Vorrea Talminari

Gwyneth Koschei's page

207 posts. Alias of Hourai.


Full Name

Gwyneth Koschei

Race

Human

Classes/Levels

Paladin (Oathbound) 2 | HP: 14/17 | AC:15 T:10 FF:15 | F:8 R:4 W:7 [+1 vs evil outsiders] | Smite Evil 1/1 | Lay On Hands 2/5 | Per +1, Init +0 |

Active Conditions:
None!

Age

21

Alignment

Lawful Good

Deity

Iomedae

Location

Beneath Kenabres, Mendev

Languages

Common, Celestial, Abyssal

Occupation

Soldier (Yeoman; Order of St. Clydwell)

Homepage URL

Loot Sheet

Strength 16
Dexterity 10
Constitution 12
Intelligence 14
Wisdom 8
Charisma 18

About Gwyneth Koschei

Ahead of you stands a soldier whose armour holds an unnatural sheen despite its innumerable nicks and dents, accented by a washed-out but clearly beloved tabard bearing the holy symbols of Iomedae the Inheritor. With one hand she holds a book regarding a number of historical battles throughout the Mendevian Crusades; the other lies limp, its fist draped over the hilt of a withered longsword.

Statblock:
Gwyneth Koschei
Female human (Taldan) paladin (oath of vengeance, oath of the mendevian crusade) 2 (Pathfinder RPG Advanced Player's Guide 117, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Magic 60)
LG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +1
--------------------
Defense
--------------------
AC 15, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (+5 armor)
hp 17 (2d10+2)
Fort +8, Ref +4, Will +7; +1 trait bonus vs. evil outsider's spells and effects
--------------------
Offense
--------------------
Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee cold iron longsword +5 (1d8+4/19-20)
Ranged longbow +2 (1d8/×3)
Special Attacks smite evil 1/day (+4 attack and AC, +2 damage)
Paladin Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +6)
. . At will—detect evil
Paladin (Oath of Vengeance, Oath of the Mendevian Crusade) Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +6)
--------------------
Statistics
--------------------
Str 16, Dex 10, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 18
Base Atk +2; CMB +5; CMD 15
Feats Cleave, Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes])
Traits exposed to awfulness, planar savant, purity of faith
Skills Acrobatics -4 (-8 to jump), Diplomacy +9, Knowledge (history) +3, Knowledge (planes) +9, Knowledge (religion) +7, Perception +1, Profession (soldier) +4, Use Magic Device +5
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common
SQ lay on hands 5/day (1d6), umbral unmasking
Combat Gear oil (7); Other Gear scale mail, arrows (18), cold iron longsword, longbow, terendelev's scales (resistance), bedroll, belt pouch, chalk (5), charcoal stick, crusader's cross, flint and steel, hemp rope (50 ft.), holy text[UE], iron unholy symbol of baphomet[UE], masterwork backpack[APG], parchment (3), sketches of baphomet cultists, soap, torch (7), trail rations (3), waterskin, wooden holy symbol of iomedae, iomedaean flask (0.5 lb), 77 gp, 2 sp, 5 cp
--------------------
Special Abilities
--------------------
Cleave If you hit a foe, attack an adjacent target at the same attack bonus but take -2 AC.
Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack. [HOUSE RULED]
Deadly Aim -1/+2 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage. [HOUSE RULED]
Detect Evil (At will) (Sp) You can use detect evil at will (as the spell).
Exposed to Awfulness (1/day) Vs Death/Incapacitation by demon: Reroll saving throw as free action, keep 2nd result.
Planar Savant Use Charisma in place of Intelligence on Knw. Plane checks.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage. [HOUSE RULED]
Purity of Faith Your soul is free from impurity, and you are deeply committed to fulfilling your duties to the church. You gain a +1 trait bonus on Will saving throws and a +1 trait bonus on saving throws against spells and effects originating from an outsider with the Evil subtype.
Smite Evil (1/day) (Su) +4 to hit, +1 to damage, +4 deflection bonus to AC when used.
Umbral Unmasking You cast no shadow (DC 15 Perception to notice)
--------------------
Additional Info
--------------------
Carrying: 86lbs (48lbs w/o backpack)
Carrying Capacity 86lbs/173lbs/260lbs
Favored Class Bonuses
1st — Skill Rank
2nd — Skill Rank
Ability Score Increases
4th —

