About _Soros_"Was your question not rhetorical? The answer is obvious! The only riddle here is why I'm wasting my time on you." Statistics:
Soros Soll
Male human (Suel) wizard 1 (abjurer) N medium humanoid (human) Init +2; Senses Perception +3 ------------------------------ DEFENSE ------------------------------ AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 10 (+0 armor, +2 dex, +0 shield) hp 7 (Healthy 7-6 / Grazed 5-4 / Wounded 3-2 / Critical 1 / Disabled 0) [max 6 @ W1 + 1 FB) Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +9 ------------------------------ OFFENSE ------------------------------ Speed 30 ft. Melee Quarterstaff +0 (1d6) Ranged Sling +2 (1d4) R:50'
Traits
Feats
Skills (8 points; 4 class + 3 INT + 1 human) Appraise +7 (1 rank + 3 class + 3 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
Background Skills (2) Craft (metalworking) +7 (1 rank + 3 class + 3 Int + 0 feat + 0 racial + 0 trait)
*ACP of 0 applies to these skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, and Swim. Languages Aerdi (R/S), Keoish (R/S), Draconic (R/S), Class Abilities:
------------------------------ CLASS ABILITIES ------------------------------ Arcane Bond.
Wizards who select a bonded object begin play with one at no cost. Objects that are the subject of an arcane bond must fall into one of the following categories: amulet, ring, staff, wand, or weapon. These objects are always masterwork quality. Weapons acquired at 1st level are not made of any special material. If the object is an amulet or ring, it must be worn to have effect, while staves, wands, and weapons must be held in one hand. If a wizard attempts to cast a spell without his bonded object worn or in hand, he must make a concentration check or lose the spell. The DC for this check is equal to 20 + the spell’s level. If the object is a ring or amulet, it occupies the ring or neck slot accordingly. A bonded object can be used once per day to cast any one spell that the wizard has in his spellbook and is capable of casting, even if the spell is not prepared. This spell is treated like any other spell cast by the wizard, including casting time, duration, and other effects dependent on the wizard’s level. This spell cannot be modified by metamagic feats or other abilities. The bonded object cannot be used to cast spells from the wizard’s opposition schools (see arcane school below). A wizard can add additional magic abilities to his bonded object as if he has the required Item Creation Feats and if he meets the level prerequisites of the feat. For example, a wizard with a bonded dagger must be at least 5th level to add magic abilities to the dagger (see Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat). If the bonded object is a wand, it loses its wand abilities when its last charge is consumed, but it is not destroyed and it retains all of its bonded object properties and can be used to craft a new wand. The magic properties of a bonded object, including any magic abilities added to the object, only function for the wizard who owns it. If a bonded object’s owner dies, or the item is replaced, the object reverts to being an ordinary masterwork item of the appropriate type. If a bonded object is damaged, it is restored to full hit points the next time the wizard prepares his spells. If the object of an arcane bond is lost or destroyed, it can be replaced after 1 week in a special ritual that costs 200 gp per wizard level plus the cost of the masterwork item. This ritual takes 8 hours to complete. Items replaced in this way do not possess any of the additional enchantments of the previous bonded item. A wizard can designate an existing magic item as his bonded item. This functions in the same way as replacing a lost or destroyed item except that the new magic item retains its abilities while gaining the benefits and drawbacks of becoming a bonded item. Arcane School: Abjuration
A wizard that chooses to specialize in one school of magic must select two other schools as his opposition schools, representing knowledge sacrificed in one area of arcane lore to gain mastery in another. A wizard who prepares spells from his opposition schools must use two spell slots of that level to prepare the spell. For example, a wizard with evocation as an opposition school must expend two of his available 3rd-level spell slots to prepare a fireball. In addition, a specialist takes a –4 penalty on any skill checks made when crafting a magic item that has a spell from one of his opposition schools as a prerequisite. A universalist wizard can prepare spells from any school without restriction. Each arcane school gives the wizard a number of school powers. In addition, specialist wizards receive an additional spell slot of each spell level he can cast, from 1st on up. Each day, a wizard can prepare a spell from his specialty school in that slot. This spell must be in the wizard’s spellbook. A wizard can select a spell modified by a metamagic feat to prepare in his school slot, but it uses up a higher-level spell slot. Wizards with the universalist school do not receive a school slot. Spells & Abjuration School Powers:
Concentration +5 (CL 1 + 3 Int + 1 Awareness) Overcome Spell Resistance +6
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0th (4, at will) DC 13: dancing lights, mending, prestidigitation, resistance 1st (2 + 1/day) DC 14: mage armor, magic weapon, + shield --------------------------------------
0th: acid splash, arcane mark, dancing lights, detect magic, detect poison, flare, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, spark 1st: alarm, identify, mage armor, magic weapon, protection from evil, shield ---------------------------------
The abjurer uses magic against itself, and masters the art of defensive and warding magics. Resistance (Ex)
Protective Ward (Su) 6/day, 3 rounds duration
Gear/Possessions:
------------------------------ GEAR/POSSESSIONS ------------------------------ Worn
Carried
Pouch, spell component. Wgt 2 lbs [5 gp] Quarterstaff. 1d6(20/x2); Type: B. Wgt 4 lbs [- gp]
Current Encumbrance: Light Carrying Capacity
Normal:
Current Load Carried 15.5 lbs Money 19 GP / 6 SP / 8 CP
Background:
