GM Phntm888's Way of the Wicked Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Phntm888

I'm okay with the Hedgewitch class, as it seems reasonably balanced.

I'm not as okay with the Restore power of the Life sphere. That seems like it does a lot for a level 1 ability, especially since traditional casting doesn't get the ability to restore ability damage until at least level 3. Would you be okay delaying access to that ability until then, if you got in? If not, would you be okay with upping the spell point cost to 2 instead of 1?

I'm unsure why you have a Sorcerer VMC and an Oracle curse. I may be missing something about Spheres of Power there. Could you explain further?

You don't get access to the level 1 bloodline ability until character level 3.

You seem to have a +3 armor bonus. Could you tell me the origin of that bonus? You do not start with any equipment.

Math, appearance and background are good. Based on the background, the Blade of Mercy re-flavoring can be justified. I just need answers to those questions, and you're complete.

Either of those solutions sound fine to me. It's definitely a bit powerful for a Level 1 ability.

The curse actually comes from the Black Magic Tradition. I get the Oracle curse equal to my Hedgewitch level and the ability to use Witch hexes.

Good catches! Both are mistakes that I'll rectify.

As far as Katharina knows her mother died giving birth to her. She was raised by her father, a successful opera singer and composer, and together they travelled around the country of Talingarde, moving from theatre to theatre. What her father never told her was that that, in part, was to avoid her mother.

Years before he met a lovely farmer's daughter while travelling in the northern part of Talingarde, near the border with the Savage North. He had wooed her with his voice and she had been eager to lay with him. What he hadn't counted on was waking up to the face of an annis hag demanding he sings for her, and a specific piece as well. He does, thinking he'll die, but as he nears the end of the tune she walks away. He didn't see her again until almost a year later. He is staying in an inn far further south than where she originally met him. In the middle of the night he drunkenly stumbles back to his room. Inside he finds the hag, looking like that same farmer's daughter, sitting on the bed with a baby in her arms. Before he can react she tells him it's his and orders him to teach their little girl to sing opera.

That is what he did. She had a clear knack for it, surpassing quite a few other artists as well.

It was through these people that she came into contact with what some called 'the Dark Muse'. Initially she thought this was just a euphemism for some addictive substance but she later learned that several desperate artists longing for success actually worshipped this 'Dark Muse'. It was rumoured that several very successful artists got their inspiration form the sacrifices they brought to her. Her father was among those rumoured to have done this but he vehemently denied, warning her to stay away from this evil demigod.

She listened to her father, at least initially. Eventually Katharina decided she wanted to be a composer and an opera singer and her father told her that if she were to write her first aria she'd be allowed to sing it to the audience before his next great performance. She immediately got to writing and practicing. When nothing coming out of her pen was good enough she once more turned toward the 'Dark Muse'. Mere seconds after her prayer words filled her mind and she set to writing what surely was a divinely inspired masterpiece. She thought it was a clever and witty comment about the state of the nation and it's rulers. Not all in her father's crowd agreed. The handful of nobles and officials among the crowd where everything but amused with what she sang and before her father's performance ended she was clapped in irons and dragged off on charges of sedition.

I can't get your point buy to add up correctly. I'm not super concerned now, but if you get in we'll need to go over it. You're fine otherwise.

I think that might come from the fact that the Slay May, so Annis born, Changeling has different stat adjustments from the standard Changeling, as per Blood of the Coven. They have +2 Str instead of the normal +2 Wis (rest is as standard)

Okay, now the math works out. d20pfsrd and Archives of Nethys don't have that information up yet, I don't think (that or I missed it). If you get in, I may need you to post the racial write up in your alias for me.

It was truly a day of jubilee as once more the Knights of the Alerion accepted squires into their ranks. Among the proud parents stood noble men and commoners alike. One of such fathers was a magistrate from the Heartland. His only son Aulay had after years of preparations passed the trials and while he had hoped the boy would have chosen a path closer to his own in life, he still brimmed with pride on this special day.

The squires of the Knights of the Alerion were years later nearing the end of their training and time would soon come for their assignments, some would go on to become knights while most would tend to support positions or join the regular armed forces of Talingarde. The old knight scrutinised the candidates, most choices were given, but a few still bothered the seasoned veteran. Aulay for instance had the martial skills but lacked force of character and perhaps devotion. Character could be taught but faith had to blossom from within. No he would have to serve as a sergeant then perhaps later on he could prove himself.

