Goruck of the Stone's page

Endurance-You gain a +4 bonus on checks to avoid nonlethal damage, and may sleep in light or medium armor without becoming fatigued.

Ironhide-You gain a +1 natural armor bonus due to your unusually tough hide.

Drawback-Meticulous-You plan and prepare everything in detail, and aren’t good at improvising when things don’t go as planned. You take a –2 penalty on skill checks for skills with which you’re untrained.

Racial-Finish the Fight-You gain a +1 trait bonus on attack rolls against opponents you already injured in the past 24 hours.

Story-Glimpse Beyond-You gain a +2 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering) checks to identify the vulnerabilities and powers of aberrations, Knowledge (planes) checks to identify the vulnerabilities and powers of evil outsiders, and Knowledge (religion) checks to identify the vulnerabilities and powers of undead, and you can make such checks untrained. If you have 10 or more ranks in any of these Knowledge skills, the bonus increases to +4 for the appropriate skill. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus on saves against fear effects.

acrobatics 0, appraise 0, bluff -1, climb +10, craft 0, diplomacy -1, disable Device -, disguise -1, escape Artist 0, fly 0, handle Animal -1, heal 0, intimidate -1, knowledge Arcana +7, knowledge Dungeoneering 0 (+2 Identify), knowledge Engineering 0, knowledge Geography 0, knowledge History 0, knowledge Local 0, knowledge Nature +6, knowledge Nobility 0, knowledge Planes 0 (+2 Identify), knowledge Religion +4, perception +7, perform -1, profession 0, ride 0, sense Motive +7, sleight Of Hand 0, spellcraft -, stealth 0, survival +3, swim +8, use Magic Device -1; Conditional Modifiers (Can make untrained dungeons and planes checks for abberations/evil outsiders/undead

Common, Orc, Necril, Aklo

Shaman's Apprentice-Only the most stalwart survive the years of harsh treatment that an apprenticeship to an orc shaman entails. Half-orcs with this trait gain Endurance as a bonus feat. This racial trait replaces the intimidating trait.

Sacred Tattoo-Many half-orcs decorate themselves with tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification, which they consider sacred markings. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.

Weapon Familarity-Half-orcs are proficient with greataxes and falchions and treat any weapon with the word “orc” in its name as a martial weapon.

Darkvision-Half-orcs can see in the dark up to 60 feet.

Orc Blood-Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.

Challenge-Once per day, a samurai can challenge a foe to combat. As a swift action, the samurai chooses one target within sight to challenge. The samurai’s melee attacks deal extra damage when made against the target of his challenge. This extra damage is equal to the samurai’s level. The samurai can use this ability once per day at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every three levels beyond 1st, to a maximum of seven times per day at 19th level.

Challenging a foe requires much of the samurai’s concentration. The samurai takes a –2 penalty to his Armor Class, except against attacks made by the target of his challenge.

The challenge remains in effect until the target is dead or unconscious, or until the combat ends. Each samurai’s challenge also includes another effect, which is listed in the section describing the samurai’s order.

Bountiful Resolve-Starting at 1st level, the samurai gains resolve that he can call upon to endure even the most devastating wounds and afflictions. This ability acts as a samurai's resolve ability in all ways, except that he can use it once per day plus his Constitution modifier at 1st level, plus one additional time per day for every two Shogun levels he possess beyond the first. Whenever the samurai defeats the target of his challenge, he regains one daily use of his resolve, up to his maximum number of uses per day. Defeating the target of his challenge usually involves reducing the target to 0 hit points or fewer, but the GM might rule that an enemy who surrenders or flees the battle is also defeated. He can use this resolve in a number of ways. This ability replaces mount.

Determined: As a standard action, the samurai can spend one use of his resolve to remove the fatigued, shaken, or sickened condition. If the samurai is at least 8th level, he can alternatively remove the exhausted, frightened, nauseated, or staggered condition. If the condition has a duration longer than 1 hour or is permanent, this ability removes the condition for 1 hour, at which time the condition returns.

Resolute: Whenever the samurai is required to make a Fortitude or Will save, he can spend one use of his resolve as an immediate action to roll twice and take the better result. He must decide to use this ability before he rolls the saving throw.