Appearance and Other Quirks:
Personality Chart

Regularly found in her armour, accented by white or grey cloth trimmed with gold, Gwyneth stands at a full height of 5'9", equipped with a long mane of brunette hair and an infamously charismatic smile. Her eyes are a dull shade of brown, ringed by dark circles that highlight a regular pattern of interrupted sleep, though they burst to life with tresses of gold when Gwyn channels her ability to Detect Evil. Without her mail, the paladin can be best described as one who 'scrubs up nicely', but rarely does she appear without her militant regalia.

On close inspection, one might notice that she favors her right side in every instance, though the reason itself isn't hard to miss. Gwyn's body is shewn with a vast array of scar tissue that consumes almost her entire left side, though she does take care to cover the markings with cloth and armour where possible. Though it no longer causes physical disability, Gwyneth's shield training is sub-par to the point of negligence. She makes up for this by channeling her focus into wielding a single longsword in combat, leaving only her armour and relentless faith as her defense.

Due to the combined efforts of Gwyn and the clergy of Iomedae, certain measures must be taken to ensure that the paladin does not suffer any negative side-effects of her hereto-unknown corruption. Though all Mendevian Crusaders are bound to oaths, and Paladins of Iomedae even more so, Gwyneth is not merely attached to her vows but chained to them. Breaking her word in any capacity results in a sudden and immediate sickness as her bind to the divine lessens in strength. Needless to say, Gwyn takes even small promises very seriously, making oaths only as and when absolutely necessary (...which is an unsurprisingly common occurrence given her role as an arm of the Inheritor).

Stranger than all this, however, is an odd happenstance that few take mind to notice; that Gwyneth lacks something most mortals greatly take for granted. A shadow. Gwyn professes that she's long adjusted to the trait, and no longer takes offense to the obvious suspicion she earns, but keen kinsmen have known the Paladin to look long beyond the Mendevian border, muttering aloud that the Worldwound has too many shadows; praying that she might one day find her own.

Misc. Factoids:
Gwyneth's Crusader Cross - Battered, worn, and showing obvious signs of corrosion, Gwyn's Crusader Cross belies having once been something entirely different. Originally a diminutive Unholy Symbol of Baphomet, the dark iron and ruby icon was at some point crudely beaten into the general shape of an Iomedaean Sunburst, and remains the only surviving relic of the Koschei name that was not sold, seized, or outright burned to the ground following her parents' execution. Now a worthless trinket, Gwyn never removes this cross from her person, stowing it beneath clothing and armour so that the cold metal might rest uncomfortably against her heart.

The inscription reads:
G. Koschei. Yeoman, St. Clydwell's; Kenabres, Mendev.

Background:
The daughter of abyssal insurgents, Gwyn's parents were executed for their crimes when she was a very young child. Taken in by the Iomedaean clergy, and constantly surrounded by news of dying soldiers from the frontline, she grew up with an intense hatred for the Worldwound, culminating in an attempt to sneak aboard a patrol caravan set for the border during her adolescence. Though she received something of a divine warning not to do the same - a pilfered sword whose edge dulled and twisted with every step she took from home - Gwyn remained ignorant and determined, hereby sealing her fate.