Piers a young cleric of the Blessed Order of St. Macarius examined the escort assigned to guard his Abbot and himself, as they travelled to cities along the Watch Wall. A single knight and his men was thought sufficient, he couldn’t help contemplating if that assessment was correct. So far there hadn’t been any skirmishes. He had even managed to strike up conversations with one of the silent men, a sergeant Aulay, his abbot had recommended forming these relationships even though it wasn’t with a knight, apparently this man might become a fully fletched brother according to the knight. And as men-at-arms went this Aulay was surprisingly intelligent and learned when he had opened up to him.

As the heavy steps echoed and finally perished, Liana breathed easily again. He had taking it surprisingly well, she thought, as she recalled the last half an hour. It had been clear that Aulay had thought the world of her, the man had been in love, she however didn’t fell the same way. Even though he had remained calm and composed that look in his eyes said it all. His world was broken apart when she told him, his appearance and lowly status was not good enough for her.

While Aulay continued with his duty, the quality suffered. Dark thoughts crept into his mind and unhealthy habits introduced themselves. A sergeant and hopeful knight should not stalk young women, especially those who had turned him away. Aulay knew this, but still spent many sleepless nights in the streets around Lianas place of residence. His friend Piers had tried to talk with him, reason with him – at least he didn’t know about these nightly endeavours. Some one else however must have as he was called into the watch commanders office upon his return to the barracks. Waiting on him was the watch commander and none other than the legendary Sir Balin. A fairly long conversation could be reduced to a transfer to Sir Balins contingent of troops and an order for departure in the morning.

Work was good and while Sir Balin was a hard man, he was an honest and just leader. The assignment was good for Aulay, as he forgot the sorrows of Liana and improved himself in body and mind bringing him closer to his goal of joining the ranks of the knights.

Luck finally seemed to smile upon him as he now was once again back in the quarters of the Knights of the Alerion awaiting promotion and Liana had accepted his advancements once more. However it didn’t last. While he had excelled himself in his service, a number of his superiors still felt his faith in Mitra lacked and thus he was released from service, recommend to seek service in the regular force of the kingdom. The blow struck hard and only the thought of his beloved made it tolerably. That pillar of support crumbled a few days later when Liana announced that she once again was rejecting him, he was still found wanting.

While he might have lived the rejection, a rumour of her being courted by another man send him into a vicious spiral. He blamed Mitra and he blamed her. Mitra for not granting accepting him into his service or gifting him with sufficient looks, Liana for her unfaithful and treacherous nature. While his accusation of Mitra was private, he vocally voiced his accusations of Liana. While some truth might had been found in his words Lianas family and especially oldest brother could not sit ideally by.

Worried for the safety of her brother Liana sought out the barrack guard of the Knights of the Alerion only to learn her brother had indeed been there and had left accompanied by Aulay. They, Liana and a contingent of men-at-arms, found the two. Her brother lay dead on the ground, Aulay knelt besides him praying inaudibly.

I am not sure if this is your vision of Sir Balin and the Knights of the Alerion. Let me know if you want it changed.

Male Human Fighter 1
NE Medium Human
Init +4; Senses Perception +2
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DEFENSE
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AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 10
hp 13 (10 + 1x1 favoured class + 1x2 con bonus)
Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +3
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OFFENSE
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Spd 30 ft.
Melee
Ranged
--------------------
STATISTICS
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Str 16, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 8
Base Atk +1; CMB +4, CMD 17
Feats Improved Shield Bash, Iron Will, Two-Weapon Fighting,
Traits Child of the temple (Religion), Dueling Unto Death, Tactician
Skills
Adventuring: Climb +7, Intimidate +3, Knowledge (Religion) +7, Perception +2, Stealth +4, Survival +5, Swim +7
Background: Handle Animal +3, Knowledge (Nobility) +4
ACP: 0
Languages Common,
Combat Gear
Other Gear
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SPECIAL ABILITIES
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Villain points 1
Variant Multi-Class Ranger

Age: 29 (Adult)
Size: Medium, 5’10”, 223 lbs.
Type: Humanoid (Human)

”He might be normal of height, but with that size he might as well stop trying to hide” one of the onlookers in the court said to her friend gesturing towards the dark haired man standing in the dock. She however quickly became quiet as she caught a glimpse of the hatred burning in his grey-green eyes.