Soros was born and raised in Saltmarsh, where he was apprenticed to a smith. Always more clever and insightful than other children, he grew up an intellectual bully, pointing out the flaws and mistakes of others. Tired of the simple life and of listening to his elders, 15 year old Soros decided to leave town with a group of passing mercenaries who were searching for a hedge wizard rumored to live in the wilderness nearby - and rumored to be spreading the curse of the plague. Taking him on for his skills as a smith, the mercenary band promised him money and glory. When they eventually found the arcane hermit they sought they were instead routed by the man’s powerful magic. Soros did not flee with his new companions, however; he was keen enough to tell that the wizard could have easily killed them all if he so desired. This display of arcane power amazed Soros and awoke in him a passion to wield such power himself. He pleaded with the wizard to accept him as an apprentice and the man, seeing some spark of true potential within him, agreed. Soros has spent the last 6 years studying under his master. Once he learned of the magnitude of the planes, of the power of the gods and of arcane magic, Soros realized just how small Saltmarsh really was. Even the most powerful of Oerth's kings were less than pawns in the struggles of the cosmos. He devoted himself to his studies and to the worship and tenets of his master's patron, Boccob, the god who provided them with magic and who sought to maintain the fragile balance of reality lest it become trapped in stasis or crumble into chaos. He also learned that there was something wrong with magic, something that was getting worse. His master recently declared Soros's studies complete and departed on a personal mission to investigate the waning of magic, though he would not provide his student with any details. And so Soros has returned to Saltmarsh to reunite with his family and decide upon how best to further his own studies and his service to his god. Appearance and Personality:
Soros is tall and slender, graceful in his movements, and possessed of a stern but not unhandsome countenace. While somewhat fair skinned, it's his platinum blond hair that gives away his Suel heritage. Currently attired in crisp traveling clothes and a rust-red cloak, all brand new by the looks of them, with a finely made backpack similarly unsoiled. In fact the only things he carries that look to have seen regular use are the leather-bound book he ocassionally studies while at his leisure and his staff, though whether the latter has been more for fighting or for walking is uncertain. Soros is arrogant enough to consider himself humble; he's certainly humbled by the power and scope of magic, but by little else. To his mind the greatest feat of natural strength or dexterity is on par with the ability to walk or feed oneself; even a cunning intellect, insightful nature, or strong personality is to be praised only if it's applied to surpassing one's natural limitations. He believes there is no greater pursuit - indeed, no other pursuit truly worthwhile - than that of magic. All skills and art should be in service to this pursuit, whether it be elevating the mundane to the magical or creating something completely original from arcane or divine forces. Often patronizing or condescending, always curt and to the point, his years spent apprenticed to smith and wizard have not taught Soros many social skills, if any at all. Thankfully he generally only seeks the company or opinions of those he considers his intellectual equal, and so does not inflict himself on too large a part of the population. Like many of Suel heritage he does harbor a strong loyalty (if not affection) towards his family and is contrite over leaving home those many years ago; he hopes that the skills and powers he's gained in the interim justify his absence to them.
Soros's Journal, first entry:
Saltmarsh. To think that in my years of absence I'd actually grown to miss these people, this place. Dreary buildings, small-minded farmers, vacant-eyed fishermen - and the wind! When from the north it’s damnably cold, when from the south it reeks of fish. Now, faced with it all again, I am reminded of the reality of my place of birth, uncolored by the sentiment of absence. Praise be to the Lord of All Magic that I left here and found my true calling when I did. My family was quite happy to see me, right up until I told them of how I'd spent the last six years. Predictable. My father has tried to convince me to resume my position at the blacksmith’s but, stubborn as he is, he’s unwilling to see the fallacies within his argument. To change the physical properties of base metal - shape, strength, composition - is but the beginning; the true craft is in changing the very nature of the metal until it is something more than a mere physical object! Alas, his pride will not allow him to accept this. My brother has lectured me on the error of my ways, still foolish enough to believe that his scant excess of experience at being alive compared to myself has somehow endowed him with a far greater wisdom. My sister-in-law, as always, serves as his chorus, singing his praises and echoing his sentiments. I wonder if without her constant agreement he might see the plain truth of the matter for himself: that he’s wasting his life here, too afraid to admit that he’s capable of so much more than mere drudgery. My mother, bless her soul, is the only one who has voiced no complaint. Whether she has some inkling of the majesty of my chosen profession or she’s merely convinced by the passion of my arguments, I can’t say, but she is above the unfounded bias and paranoia of the others. Even so, I don’t know how much longer I can stay here, my explanations otherwise falling on deaf ears. Yet I also don’t know where else I should go. I pray that soon I shall discover a suitable path to pursue that will allow me to exercise and expand my arcane skills. Miscellanea:
House Rules D'Ogryn opinionated cook, impressive climber. Edan quiet caravan guard. Naia harpooner. Family descended from local adventurer. Rabalar elf caravan guard, impressive woodsman. Zove elf, local. Can cast faerie fire. Can shape wood through some magic. Can identify poisons. Large predatory cat as "pet".
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