En route to the Sarkorian border, she and the paladin patrol were practically destroyed; ambushed by a demon of unknown origin. Though some of the patrol survived to return to Kenabres, their child stowaway had been rendered comatose, awaking weeks later only to find her left side ruined, a stubborn sword glued to her fist, and her shadow long since lost. Knowing that it had been a miracle she had survived, and that the Inheritor had seen fit to spare her despite her ignorance, Gwyn swore to give her everything to Iomedae in return. Years of study, rehabilitation, and a borderline inhuman constitution have since helped forge her into the devout servant she now is. This year's Armasse signifies one full year as a Paladin in the Inheritor's Legion.

Background -- The Extended Cut Edition.

Thought to be born to loyal artificers of the Mendevian Crusades, Gwyn’s parents were in fact insurgents of the Ivory Labyrinth, their lives devoted to sabotaging the war efforts in the name of their unholy patron—chiefly through well-disguised murder and convenient "Accidents". After one such incident involving a notable Paladin of Iomedae, a specialized investigation led inquisitors to question and inspect the knight’s equipment. Before long they found much of it riddled with well-hidden curses and hexes, and so the artificers were dragged before the court and the extent of their deeds revealed. The execution was swift, and Gwyneth (not old enough to talk, much less understand) was handed to the Clergy of Iomedae as recompense, in the hope something good could come of her parents’ folly.

Surrounded by soldiers and stories of holy valour, Gwyn grew up with full understanding of the Worldwound and its incredible lethality. Men and women forever passed in and out of her life—clerics and warriors and hunters alike; the death toll grew higher with every patrol of the demon-infested border. She was barely into her teens when her fury came to the fore, begging to let her join the fight and break from the shadow of her parents' sins. When her requests were (rightly) denied, Gwyn made preparations of her own, gathering together her worldly possessions, readying to fly at a moment's notice.

Upon hearing that a new sword circle had been charged with breaching the Sarkorian border, Gwyneth saw her chance and fled the temple, intent on joining their campaign by stowing aboard their convoy. As she made her escape, the young girl thought herself fortunate to come across a sword. A simple thing, it lent against the temple columns, abandoned in its sheath; rightly sized but too large for her youthful grip. To the young Gwyn, the blade shone like polished silver, clean and comforting, and she shouldered the weapon without a second thought, little knowing that the edge tarnished and warped with every step she took from home.

Though she succeeded in eluding the eyes of the soldiers, hiding amongst their goods, the same could not be said of their assailant. In the end, the expedition did not so much as reach the border, and to this day Gwyn could not tell you what kind of demon it was that attacked them, or even where it occurred; only that she has a terrible numbness in her left side, accented by a vast array of scar tissue—and has never cast a shadow since.

Though the demon was reportedly slain, Gwyn's presence had made for a terrible handicap. What few knights survived returned to Kenabres alive but defeated, reporting their dead and forwarding their injured stowaway on to professional aid, certain she would not survive the night. As if to spite them, Gwyn's body recovered with alarming speed, though her coma proved persistent, and with time her clerical keepers were replaced by guardsmen, paranoid that the girl’s affliction was possession in disguise. In the weeks she lay unconscious, fighting nightmares and terrible fevers alike, only one thing stayed constant: a tight, iron grip about the hilt of a nameless, battered sword that no mortal could pry free.

When she finally awoke, her actions came in splutters, like breaths of air after drowning. The trauma was evident; anger, impossible anger, fueled by terrors that plagued her mind. The Warden on watch drew his weapon, ready to cut her down, but Gwyneth's sword refused, its dullness peeling away to reveal slivers of golden light. Bathed in its glow, her turmoil unwound, melting like ice in the sun, and the sword finally let loose of her fist. Alive, awake, and housed in the protective walls of her faith, Gwyn did only what came natural to her. She wept.

To tell it, Gwyn would come across psychotic; that she could feel a taint running through her veins, bleeding into her mind. For the strength she gained in return, nightmares would seem a minor price, but she knew more than anyone the true cost of her actions. The call to arms of dead men rang in her ears, disturbing her sleep, mourning her naivety. The sword had been her warning; divine guidance given but ignored. That she had survived at all, given her injuries, was little less than a miracle—practically an Act itself—and for that Gwyn had no response and nothing to give...save everything. The answer was simple: if she had any hope of repaying the favour, and exacting true vengeance against the evils of the world, it would take a lifetime in return.