[ooc]Hp 13/13; AC 13/13T/10FF; CMD 17 [ooc]
[ooc]+5F/+3R/+3W [ooc]
[ooc]Buffs: None[ooc]
[]

Level: 2

Ability Scores: 25 Point Buy, no score above 18 after racial modifiers. No score below 8 before racial modifiers, and try to limit yourself to only 1 such score.

Races: Any Paizo 15 RP or below, however, part of this campaign involves moving discretely and without drawing attention to yourselves. The more monstrous races might have a hard time doing so, which could result in certain difficulties during portions of the campaign, so choose carefully. Aasimar and Tieflings can roll once each on their respective Variant Ability tables (Tieflings do not need the Fiendish Heritage feat) and choose between the result of the roll and keeping their SLA. Alternatively, they may roll twice, but must choose the results of one of the two rolls. Variant heritages are allowed. They may roll as many times as they wish on their respective alternate physical features charts

Classes: Any Paizo except Paladins and Gunslingers (Bolt Ace is okay). Unchained Summoner must be used, Unchained Barbarian, Monk, and Rogue may be used. Antipaladins may be played, with their alignment changed to Any Evil (Fire Mountain Games has an antipaladin archetype specifically for this campaign). No 3rd Party except for the archetypes by Fire Mountain Games specifically for this campaign. Maximum possible Hit Points at 1st level, roll at 2nd level and take 1/2 HD +1 if that's higher than your roll. The campaign assumes that firearms have not reached Talingarde, so no archetypes that replace class features with firearms, please.

Skills: Background Skills will be used. In addition, every class gets an extra 2 skill ranks per level. You will be lacking a lot of the support that a traditional adventuring party would have access to, so you’ll need a few extra tricks. Regular Skill unlocks and Occult Skill unlocks are both okay as well.

Feats: We will be using feat taxes, as described here. Combat Stamina is free for Fighters, and everyone can spend a feat for it.

Traits: Any two traits, plus one of the Crime traits below. This serves as your campaign trait.

Alignment: Your only alignment choices are lawful evil and neutral evil. Good alignments will not work with the campaign (since you are supposed to be the villains), and chaotic alignments tend to be poor choices as well. This is not the campaign for rebellious loners. If there is a class you want to play that requires a chaotic alignment, you may consider that requirement waived. Lawful Evil is STRONGLY encouraged.

Deities: Worshipping Asmodeus is STRONGLY encouraged for everyone, especially divine casters. I will not make it mandatory, but it is important enough that if I have two similar characters I like equally, one who worships Asmodeus and one who worships another deity, that may end up being the tiebreaker between them. The only other deity that figures into the adventure is Mitra, who is Lawful Good. Obviously, all good-aligned deities are inappropriate for this campaign. If you want to worship a deity who isn’t Asmodeus, any non-good Golarion deity is acceptable, although some may be harder to justify than others.

Starting Gold: 600 gp.

Villain Points: At certain points, I will award the players Villain Points. These function similarly to Hero points, and have similar uses. Everyone can start with 1.

Background: Tell me who you were, what your crime was, and how you were caught. How did your family and friends react? Did they spurn you? Cast you aside? Did they plead with the magistrate who handled your trial - if it could be called such - to grant you leniency? What does your character look like? What sort of personality do they have? 1 - 3 paragraphs is perfectly acceptable, but more will not hurt your case, and I will read it. In addition, rather than escaping from Branderscar Prison, you escaped en route. Tell me how you did so, and whether you did it alone or had help.

Though it doesn’t need to be included in your background, make sure your character is the kind of person who would be willing to sign an Infernal contract and join an evil organization bent on bringing the Kingdom of Talingarde to its knees. This aspect of your character is 100% non-negotiable.

Other Rules: We will not be using Automatic Bonus Progression. There are rules sub-systems specific to the AP we will use, which I will explain when we reach that point.

This campaign also offers the ability to become a vampire or a lich, and has created feat chains and methods for you to do so. The first feat in the Vampire chain is below. If there is another template’s abilities you would like to possibly replicate, we’ll see if we can create feats that will allow you to either replicate that template’s abilities or take the template.

Evil loves power, and these characters should be quite powerful. What’s that? You want a bit more power? Or perhaps a little extra versatility? Well then, my potential villains, make your character with a free Virtual Multi-Class. If we need to create one for a class that doesn’t have one yet, I’ll work with you to do that, using existing VMCs as a base. This means you cannot choose a VMC through the standard means (sacrificing feats).

