racial Traits
• Toughness (2 RP): Half-Saiyans receive Toughness as a bonus feat.

Offense Racial Traits
• Ferocity (4 RP): If the hit points of a half-saiyan fall below 0 but she is not yet dead, she can continue to fight. If she does, she is staggered, and loses 1 hit point each round. She still dies when her hit points reach a negative amount equal to her Constitution score.

Senses Racial Traits
• Blindsense (4 RP): Using nonvisual senses such as acute smell or hearing, half-saiyans notice things they cannot see. Half-Saiyans usually do not need to make Perception checks to pinpoint the location of a creature within 30 feet, provided they have line of effect to that creature. A creature that the half-saiyan cannot see still has total concealment against her, and the half-saiyan still has the normal miss chance when attacking creatures that have concealment. Visibility still affects the movement of half-saiyans. Half-saiyans are still denied their Dexterity bonus to AC against attacks from creatures they cannot see.

Magical Racial Traits
• Oozaru (4 RP): Half-Saiyans change forms whenever they see the light of a full moon or similar illusion-based spell if they have their tail fully grown. Upon seeing the full moon, Half-Saiyans change into a Primate, Ape (Dire) and must then make a Will saving throw with a DC of 20 or become confused until they return to their normal form. A half-saiyan who retains control can exit this form by concentrating for a full-round. If the half-saiyan becomes unconscious or loses its tail, she returns to her normal form. This ability acts as the Beast Shape III spell with a caster level equal to the half-saiyan’s character level, including changes to ability scores.

Other Racial Traits
• Saiyan Blood: Half-Saiyans count as both saiyans and humans for any effect related to race.
• Prehensile Tail (2 RP): Half-Saiyans have a long, flexible tail that can be used to carry objects. They cannot wield weapons with their tails, but they can retrieve small, stowed objects carried on their persons as a swift action. Should her tail be cut off, it takes one year to regrow.
• Sensitive Tail (-2RP): A half-saiyan’s tail is her weakness that can be exploited. She must make a Fort saving throw with a DC of 20 or be stunned at the start of her turn if her tail is being grappled.
• Zenkai (2 RP): Whenever a combat encounter ends, if a half-saiyan used her ferocity racial trait during combat, she gains twice the experience points received from the fight. A half-saiyan must be able to rest and recover to full health before receiving this benefit again.

Alternate Racial Traits
• Skilled (4 RP): Some half-saiyans are born without the senses of true-born saiyans and instead have the quicker learning skills from their human heritage. Half-Saiyans gain an additional skill rank at 1st level and one additional skill rank whenever they gain a level. This trait replaces blindsense.

Background Racial Traits
• Bottomless Pit (Racial: Saiyan): Your hunger is rarely sated, but when it is, you find your concentration is better than normal.
Benefit: Once per day, whenever you eat an extra day’s share of food, add a +1 trait bonus to your next d20 roll.

• Emotionally Driven (Racial: Half-Saiyan): Your emotions are constantly enhanced from your mixed heritage, and your temper shortened as well.
Benefit: You may use your rage ability for 3 additional rounds per day.

• Pride of the Saiyan Race (Racial: Saiyan): You take pride in your heritage of the proud saiyan warriors and scoff at others’ attempts to frighten you.
Benefit: If you succeed at a Will saving throw against a fear effect that would cause a lesser effect on a successful save, you are instead unaffected.

• Tailed Combat (Racial: Saiyan): You have been trained to fight while protecting your tail, making it more difficult for others to exploit your weakness.
Benefit: +2 trait bonus to CMD against combat maneuvers that target your tail.

The clouds were out in force, thick and black. Covering the shining stars and illuminating moon, letting only torches and lanterns be the lights of the ground below, all whilst the wind howled and roared like a snarling melee of dragons. Destructive and merciless towards all those caught within their grasp, beaten down the poor mortal fools that braved this turmolous weather, breaking fences and uprooting trees, as well as blowing out many of those flicking flames that were meant to illuminate the ground below. As if this was not enough, the rain poured down from the world above as if several Decanters of Endless Waters had opened up by those who ruled the heaven, swelling rivers until they burst out from their banks, creating lakes where there was once fields, and causing many a muddy paths to transform into boot-sucking swamps that tugged and pulled at all those whose squelched through it.