For the better part of a decade Gwyn has since thrown herself entirely into her faith, researching the Worldwound by talking to its veterans, studying its history—slowly but surely building herself into a martyr worthy of Iomedae’s name. Though she has since dipped into multiple schools of theology—clerical, martial, and spiritual—Gwyn (perhaps unsurprisingly) found her calling as a Paladin, though she chiefly devotes herself to the word of the Inheritor and frequently acts above and beyond her military rank. This doesn’t much help her rapport with officers who suspect she may still pose an unknown danger to the crusade, but she’s long done arguing her case. This year’s Armasse marks one complete year of service in the Inheritor’s Mendevian legion, and hopefully many more to come.

Other Notes:

Lore Oracle - Gwyn's a conduit of many gifts; if not for her devotion to the Inheritor, she'd be more than a fair assistant to Kenabres' researchers. However, just as Gwyn derives her powers from the Heavens, so too are the Heavens pulling the best of her potential in turn. At 3rd level her faith will function almost literally as her shield (Sidestep Secret) - but in exchange, the divine shackles binding her mortal body sink directly into her soul, resulting in a full-blown Legalistic Curse. For continuity and roleplay purposes, she is played to suffer the negative effects of a Legalistic curse until such time as she actually attains it.

Eldritch Heritage (Abyssal) [Mythic] - Though Gwyn considers herself 100% Mendevian, it's believed her parents were immigrants, heralding from much further afield. Whilst her father served as some manner of hexcrafter, Gwyneth's mother was almost certainly gifted with more intimate ties to the Abyss (if the investigation notes are to be believed). Though not strong enough to fuel an ascension to Sorcery, Gwyneth was burdened with the potential nonetheless. Should a Mythic ascension occur, Gwyn's eventually going to start feeling a tad less...holy, to say the least.

Feats By Level + Mythic Plans:

Path and Trait: Exposed to Awfulness (Guardian)
Thematic Taste: Iomedae's very own mortal Legion Archon. Emulates Second Skin through mithral plate and Armour Master (x2) while achieving SLAs and an appropriately awesome weapon via Legendary Item. Suffers Abyssal influences via Eldritch Heritage and Worldwound Walker. Picks up Divine Source in an attempt to edge her way into Sainthood.

Feats By Level

Mythic Feat Choices

  • Tier 1: Dual Path (Champion)
  • Tier 3: ????
  • Tier 5: Extra Path Ability (Divine Source)
  • Tier 7: Eldritch Heritage
  • Tier 9: ????

Mythic Path Abilities

  • Tier 1: Legendary Item (Legendary Weapon)
  • Tier 2: Display of Charisma
  • Tier 3: Legendary Item (Minor Artifact: Weapon)
  • Tier 4: Armour Master [Light]
  • Tier 5: Armour Master [Medium] + Divine Source (Good/Law)
  • Tier 6: Divine Source (Party Decides!)
  • Tier 7: Legendary Item (Major Artifact: Weapon)
  • Tier 8: ????
  • Tier 9: Divine Source (Party Decides!)[/ooc]
  • Tier 10: ????

Legendary Item (Weapon) Abilities

  • Tier 1: Intelligent - Base Intelligence
  • Tier 2: Upgradable
  • Tier 3: Foe-Biter
  • Tier 4: Intelligent - Spellcasting
  • Tier 5: Intelligent - Teleport
  • Tier 6: Perfect Surge
  • Tier 7: Intelligent - Spellcasting
  • Tier 8: Powerful (?)
  • Tier 9: Eternal Bond
  • Tier 10: Powerful (?) + Legendary Surge Die: 2d8