Aglaron's page

7. The green energy has mutated your muscles, but you have become hideous. Is the loneliness worth the power?
Greater: Exceptionally muscular: Gain an additional +3 strength, but your bulk makes you slower: -2 Dexterity.
Lesser: Strong grip. You gain strangle: An opponent grappled by the creature cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components.
Bad: Proteus Syndrome: Your bones, skin, or other tissues are overgrown, giving you a monster like appearance. -4 to all checks on social skills.

Aglaron stands at short-to-average height for a drow and still bears the typical long white hair and dark skin of his kind. Thanks to the effects of the green energy, his slender build was replaced with a thicker and more muscled frame, but he also lost his good looks to this monstrous deformation.
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Six months ago
Aglaron sat comfortably astride his riding lizard, Glaart, and listened as his elder brother, Nufarlin, barked orders at the iblith that had been brought along as fodder for this latest patrol. They were in the tunnels around Zirnakaynin which led up from Sekamina (the second layer of the Darklands) to Nar-Voth (the first layer). Aglaron and Nufarlin were both members of the noble House Misraria--more specifically, they were the eighth and seventh sons, respectively, of Matron Zoveinia Misraria. Nufarlin's station was marginally better than Aglaron's because of his aptitude for arcane magic (skill with weapons and the handling of animals, though necessary, is not so prestigious), but they were both males and, therefore, not highly valued.

This was a routine patrol to keep wildlife in check in the area around the great drow city, and they had slaughtered a couple beasts so far. They had also lost two goblins and one orc, but the lives of iblith slaves were of no concern.

The patrol ceased to be routine when the bombs struck up above in the surface world. So great was their effect that the rumblings of their impacts were felt even in the Darklands. Earth and stone were cracked, and the tunnel where Aglaron and the rest of the patrol stood at that moment began to cave in. Aglaron pulled hard on Glaart's reins in an attempt to avoid the downpour of rock, but the drow and his lizard mount still collapsed under the tumble of stones.

Aglaron awoke some hours later and found that he was the only member of the patrol (along with Glaart) not crushed to death by the cave-in. After some digging, he was able to uncover Nufarlin's body and found his spellbook was relatively unharmed--the leather cover was dented, but no worse for wear.

The cave-in was between Aglaron and the way back to Zirnakaynin. Aglaron spent days traveling through other tunnels in the area to find an alternative route down. One tunnel that he thought might work he found also caved in, and another turned too far in a horizontal direction--Aglaron suspected it would lead him into duergar territory before he might come upon a way leading back to Zirnakaynin. So his search continued...but then the cloud of green energy began to descend through the area. It happened without warning, for it made no sound that Aglaron could hear. He woke in the middle of the night to the sound of Glaart clawing at the ground agitatedly, and when he opened his eyes a green haze was already upon their camp. Aglaron began to cough, and he felt strange sensations in his body, though it seemed he was still breathing the air he needed. Quickly he grabbed his things and jumped into the saddle on Glaart's back. Aglaron could see that the haze was moving downward, and in haste he decided to move upward, hoping to move through and beyond the cloud.

The mad dash through the green energy ended when Aglaron happened upon an iron and stone gate, blasted and mangled. Having finally cleared the green cloud, Aglaron and Glaart rested, and the drow realized that this was the Darklands entrance to Deepgate, the great orc stronghold. There were no signs of activity however--the gate was not guarded. Aglaron went in. As he moved upward he saw more and greater destruction. This fortress had been obliterated by some unfathomable blast! What could have caused that? Surely not even the greatest wizard in Zirnakaynin could command an evocation potent enough to wreak this kind of devastation.

Aglaron did not linger in the remains of Deepgate, for there were no signs of anything worth salvaging, and he would find no food there for himself or for Glaart. It was no good returning to the Darklands--he had never found a way back to Zirnakaynin, and Aglaron did not have any desire to go trailing after that cloud of green energy, either. The only way left was up.

As they moved along the surface following signs of wildlife to hunt, for the first few days those strange sensations that began when Aglaron awoke within the green energy still had not ceased. Then he noticed that his arms seemed to be growing thicker, muscle bulging. Closer inspection of his torso revealed similar growth. It was a few more days before Aglaron happened upon something reflective enough to allow him a good view of his face, and what he saw made him gasp. He did not recognize his own reflection--his thin nose and high cheekbones were now obscured by bulbous flesh. He was hideous!