Yes... only the foolhardy, the insane, or the desperate would be out in this weather... and Jaido Daz, Kennel Master of the tyrannical Prince Rithautvim Starbinder, could very easily be described as all three. Being that he willing walked down from the grim, imposing castle, overlooking the town a dragon overlooking its hoard, despite this heavy and chaotic weather. All so he could join his friends within the warmth of this small town’s tavern. If it was up to him, he would have left the castle hours ago, and already have a mug or two of ale warming his belly. Alas, circumstances meant that if was very late by the time that stumbled into the wide open room.

“Bloody hell Jaido, you look like a drowned rat! And here we thought that the esteemed kennelmaster of our glorious prince-in-exile Rithautvim Starbinder had finally realised that he was too good for us common folk.”

“Ah shut your trap Bader.” Jaido replied good naturedly as he trumped over to join his friends at the hearth. Pulling his soaked gloves off and remove his cloak, hanging them up to try before slumping down in an empty chair. One of the lot shoved over his mug, and Jaido took it with a cheers. Downing several mouthfuls of the ale before slamming it down on the table. “The honourable prince’s prize b~**& decided to have her litter a month early, meaning I had to spend hours fightings to keep her and her pups alive. Most of the pups didn’t make it, and the one that did is unlikely to survive the night. Can’t do anything else through, so I left my apprentice to look after the pup and the b&*#&.” With this news shared, Jaido took another gulp of the ale, before pushing the mug back across the table to its owner, relaxing back against his chair and asked with a burp. “So, anything interesting happening in this dismal town?”

At this, Bader grinned and learned forwards conspiracy, glancing around the tavern before speaking lowly. “Some say, that The Nameless Warrior himself is nearby and might even pass through the town!”

Jaido stared at Bader, the older man was well known for spinning tales and telling lies to try and provoke a response from his audience. Yet Jaido had known Bader for years, and felt that he had a good handle at knowing when the old man was making up s%*&... and at this moment, Jaido saw none of those signs, none of the tells that reflected Bader’s delight in tricking others... which only meant he was telling the truth... or at at the very least, believed he was telling the truth.

“Get real! The Nameless Warrior? Coming here? What would a guy like him do that for? You’ve heard the stories Bader, they say he took on a family of eighteen powerful dragons with nothing more than a sling and a stick!”

“Thirteen dragons. Five of which weren’t even Juvenile, hardly a powerful creature.” This new, sudden voice nearly had Jaido falling back out of his seat in shock. The kennel master's head whipping round to stare at the bar in surprise. As he had been sure that there was nobody sitting there when he first came in! Yet regardless of that impression, there was no denying that there was a stranger sitting there in plain view. Head and shoulders above Jaido in height, through his robes made it difficult to judge his build and stature properly. His hair was a dark brown, and as he spared the table a glance, Jaido noted that his eyes were a surprisingly bright, if cold, blue. By his side seemed to be an oddly shaped metal staff, with a device on the top... a device that was wrapped in cloth.

“Nine hells, how long have you been there?” Jaido asked in shock, through he got no answer from the stranger as he turned back to the mug he was nursing. Instead, a man by the name of Hordel answered in his place.

“He’s been here all evening mate, he was there since I first arrived... and your not the only one to overlook him till he spoke. And he only speaks to correct us on what The Nameless Warrior’s done.”

“Really? He’s basically saying he knows the stories better than us?” Jaido said, his skepticism easily read in both his face and tone of voice. Seeing the nods of the others he soon scoffed, asking. “Like what mistakes have we supposedly made that our fine guest has correct?”

“Well supposedly, he didn’t betray Azrael in the battle against Ocrus, the angle backstabbed him during the fight, only he lived and fought back.” Bader took over once more, more than happy to explained what was supposedly true about the tales of perhaps one of the most famous ‘humans’ in the world. “Nor did he defeat Ares in single combat, he only defeated an avatar of Ares, so he’s still uncertain how he would actually compare to a god.”