These 20 traits are meant to provide sufficient variety in crimes committed that there are plenty of options, but are not meant to be an exhaustive list. If there is another you would like to add, I am willing to work with you to see if we can create an appropriate Crime trait.

Arson: You have willfully started a fire that destroyed property. To be sent to Branderscar, you didn’t start just a minor little trash fire. Your act of arson threatened a major town, city, church or castle and likely cost someone their life. You’ll be punished for your crime by facing the fire yourself.
-->Punishment: Death by burning
-->Benefit: Whenever you score a critical hit with a fire attack, you receive a +2 fire damage bonus to your damage roll. This bonus is a trait bonus.

Attempted Murder: You tried to kill someone and botched the job. To be sent to Branderscar Prison, you did not try to kill just anyone. You likely assaulted someone of great importance and prominence.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You gain a +2 trait bonus to Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you.

Blasphemy: Either you have defamed the great god Mitra or you have been found guilty of worshipping one of the forbidden deities (who preeminent among them is Asmodeus).
-->Punishment: Death by burning
-->Benefit: +2 trait bonus to Knowledge (religion) and Knowledge (religion) is always a class skill for you.

Consorting with Dark Powers (Witchcraft): You have been found guilty of summoning an evil outsider. Likely you were captured by the famed witch hunter Sir Balin of Karfeld. The last thing he said to you was, “May Mitra have mercy upon your wretched, damned soul.” If only you could get a chance at revenge!
-->Punishment: Death by burning
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Knowledge (planes) and Knowledge (arcana) checks, and one of these skills (your choice) is always a class skill for you.

Desecration: You have violated one of the churches, cathedrals or holy shrines of the great god Mitra. To be sent to Branderscar this was no minor act of vandalism. Instead you have done something flagrant and spectacular to dishonor the Shining Lord.
-->Punishment: Death by burning
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus on all saving throws against divine spells.

Desertion: You have deserted from the Talirean military and been recaptured. To get sent to Branderscar this was not some minor or routine dereliction of duty. Instead, you abandoned your post during a time of crisis -- perhaps battle or while defending the Watch Wall. Regardless of the exact circumstances, your laziness and cowardness must have caused loss of life.
-->Punishment: Death by hanging
-->Benefit: You receive one bonus skill point per level that must be spent on the Profession (Soldier) skill. Profession (Soldier) is always a class skill for you.

Dueling Unto Death: You have engaged in a duel to the death and mortally wounded an opponent. The opponent was honorable enough to say nothing before he expired. Alas that his family or companions were nowhere near so honorable. Dueling was once common in Talingarde before the House of Darius came to power. The House of Barca all but encouraged duels of honor. Now, dueling of any sort is punished severely. Dueling to the death is a sure way to be sent to Branderscar Prison.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You gain a +1 trait bonus to Fortitude saves

Extortion: You have defrauded money from someone by holding information of their wrongdoing over their heads. To end up in Branderscar, this was no minor act of merely threatening to expose someone. Instead you have attempted extortion against someone of great prominence and for exorbitant stakes.
-->Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
-->Benefit: You receive a +2 trait bonus to Intimidate checks, and Intimidate is always a class skill for you.

Forgery: You have forged documents issued either by the crown or by the Church of Mitra. Alas, that your forgery while competent was not entirely undetectable. To be sent to Branderscar, this was no minor finagling of paperwork. This forged document could have cost lives, undermined the reputation of the Church or endangered the security of the realm.
-->Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
-->Benefit: You gain a +3 trait bonus to Linguistics skill checks to commit forgery and Linguistics is always a class skill for you.

Fraud: You tried to bilk someone out of their cash. To end up in Branderscar Prison, this was no petty con job or penny ante racket. Instead, you brazenly tried to defraud someone important of a huge sum of money. And it almost worked too!
-->Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
-->Benefit: You receive a +2 trait bonus to Bluff checks and Bluff is always a class kill for you.

Grave Robbery: It is forbidden by sacred law to dishonor a corpse after it is been sealed in its tomb by a clergy of the Mitran faith. Some may not honor this ban: necromancers, golem crafters, self-styled scientists, and alchemists delving into the forbidden secrets of life and death. These ghouls can expect no mercy from the Talirean Magistrates. And by sending you to Branderscar Prison, you have received none.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to confirm critical hits.

Heresy: You have denied the supremacy of Mitra and been condemned for it. For this to be a crime, you were not content to keep your heresy to yourself. You tried to sway others. Likely you were captured by the famed witch hunter Sir Balin of Karfeld. The last thing he said to you was: “Mitra may forgive you yet for your lies. Talingarde will not.” If only you could get a chance at revenge!
-->Punishment: Death by burning.
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus on all saving throws against divine spells.