But he was alive. All the orcs of Deepgate were not, and who knows what may have become of the drow in Zirnakaynin when the green energy reached the city. But Aglaron was alive, and he would continue.

Aglaron continued to follow wild beasts as a nomad for months, moving southeast--though he did not know it, he was leaving the bounds of what once was the Hold of Belkzen and entering the territory of Lastwall. And then he spied a sign posted on a road, one that pointed toward a new settlement called Prevail...

Aglaron
Male drow cavalier (hussar) 1
CN Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 120 ft.; Perception +3
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Defense
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AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +2 Dex)
hp 10 (1d10)
Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +1; +2 vs. enchantments, +3 bonus vs. the spells and spell-like abilities of challenged foe
Immune sleep; SR 7
Weaknesses light blindness
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee lance +3 (1d8+3/×3) or
. . warhammer +3 (1d8+2/×3) or
. . kukri +3 (1d4+2/18-20)
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with lance)
Special Attacks challenge 1/day (+1 damage, +3 to save vs. targets spells and on bluff/sense motive)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 1st; concentration +3)
. . 1/day—dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire
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Statistics
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Str 15, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +3; CMD 15
Feats Animal Affinity
Skills Acrobatics +5, Bluff -2, Craft (leather) +3, Diplomacy -2, Escape Artist +5, Handle Animal +8, Intimidate -2, Knowledge (arcana) +5, Perception +3, Ride +8, Stealth +5, Survival +5; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Elven, Undercommon
SQ agile warrior, fast mount +10 ft., mount (Glaart), order of the tome, poison use
Other Gear studded leather, kukri, lance, warhammer, backpack, belt pouch, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), leatherworking tools, spellbook, waterproof bag, waterskin
Gear Carried by Glaart bedroll, bit and bridle, exotic riding saddle, mess kit, pot, saddlebags, soap
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Special Abilities
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Agile Warrior (Ex) Gain Acrobatics, Escape Artist, Stealth, and Survival as class skills.
Animal Companion Link (Ex) Handle or push Animal Companion faster, +4 to checks vs. them.
Darkvision (120 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Drow Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Fast Mount +10 ft. (Ex) When riding any mount all modes of movement increase speed.
Light Blindness (Ex) Bright light blinds for 1 rd, then dazzled as long as remain in it.
Mount (Ex) Gain the services of a special animal companion.
Poison Use (Ex) You do not risk poisoning yourself accidentally while poisoning a weapon.
Spell Resistance (7) You have Spell Resistance.
Tome's Challenge +1 (1/day) (Ex) +1 to damage target, -2 AC vs. others when used, +3 to save vs. spells/SLA cast by challenge target and bluff/sense motive vs. same.

Glaart
Male custom gecko (aberrant)
N Large animal
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +1
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Defense
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AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 13 (+1 Dex, +4 natural, -1 size)
hp 14 (2d8+4)
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +1
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Offense
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Speed 40+10 ft., climb 40+10 ft.
Melee bite +3 (2d4+4)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
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Statistics
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Str 16, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +1; CMB +5; CMD 16 (20 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Stealth)
Tricks Combat Riding (Attack, Come, Defend, Down, Guard, Heel), Flee
Skills Acrobatics +1 (+9 to jump), Climb +15, Stealth +4
SQ combat riding, flee, not quite animal
Other Gear bedroll, bit and bridle, exotic riding saddle, mess kit, pot, saddlebags, soap
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Special Abilities
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Expert Climber Treated as constantly being under a natural version of spider climb (Climb skill bonus already factored in above).
Animal Companion Link (Ex) Handle or push Animal Companion faster, +4 to checks vs. them.
Climb (50 feet) You have a Climb speed.
Combat Riding [Trick] The animal has been trained to bear a rider into combat.
Darkvision (60 feet) You can see in the dark (black and white only).
Flee [Trick] Attempts to run away or hide.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Not Quite Animal Handle Animal on your companion is 5 higher.