Unstoppable: When the samurai is reduced to fewer than 0 hit points but not slain, he can spend one use of his resolve as an immediate action to instantly stabilize and remain conscious. He is staggered, but he does not fall unconscious and begin dying if he takes a standard action. He does fall unconscious if he takes additional damage from any source.

Ignore the Pain (Ex): The shogun can order his allies to fight on, despite debilitating effects. This allows the shogun to use the Determined and Resolute resolve abilities on an ally within 30 feet. Doing this uses up twice the number of resolve points as normal, and the ally must be able to hear the shogun. This use of resolve is a language dependent ability.

Order of the Staff-Edicts: The cavalier cannot refuse a spellcaster's request for aid unless it will interfere with his existing duties, or he believes the spellcaster seeks to directly oppose the cavalier's aims and goals.

Challenge: Whenever an order of the staff cavalier issues a challenge, his target takes a –1 penalty on saving throws against spells and spell-like abilities for 1 round after the cavalier successfully damages the target. This penalty increases by 1 for every four levels the cavalier possesses.

Skills: An order of the staff cavalier adds Knowledge (arcana) (Int) and Knowledge (nature) (Int) to his list of class skills. He may use Knowledge (arcana) to identify spells being cast by arcane spellcasters as if he were using Spellcraft, and may do the same with Knowledge (nature) for divine spellcasters. If the cavalier readies an action to strike a creature when it casts a spell, and identifies the spell to be cast with the appropriate Knowledge check, he gains a +1 bonus on the attack roll.

Ordered Strike-At 1st level, as a full-round action, the shogun can grant one ally within 30 feet an attack action that must be taken immediately with a melee weapon. This does not use up any of the ally's actions, nor does it change the initiative order. The attack is resolved at the ally's full base attack bonus. The shogun must possess at least one point of resolve to use this ability. If the attack hits, the shogun regains one point of resolve. At 11th level, this becomes a standard action.

Fishhook (2), Bell, Candles (10), Candlestick, Chalk, Charcoal, Parchment (5), Sewing needle, Journal, Mask, Scarf, Reinforced, Bandolier, Soldier's Uniform, Kit, Fighter, Nodachi, Scalemail, Grappling Hook; Money 88 cp, 38 gp, 72 sp

"Goruck came to us from a tribe that lay upon the plains to our east. His mother was one a orc member of the tribe, and his father her human lover, but despite that young Goruck was one of the strongest orc bloods to ever live within the tribe. Thurman, do not perform the Four Circles as though you're grinding grain!"

Clearing his throat, he continued. "Fights were constant for orcs, especially shamans and their apprentices. However, said fighting consumed Goruck's family. Angry at his loss, the boy rebelled when adventurers struck back at his tribe. He slew his teacher protecting his mother, and even hurled a sculptor of the stone away." At this one of the young men asked, "Wait, I thought he learned the ways of combat here?"

With a shake of his head, the master demonstrated the next form as he spoke, voice echoing of the stone chamber. "No, his understanding of combat was that of a weapon, not the hand. So when he arrived here as terms for his mother to be taken care of, we adapted. We taught him our principles and straightened his ways, but he was meant to fight as he was raised. Repeat the Mantra of the Sky and Stone."

In near perfect unison, the acolytes said, "We are the Stones, born of toiled earth and upturned rocks. We are solid, unmovable, and keep the sky restrained and directed. They are the Sky, born of wild passion and ingenious curiosity. They remind us of the world, and shape it. We stand together, not against, for the world is of strong back and bright magic."

Smiling widely, the old man continued, "And so we get to the story you've all heard whispered. Goruck withstanding
Ghik'shaedyc's foul touch, and the two's battles across a half decade. It was in those dungeons and vile places of the deepest dark that the Bulwark learned our order's most valuable lesson. Magic itself is neither good nor evil, but accents those who have it."

Gesturing towards the door, the master watched as his pupils filtered out to continue their studies. Reminded of his prized pupil, the man held his chin in thought. Was the boy still keeping himself in control, still the massive mountain of man he grew into before the old master's eye?