High Theft: You had a foolproof plan to steal some great treasure. Alas, the scheme had a fatal flaw and went horribly awry. To be sent to Branderscar prison, this was no ordinary robbery attempt. You tried to steal something of great value or religious significance.
-->Punishment: Life at hard labor in the salt mines
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Reflex saves.

High Treason: You have willfully worked to bring down the current Monarch of Talingarde -- the beloved King Markadian V called the Brave of House Darius. To be successfully tried for High Treason you have done more than merely dislike the king, you did something tangible to undermine his rule. Alas, that you failed at your plot and are now headed to Branderscar Prison. Treason is the only crime that is still punished by the gruesome ritual of being drawn and quartered. Your stay at Branderscar will be brief.
-->Punishment: Death by drawing and quartering
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Will saves.

Kidnapping: You have abducted someone perhaps to ransom them or do unspeakable things to them. Unfortunately, you were caught and your victim was rescued (if they weren’t
rescued -- you would be guilty of murder instead). To be sent to Branderscar Prison, you must have abducted someone of great importance or in a particularly gruesome manner.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to both Disarm and Grapple attempts.

Murder: You have killed without just cause and been condemned for it. To be sent to Branderscar Prison, this was no typical killing but a particularly savage and unforgivable act. You may also have killed someone with powerful friends.
Note: You are not allowed to have killed someone in the royal family of Talingarde. You may have tried (this would instead be High Treason -- see above) but ultimately they are too well protected.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You deal 1 additional point of damage when flanking a foe. This additional damage is a trait bonus.

Piracy: You have been caught in the act of piracy on the high seas. This is a rare crime these days since Markadian I called the Victorious burned the last major pirate fleet to threaten these isles. Still the crime is punished harshly. Likely you are the sole survivor of your ship.
-->Punishment: Death by hanging
-->Benefit: You may select either Bluff or Intimidate. The selected skill receives a +2 trait bonus and is always a class skill for you.

Sedition: You have attempted to covertly stir up rebellion against your rightful sovereign. This differs from high treason in that you attempted to convince others to make war against Talingarde instead of taking direct action yourself. A subtle difference to be sure. But it is the difference between receiving the swift justice of the axe instead of the slow suffering upon the rack.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to Bluff checks and Bluff is always a class skill for you. Further if you ever take the Leadership feat, you gain a +1 trait bonus to your Leadership score.

Slave-Taking: Slavery is illegal in Talingarde and a very rare crime. Still, once in a great while, slavers from the mainland will foolishly make an incursion into Talirean protected territories. When they are captured alive they are always made an example of.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You receive a +1 trait bonus to both Disarm and Grapple attempts.

Slave Trading: Slavery is legal in other parts of the world and it can be tempting to the most decadent of Talingarde’s nobility to acquire a “souvenir” when traveling abroad or to purchase the object of their desire from a less reputable merchant. However you ended up trading slaves in Talingarde, you were caught red handed and now you will lose more than simply your freedom.
-->Punishment: Death by beheading
-->Benefit: You receive one bonus skill point per level that must be spent on the Appraise skill. The Appraise skill is always a class skill for you.

Prerequisites: You must be bitten by a vampire.

You have been bitten by a vampire and infected with the curse of undeath. As you sicken, your senses heighten and you become profoundly aware that every day, you are changing into something both more and less than mortal. You have only begun your transformation into the living dead.

Benefits: You gain darkvision 30 ft. and the Alertness feat, however, your Constitution score is lowered by two permanently.