“I never did believe that story.” Jaido said, only to receive a glare for his interruption. “Sorry.”

“Supposedly he held the Serpent Bank Bridge against the Horde of the Black Sun for eight days and eight nights, not the seven days in which the stories claim. And when faced against the Justicar’s of Asmesha, there was actually nine of them, despite the fact that Asmesha upholds only seven virtues. Also he never did keep track of the amount of different creatures and beings he had slain over the eons of his life, but if he did it it quite unlikely to take an entire week to say.”

“That’s a handful of stories alright.” Jaido said, glancing over at the stranger again, before turning back to Bader with a shrug. “By the Abyss, I have no clue if he’s right or wrong. The Nameless’ Warriors stories are always a jumbled mess. Shame we don’t have him here to answer our questions for us.”

There was a round of laughter at Jaido’s statement, no one believing that such a legendary, nay, mythic figure would ever spend time with such common people, let alone spend so much time answering their likely thousands of questions.

Laughter that was immediately cut off at the tavern door was slammed opened and a troupe of heavily armoured guards strode into the tavern, soon followed by a tall, imposing and ugly figure. The half-orge prince of the region, whose mother famously used magic to disguise herself as a fair maiden and seduced the king whilst he was away from the capital. A prince whose ugliness in physical appearance was matched only by his ugly temperament love for causing pain and misery on to others. A prince that was discovered to be planning to kill the King and take his throne first earning him and exile do the farthest reaches of the kingdom until he had learnt better... Through those who lived in this dismal town know that the exile simply made the prince worse. Behind him stood a being hidden within a black robe, a sorcerer who had come into the prince's employe after his exile. With many people believing that this sorcerer was actually a necromancer of the black ring. From the lack of rain upon the prince's formed as his beady eye swept through the tavern it was clear that the sorcerer has used his magic to keep the group dry and warm as they strode out into the storm.

It did not take long for the prince’s eyes to settle upon his kennel master and his visage to twist into an ugly snarl as he strode forwards, the others in the on the table quickly scrambling away leaving Jaido alone as the prince’s hand swifty found his throat. “Astro is dead.” The prince growled, lifting the choking kennel master up off his chair, hoisting him up in the air as the unfortunate Jaido scratched at the hand cutting off his air flow. “My prize b%+*@, who cared for me even when that bastard of a king and all of his servants and lords didn’t, is dead. And where do I find the kennel master, who is meant to keep her alive? At her side, fighting to keep her alive? No! I find him in the tavern, drinking himself stupid instead of doing his job!”

Lifting Jaido up a little more, Rithautvim slammed the poor kennel master onto the table, scattering the mugs and cracking the wooden table... and nearly Jaido’s back as the prince snarled. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t drag you back to the castle and have you strung up by your entrails!” Softening his grip, Rithautvim waited as Jaido took several gasps of breath, bother struggling to find the words to save his life.

“M-milord... I-I had done all I could! T-there was nothing else I could do. Astro was just too old, too weak-”

“ASTRO WAS NEVER WEAK!” Rithautvim’s roar drowned out Jaido’s desperate explinations, his grip almost crushing Jaido’s windpipe as he picked the kennel master up. Pulling Jaido up to his face, spittle flying from the half-orge’s lips as he shouted. “ASTRO’S DEATH IS YOUR FAULT!” Seconds later, Jaido was able to breath once more... if only because Rithautvim had thrown him towards the bar with all of his strength. The kennel master flailing in the air, trying desperately to catch something, to do somehow slow himself down and arrest his monument before he crashed into the bottles and jugs stacked beneath the bar...!

And suddenly found himself caught in a grip. A grip whose strength was nothing like Jaido had known before. His eyes slowly shifted from the surprised and startled Rithautvim, to the bar-sitting stranger who hadn’t even turned to look at the commintion, holding Jaito by the scruff off his neck as easily as a pup, before depositing the kennel master on his feet. For a moments, there was silence, the people of the tavern needing a few seconds to realise that yes, this stranger had been able to use one hand to casually catch the flying Jaido, and do so in a way that hurt neither himself or Jaido...