Jevar T'soryn
Male drow bard (arcane healer, thundercaller) 1/swashbuckler (noble fencer) 1/alchemist*(VMC) (Pathfinder Player Companion: Faiths & Philosophies, Pathfinder RPG Advanced Class Guide 56, Pathfinder RPG Bestiary 114, Pathfinder RPG Ultimate Intrigue 52, Ultimate Wilderness 41)
NE Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision; Perception +6
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Defense
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AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +1 shield)
hp 15 (2 HD; 1d8+1d10)
Fort +0, Ref +7, Will +1; +2 vs. enchantments
Immune sleep; SR 8
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft. (20 ft. in armor)
Melee longsword +3 (1d8+1/19-20)
Ranged composite longbow +4 (1d8+1/×3)
Special Attacks bardic performance 8 rounds/day (countersong, distraction, fascinate [DC 14], inspire courage +1), deeds (derring-do, opportune parry and riposte, social panache), panache (4)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 2nd; concentration +6)
1/day—dancing lights, darkness, faerie fire
Bard (Arcane Healer, Thundercaller) Spells Known (CL 1st; concentration +5)
1st (2/day)—charm person (DC 15), sow thought[ARG] (DC 15)
0 (at will)—detect magic, light, prestidigitation, spark[APG] (DC 14)
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Statistics
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Str 12, Dex 17, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 18
Base Atk +1; CMB +4; CMD 15
Feats Weapon Focus (Heavy Blades)
Traits piracy, poverty-stricken, vagabond child (urban)
Skills Acrobatics +0 (-4 to jump), Appraise +7, Bluff +11, Craft (poison) +7, Diplomacy +9, Disable Device +4, Escape Artist +5, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (nature) +7, Perception +6, Sense Motive +4, Stealth +5, Survival +6; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception
Languages Common, Draconic, Elven, Undercommon
SQ finesse weapon attack attribute, poison use, rules changes, surface infiltrator[ARG], swashbuckler finesse
Other Gear mwk chain shirt, buckler, composite longbow (+1 Str), longsword, masterwork backpack[APG], signet ring, snuffbox, wood[ACG], thieves' tools, waterskin (2), weapon cord[APG], whetstone, 37 gp, 8 sp, 8 cp
--------------------
Special Abilities
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Agile Maneuvers Use DEX instead of STR for CMB
Bardic Performance (standard action, 8 rounds/day) Your performances can create magical effects.
Combat Expertise +/-1 Bonus to AC in exchange for an equal penalty to attack.
Deadly Aim -1/+2 Trade a penalty to ranged attacks for a bonus to ranged damage.
Deeds
Drow Immunities - Sleep You are immune to magic sleep effects.
Low-Light Vision See twice as far as a human in dim light, distinguishing color and detail.
Panache (Ex) Gain a pool of points that are spent to fuel deeds, regained on light/piercing crit/killing blow.
Poison Use (Ex) You do not risk poisoning yourself accidentally while poisoning a weapon.
Power Attack -1/+2 You can subtract from your attack roll to add to your damage.
Spell Resistance (8) You have Spell Resistance.
Surface Infiltrator Lose darkvision, but gain low-light vision and lose light blindness.
Swashbuckler Finesse Use Dex for att with light/1-hand pierce wep. Use Cha instead of Int for combat feat pre-reqs.
Weapon Focus (Heavy Blades) Choose one weapon group. You become better at using that type of weapon.

Drow are hardly common upon the surface world. Even if they are found here and there they are rarely accepted by society. Even if Jevar hadn't had a propensity for violence and thievery, he'd likely have had little choice in the matter. Torn from his homeland, he made his way into the Shackles and eventually upon a pirate ship. It took many years for his light sensitivity to give way and eventually he lost his ability to see perfectly in the dark. He honestly missed it but not being blind half the day was a good trade.

The difficulty of piracy is choosing your targets. Unfortunately for Jevar, his captain chose poorly and their ship was sunk. He had managed to sneak his way onto the ship that was to be their victim, but after some heavy searching, he was found. It was quite evident that he was a pirate and the Talingarde Military vessel took Jevar in as a prisoner. But if there was one thing Jevar was good at, it was manipulation.

It took some time for him to ever gain the trust of his watchdog, even with the help of magic. A few thoughts sown into the man's mind, a few convincing arguments, and after a few days at sea, he finally convinced the guard to give him a lockpick from his things. He knew better than to attempt his escape at sea, so he waited till he was transferred into a prison wagon. Thankfully they didn't search him too aggressively. He had to endure some shame in order to hide his lockpit in the filth of his clothes and body, but he knew it was his only chance. Once the trip began and night started to fall, he finally made his move. A little bit of unnatural darkness, some luck with the lock on the door and he rolled silently out into the darkness of night and the woods nearby where he took his time to rid himself of the manacles and chains. Then, it was simply to wait for the next merchant to come along, steal some clothes, and wash himself up and he was home free.

Peter
age: 18
Human Rogue [VMC: Ranger] 2
NE
Init +4;
Senses Darkvision 60ft;
Perception +4

DEFENSE
AC 17; Touch 14; Flat-Footed 13
HP 17;
Fort +0 ; Ref +7 ; Will +2

OFFENSE
Speed 30ft;
Melee Dagger +5 (1d4) 19-20/x2

STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +5

Feats
Frightening Ambush, Catch Off-Guard, Weapon Focus (Dagger)

Skills
Acrobatics +9, Bluff +7, Climb +5, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +11, Intimidate +7, Knowledge Local +7, Perception +7, *Profession: Transporter +7, *Sleight Of Hand +9, Stealth +9, UMD +7

Languages
Common, Dwarven, Elven

SQ
Finesse Training, Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding, Evasion, Weapon Training (RT)

Alternate Racial Trait
Dimdweller

Traits
Child of the Moon, Hidden Hand, Crime : Murder

Equipment
Mwk Studded Leather, 3x Dagger, mwk Thieves' Tools, Burglar's Outfit

Peter was born in the heart of Talingrade to a father who was a dock worker and who’s mother died giving birth to him. Peter spent much of his beginning years alone, his father splitting his time between work and the tavern. Peter quickly joined up with a child gang being as he was a scrawny kid. He made friends pretty easily and found his niche doing the agile work of the crew. Occasionally Peter behaved erratically claiming that he heard someone change the plans. With his talent however, such occasions were overlooked.
As time passed however more strange things began happening. Peter would not show up for excursions, but any security would be completely absent. Only for rumors to appear later that the security was dead. When asked about this Peter would claim that he had no knowledge of the happenings because he was sleeping.

The local officials began taking action however, and staged an enticing fake mark for the culprits of these crimes. The lieutenant was inside organizing this sting when her own back-up weapon cut her throat. The killer, Peter, wide-eyed and now covered in blood, let out a maniacal giddy laughter as he attack the nearest two guards who were understandably surprised. After this initial shock the guards organized and incapacitated the assailant. Drenched in blood, Peter was carried back to the local justice and within minutes, albeit most of the minutes were taken by general horror, was sentenced as a murderer and sent to Brandscar prison.

It is a long road to Brandscar and, though the prison guards are formidable, Peter's escorts were not. While being put into his prison carriage Peter easily lifted the keys and, after a short time of riding, he opened the door. Things got a bit interesting then though, because his escort wasn't small. They had given him a weapon, unaware to them. As I mentioned previously, they were not formidable. Peter, with the long chain he was attached to, bludgeoned his captors to great excess and escaped.

Why were you forced out of your homeland? Was it something you did? A family member did? Do you desire to return home?

We're using Feat Tax rules, so Finesse Training grants a free Weapon Focus instead of Weapon Finesse. Weapon Focus also applies to entire Fighter Weapon Groups, not just one weapon. Check the link above in the Makings of a Villain spoiler.

Also, you have 600 gp to spend, so you can spend a little more, if you want.

Willow grew up in a populous city in Talingarde. The Burkle family was a large one; her parents had owned a clean and popular tavern uptown, while her Aunt ran an apothecary next door. Willow had three older brothers and a handful of cousins, with many more relatives scattered throughout the city. Outwardly they were typical, amiable halflings -- but behind closed doors the Burkles had a long history of witchcraft and diabolism, along with strong ties to the criminal underworld. Her Aunty presided over the family coven, with an Asmodean shrine hidden in the apothecary basement, while her parents kept strong connections with the rest of the family throughout the city, running con jobs, heists, and burglaries.

Willow learned the ins and outs of the Burkle business as she came of age, and did her part to help out when she was old enough. While diabolism was the norm, she didn’t have much of a knack for witchcraft. With her small size she found her talent slipping into small spaces, jimmying locks, and filching goods in the marketplace.

She might have had a promising future, but the Burkle family secret wasn’t kept carefully enough. A few years ago the coven was outed, and witch-hunters raided the family homes. Willow was the youngest child and too young to be implicated, but the rest of the family -- parents, aunt, and her three older siblings -- were taken and sentenced for consorting with dark powers. Willow would always remember the day the witch-hunters came, led by the worst of them all, Sir Balin of Karfeld... With her family headed to Branderscar -- some to their executions and some to a life in the mines -- Willow took to the streets. She still had extended family, but the black mark on the Burkle name made it hard to get by, and without any training in witchcraft, she only had her wits and petty theft to rely on.