Rithautvim was the first one to recover, and stepped forwards. A horrifying smirk crossing his face as he considered this stranger. “Well well well, what do we have here? A newcomer to the town... a newcomer who has already shown themselves to be-”

“Not interested.” Rithautvim’s eyes bulged as the stranger simply cut him off, not even allowed him to finish his talk. Growling, he strode forwards, reaching out grab the stranger’s shoulder.

“How dare you-” Once more, Rithautvim was interrupted. This time by the stranger grabbing the prince’s wrist. A snapping sound echoed through the tavern as the stranger affixed Rithautvim with a piercing glare, one that seemed to bore through all of his bluster, all of his self-pity and rage at the world. Cutting right down to the spoiled brat who demanded that the world did what he pleased for it.

“I said. I’m not interested.” Was all the stranger said, before letting Rithautvim go. Allowing the half-orge to stumble backwards in shock, nursing his broken hand. For a brief second, Rithautvim hesitated, seeing the clear judgement in the stranger’s eyes... then his hesitation was consumed by rage. What did this stranger know off him!?

“Guards! Seize this man and my ex-kennel master! It seems we need to remind the populace whose in charge around here!” Grinning, the guards drew their blades, advancing on the unarmoured and unarmed stranger, as well as the terrified Jaido... the stranger however, simply sighed and reached for his staff.

The events that followed happened so swiftly that even years afterwards, Jaido struggled to believe that they actually happened the way they did.

With a casual flick of the staff, the stranger knocked the first guard’s blade from his grasp, setting the weapon spinning round so the handle slammed into the guard’s unprotected throat, causing the guard to drop like a stone.

The second guard swung at the stranger with a powerful, two-handed downwards strike. But a simply twirl of the staff had the clothed object intercepting the sword, shattering it in two. Without missing a beat, the broken front of the blade was grasped and driven through the guard’s hand. Slamming it and his hand into the table.

The third darted forwards, trying to follow forwards with lighting swift lunge, and landed a direct hit on the stranger’s throat... yet the blade simply skidded off to the side, and the guard stumbled forwards, unbalanced. Straight into the butt off the staff, launching him back into the fourth guard, knocking both of them back into the wall at the back of the tavern.

Even as Rithautvim, Jaido and the rest of the tavern goes tried to comprehend what had just happened, the stranger’s hand flicked out, spending the staff spinning across the room. Slamming into the black robed sorcerer’s head and knocking him out cold. With the staff then bouncing back into the stranger’s waiting hand. Where he simply placed it back against the bar and turned back to his drink.

He had never turned to face against the guards once during this ‘fight’.

“By the way. Rithautvim wasn’t it? Your father had a spy amongst yours staff, and he is quite disappointed to hear you are dealing with necromancers and demons. He’s on his way here with a small squad of royal guard and battlemages to take you into custody.” Stunned by the swift and devastating defeat off his guards, and the news that the plans he had been laying out carefully and methodically for years was about to come crumbling down around his ears, Rithautvim reacted in the only way he knew how.

Rage.

“MAY THE NINE HELLS TAKE YOU.” He bellowed, swinging at the stranger with a devastating left hook... that had not even closed half the distance between them before the stranger’s fist slammed into his chin in an uppercut that have Rithautvim’s head knocked back...

And with a wet rip, wrenched his head off his neck entirely, the now free bodily part launching upwards until it embedded itself in the wooden roof of the tavern. The rest of his body soon collapsing in a heap on the floor. All whilst the stranger sighed once more and finished his drink.

“I always forget how fragile people actually are...” With his drink finished, he placed several coins on the bar, saying. “This should cover my drinks... and the mess.” Standing up, he headed for the exit. Ignoring the stunned looks that followed him as he went... only to stop as Jaido called out to him.

“Your him, aren’t you?” Jaido’s voice was low, and awe-filled whisper as he began to comprehend just who this stranger actually was. “The one we were talking about, The Nameless Warrior... your him, aren’t you?” Those last few words were less a question, than a statement of fact. To which the stranger glanced back, replying with a mild.

“How else would I know the truth of the stories?” With that, the stranger took his leave. Exiting Jaido’s live as swiftly as he had entered it.