Willow shed her family name, and kept to the poorer areas of the city to escape notice. She grew accustomed to hiding, begging, and stealing to survive. With her stature and looks she had a knack for passing as a human child, often with minimal effort, and took advantage of that whenever it suited her. Pretending to be a lost kid could get her a hot meal and a warm bed in a pinch, or even distract some guards while co-conspirators slipped by. Once she was even fortunate enough to get invited into a guardhouse, to keep warm on a rainy night. She’d stole a peek at some of their schedules while there, and was surprised to find notes on none other than Sir Balin.

With some forewarning to when and where the famed witch-hunter would be, she tried to scrape together enough gold to hire someone to kill him. She couldn’t find enough coin, nor anyone foolish enough to make an attempt on Balin’s life. While Willow was able to hold her own in a scrape, she didn’t dare test her mettle against him... Instead she sought to slip her way into where he slept, and plant a dagger firmly in his spine. Getting in was far easier than it should have been, but it didn’t go well from there. Balin was a light sleeper, and though she managed to score a solid stab, it was far too little to fell the man...and she was no match for him.

Hardly a day later, and after a hasty trial, Willow found herself en route to Branderscar. She was a good slip, but knew no one had ever escaped from that hell-hole. With her small hands and a knack for locks, she managed to free herself and a handful of other captives. While others fought with the guards, she ran -- as far and as fast as she could.

(Note: I don’t know any place names or specifics for the setting. I imagine Willow’s home was a large city with a sizeable population of poor people, but where halflings wouldn’t be too out of place in the middle-class areas.)

Peter
age: 18
Human Rogue [VMC: Ranger] 2
NE
Init +4;
Senses Darkvision 60ft;
Perception +4
DEFENSE
AC 17; Touch 14; Flat-Footed 13
HP 17;
Fort +0 ; Ref +7 ; Will +2

OFFENSE
Speed 30ft;
Melee Dagger +6 (1d4) 19-20/x2

STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +1; CMB +5

Feats
Frightening Ambush, Catch Off-Guard, Weapon Focus (Close Weapons), Dazzling Display

Skills
Acrobatics +9, Bluff +7, Climb +5, Diplomacy +7, Disable Device +11, Intimidate +7, Knowledge Local +7, Perception +7, *Profession: Transporter +7, *Sleight Of Hand +9, Stealth +9, UMD +7

Languages
Common, Dwarven, Elven

SQ
Finesse Training, Sneak Attack +1d6, Trapfinding, Evasion, Combat Trick (RT)

Alternate Racial Trait
Dimdweller

Traits
Child of the Moon, Hidden Hand, Crime : Murder

Equipment
Mwk Studded Leather, 3x Dagger, mwk Thieves' Tools, Burglar's Outfit

Peter was born in the heart of Talingrade to a father who was a dock worker and who’s mother died giving birth to him. Peter spent much of his beginning years alone, his father splitting his time between work and the tavern. Peter quickly joined up with a child gang being as he was a scrawny kid. He made friends pretty easily and found his niche doing the agile work of the crew. Occasionally Peter behaved erratically claiming that he heard someone change the plans. With his talent however, such occasions were overlooked.
As time passed however more strange things began happening. Peter would not show up for excursions, but any security would be completely absent. Only for rumors to appear later that the security was dead. When asked about this Peter would claim that he had no knowledge of the happenings because he was sleeping.

The local officials began taking action however, and staged an enticing fake mark for the culprits of these crimes. The lieutenant was inside organizing this sting when her own back-up weapon cut her throat. The killer, Peter, wide-eyed and now covered in blood, let out a maniacal giddy laughter as he attack the nearest two guards who were understandably surprised. After this initial shock the guards organized and incapacitated the assailant. Drenched in blood, Peter was carried back to the local justice and within minutes, albeit most of the minutes were taken by general horror, was sentenced as a murderer and sent to Brandscar prison.

It is a long road to Brandscar and, though the prison guards are formidable, Peter's escorts were not. While being put into his prison carriage Peter easily lifted the keys and, after a short time of riding, he opened the door. Things got a bit interesting then though, because his escort wasn't small. They had given him a weapon, unaware to them. As I mentioned previously, they were not formidable. Peter, with the long chain he was attached to, bludgeoned his captors to great excess and escaped.

Jevar was a victim of politics, his family tried something underhanded to gain status but got caught and they offered Jevar up as the sacrificial lamb to take the fall for their attempt.

It is possible that he may seek to go back and seek vengeance upon his family and then possibly push to gain status himself in the Underworld but he knows that he is too naive in the world and too weak to manage anything close to that at this time.